Rudi Völler didn’t feel like commenting on the next middle class kick of the national soccer team in the evening. Depressed, the DFB sporting director left the large Warsaw national stadium. Before that, association president Bernd Neuendorf had walked past the German reporters in the catacombs without stopping. What happened in the top officials after the 0: 1 against a conservative Polish selection was initially guessed on Friday without speaking. National coach Hansi Flick did not fulfill their clear task of winning back the frightened fans after the World Cup in Qatar with exciting football – on the contrary.
A draw with hair-raising mistakes against Ukraine, a defeat against Poland, Flick’s public lurching course in dealing with his players. Even a win on Tuesday (8.45 p.m. / RTL) against the world number 17. Colombia will hardly change the mood this summer, one year before the European Championships at home, for the better. Successes are now “elementary”, recognized Flick, who did not move away from his plan.
He could “quite understand” the doubts and the criticism, said the national coach late in the evening in a calm voice. “But of course there are also phases that go like this. And I’m absolutely convinced of the path we’re going.” The commitment cannot be denied to his team. The national coach announced that Champions League winner Ilkay Gündogan will return to the field for the last game in June.
The day after, before the DFB convoy flew back to Frankfurt/Main, Völler tried to emphasize the positive. “We were all disappointed in the first half,” said the former DFB team boss. “In the second half, the team performed as we expect. They showed the right reaction when they fell behind at the break.” A sense of achievement “would of course have been good for the team”.
The first internet portals opened polls on Saturday morning as to whether Flick was still the right one. It is easy to predict what kind of dynamics would develop in the event of a sobering draw or even a defeat at the end of the season in Gelsenkirchen. When asked whether it was a burden for the team that Flick was being questioned in the media, captain Joshua Kimmich replied: “I haven’t had the feeling so far. I hope it doesn’t bother the national coach either, because we as a team are behind him. “
Against Poland the national coach had changed the starting XI to nine positions and previously placed himself like a mother lion in front of the unsettled players. At the beginning of the course, Flick’s public criticism of Niklas Süle, who was not nominated, was the big topic. In the position of Dortmund in the center of defense, debutant Malick Thiaw was a ray of hope in Warsaw. A “highlight, if you can put it that way today,” said Flick about the 21-year-old, who has been playing for AC Milan for a year. Völler also spoke of a “very strong” debut.
“In the first half it was clear that we were trying to avoid mistakes,” said Kimmich. “We didn’t want to risk too much because it’s already in our heads that we have to win games.” The second half was much better, but the good Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny thwarted several German chances. The equalizer didn’t fall, that’s something to remember.
“It’s frightening that we don’t manage to score a goal somehow,” said late substitute striker Niclas Füllkrug. “And the fact that a corner flies in at the back describes our situation pretty well.” Jakub Kiwior scored the decisive goal (31st). Two-time world footballer Robert Lewandowski only played 45 minutes with the Poles. The ex-Bayern star then tried to encourage: “One year is a lot of time. There is a generational change not only in Germany,” said Lewandowski. “With the players that Germany has, you can also look positively ahead.”
In the stadium, only a few hundred German fans followed, where the DFB selection is one year before the EM. An average of 5.92 million people watched the ARD TV. Very few of them will have felt the desire for more flick football.
“From September everything has to be said, things have to be automatic and the mentality has to be there,” warned former world champion Bastian Schweinsteiger in his capacity as ARD expert. In just under three months, the national team will play against World Cup terror Japan and runner-up France. “We want opponents who simply challenge us,” says Flick. Then it is “also important that you bring a 100% attitude and mentality to the pitch,” said the national coach. “Those are the things that we expect from the team. These are games at a very high level and that can only bring us forward.”
