After the current international phase, Hansi Flick wants to scale back the personnel and tactical experiments in the national soccer team and focus entirely on the formation of a tournament formation at the start of the coming European Championship season.
“In September the focus is on stability, of course the focus is even more on winning,” announced the national coach in Warsaw before the friendly against Poland on Friday evening. “It’s also important to win games because it gives you more confidence in your own quality,” said the 58-year-old, explaining his future plans.
Even after the sobering 3: 3 in the 1000th international match against Ukraine at the beginning of the week, he wants to try out other things in the European Championship tests in Poland and next Tuesday in Gelsenkirchen against Colombia, including the new game system with the back three in defence. “We said in March that we wanted to try something out. And we also reserved June for that,” said Flick.
After arriving in Warsaw on Thursday evening, he vigorously defended his route towards the home European Championship (June 14 to July 14, 2024). “We are convinced of the path we want to take. And we are convinced that next June we will have a team that is definitely well prepared for the EURO,” said Flick. After his starting record as national coach with eight wins, he has only managed four wins with the national team in the past 14 games. It is “okay” if there is criticism that focuses on him, said the DFB head coach.
The further international game timetable of the DFB provides for six more international games this year after the June games. In September there will be two home games in Wolfsburg against World Cup opponents Japan and against runners-up France in Dortmund. A trip to the USA with two games is on the agenda for October, one of them against the US selection in Hartford. The second opponent and the second venue have not yet been determined.
At the end of the year, two friendlies in Vienna against Austria and in Berlin against Turkey are on the cards. The European Championship groups will also be drawn in Hamburg on December 2nd. This is also a very important date in Flick’s tournament countdown.
