After three friendlies in June, Germany were left with a record of one draw and two defeats. Following the 2-0 loss to Colombia, head coach Hansi Flick faced questions from the media about the result, the conclusions drawn and the ongoing preparations for the 2024 EUROs.
Question: Mr. Flick, you experimented a lot in these last three games. What insights have you been able to gain from this?
Hansi Flick: It went belly-up. We’re very disappointed with how it went. I’m sorry for the fans too. We wanted to try some things out, but it didn’t work.
Question: Why not?
Flick: We didn’t have any energy in our game, no long runs. That also has to do with the confidence levels of each individual player.
Question: What does that mean for the work you’re doing?
Flick: As soon as we switched to four at the back, we were able to exert more pressure on our opponents. That was also the case against Ukraine. There are a lot of things that went well in training, but we’re just not showing it in the games. Those are the areas that we need to analyse. We have five defensive players but aren’t able to put any pressure on our opposition wingers.
Question: Sporting director Rudi Völler has reiterated his faith in you. Does this give you more security in your position?
Flick: I haven’t experienced a situation like this before. I really enjoy winning and hate to lose. I’m able to train with the best players in Germany and I really enjoy this job. We have a strong team with the potential to grow. We are trying to select a core of 10, 12, 14 players, so that everyone knows in which position they will play, who the first choice is and who is the back up. That might help bring in more confidence. We will try to do better in September.
Question: What makes you the right choice to still be head coach of the national team?
Flick: This year hasn’t been perfect, for several reasons. We will draw the right conclusions. My philosophy on how to play football is the right fit for this team.
Question: Rudi Völler criticised the players for their performances. Was he correct in his criticism?
Flick: We took a close look at who met our expectations and who didn’t. We will take our time and look at the facts. Please, give me the time to do so.
Question: What will you do now?
Flick: I have a good feel for the team. Overall, it’s positive. We just aren’t able to show this on the pitch at the minute. Our results just aren’t good enough. We need to gain back this winning mentality. We will need to win our duels against Japan and everyone will need to take a look at what they can contribute.
Question: Emre Can played in the middle of a back-three. What was your intention with that decision?
Flick: Up until the error that led to us conceding the first goal, he did a good job. Our plan didn’t quite work out. That’s why we need to be willing to face the criticism.
Question: The fans were booing. How painful is that for you to experience?
Flick: The fans want to see us play. They also have the right to demand that we perform and play better. I can promise you that they will see a different team in September.
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After three friendlies in June, Germany were left with a record of one draw and two defeats. Following the 2-0 loss to Colombia, head coach Hansi Flick faced questions from the media about the result, the conclusions drawn and the ongoing preparations for the 2024 EUROs.
Question: Mr. Flick, you experimented a lot in these last three games. What insights have you been able to gain from this?
Hansi Flick: It went belly-up. We’re very disappointed with how it went. I’m sorry for the fans too. We wanted to try some things out, but it didn’t work.
Question: Why not?
Flick: We didn’t have any energy in our game, no long runs. That also has to do with the confidence levels of each individual player.
Question: What does that mean for the work you’re doing?
Flick: As soon as we switched to four at the back, we were able to exert more pressure on our opponents. That was also the case against Ukraine. There are a lot of things that went well in training, but we’re just not showing it in the games. Those are the areas that we need to analyse. We have five defensive players but aren’t able to put any pressure on our opposition wingers.
Question: Sporting director Rudi Völler has reiterated his faith in you. Does this give you more security in your position?
Flick: I haven’t experienced a situation like this before. I really enjoy winning and hate to lose. I’m able to train with the best players in Germany and I really enjoy this job. We have a strong team with the potential to grow. We are trying to select a core of 10, 12, 14 players, so that everyone knows in which position they will play, who the first choice is and who is the back up. That might help bring in more confidence. We will try to do better in September.
Question: What makes you the right choice to still be head coach of the national team?
Flick: This year hasn’t been perfect, for several reasons. We will draw the right conclusions. My philosophy on how to play football is the right fit for this team.
Question: Rudi Völler criticised the players for their performances. Was he correct in his criticism?
Flick: We took a close look at who met our expectations and who didn’t. We will take our time and look at the facts. Please, give me the time to do so.
Question: What will you do now?
Flick: I have a good feel for the team. Overall, it’s positive. We just aren’t able to show this on the pitch at the minute. Our results just aren’t good enough. We need to gain back this winning mentality. We will need to win our duels against Japan and everyone will need to take a look at what they can contribute.
Question: Emre Can played in the middle of a back-three. What was your intention with that decision?
Flick: Up until the error that led to us conceding the first goal, he did a good job. Our plan didn’t quite work out. That’s why we need to be willing to face the criticism.
Question: The fans were booing. How painful is that for you to experience?
Flick: The fans want to see us play. They also have the right to demand that we perform and play better. I can promise you that they will see a different team in September.
