A year ago, he became a World Champion with the men’s national team. After Brazil 2014, Hansi Flick started a new chapter in his life – the assistant manager became DFB sporting director. Now he’s much more in touch with the youth teams, and was of course present at the European U21 Championship. Following the final between Portugal and Sweden, Flick sat down with DFB.de to discuss his views on the tournament in the Czech Republic.
DFB.de: Mr. Flick, Sweden are the new European U21 Champions. Hand on heart – if we’d have told you that before the tournament started...
Hansi Flick: …I would have been surprised. I had a number of teams in mind as potential winners, but Sweden definitely weren’t among the big favourites.
DFB.de: How did it come to such a result?
Flick: During the tournament, the strengths of the Swedes became more and more obvious. Above all, the team relied upon their strength of character, on their impressive physique, on their willingness to run and on a high-intensity style of play.
DFB.de: And that way they were maybe able to make up for lacking individual quality?
Flick: No, the Swedes also had a number of talented individuals. But above all, they did everything as a team. They defended and attacked as a team. After losing possession, they always managed to get seven or eight men back behind the ball. At the same time, they were also able to get a lot of players into dangerous areas of the pitch. They showed that they were very comfortable in a 4-4-2 system, and stood up strong with two lines of four. Looking at the tournament as a whole, I think you can argue that the Sweden are worthy European Champions. They weren’t the worse side in the final against Portugal, either.
DFB.de: You followed the whole tournament live. What insights did you get from doing so? Are there any new footballing trends that we might see more of in the coming years?
Flick: The quality of football was high, although the quality at the 2013 EUROs was even a little higher. Back then, there were players like Isco, Thiago and Immobile involved – I didn’t see any such talented players this time around. However, this tournament has shown how well other countries are preparing their youth teams. There really are a large number of players who have been educated excellently, both tactically and technically. Pretty much every team was full of excellent squad players. The teams were also capable of switching between different systems. Regarding player positions, this tournament seemed to confirm how important it was that every player, in every position, thinks offensively. It was especially noticeable how the Portuguese full-backs, and also the Czech Pavel Kaderabek, were always looking for a way to attack. That in particular impressed me.
DFB.de: How do you explain the 5-0 loss to Portugal?
Flick: Being totally honest, we have to admit that the entire tournament didn’t go as we had imagined. We had a rough start – the first half against Serbia was indifferent, although the second half was better. The team played very well in phases during the 3-0 win over Denmark. We could have taken the game away from the Czechs but we missed some good chances. We made too many mistakes in every game, including the semi-final, and in that game it just so happened that we were up against an opponent who punished us greatly for those mistakes. Regardless of any disappointment about our own performance, we have to recognise the qualities of the opposition.
DFB.de: What did you think of the Portuguese team?
Flick: Alongside their individual capabilities, their level of game intelligence really stood out. They made the right decision almost every time. They increased the tempo when they saw an opportunity to score and slowed the game down, when they knew they needed to keep the ball.
DFB.de: Unlike the German team.
Flick: We didn’t fulfil expectations – there’s no question about that. However I will say that the quality and mentality of the team are excellent. The 5-0 loss to Portugal was an anomaly; that result doesn’t mean we should question the quality of the players. I’m sure that many of the boys have a good future ahead of them.
DFB.de: Emre Can came out after the game and publicly criticised his own performance.
Flick: That shows he has a good character, a maturity. He’s a leader and a team player – he’s already shown that in earlier youth teams. He has the opportunity to progress, and he’s definitely known amongst the men’s national team. I’ve seen him play in England a few times and his development has been phenomenal. He has a great reputation at Liverpool and he’s been well accepted into the club by the fans and fellow players. Emre didn’t play well against Portugal, but it bodes well for him that he recognises and admits this.
DFB.de: After the defeat to Portugal it was also revealed that not all of the players had perhaps prepared for the game in the most professional way possible.
Flick: I was there; I saw it first hand and can say that it absolutely isn’t true. Not true for the players, or for the management. I saw the players train; I’m familiar with the circumstances. Everything was totally professional. The DFB took care of everything. Two of the youth team coaches, Marcus Sorg and Meikel Schönweitz, helped out with scouting and supported the U21 coaching staff. The team was well-arranged and well-prepared in all areas. After a 5-0 loss, you don’t have many excuses, but I refuse to accept that everything is supposed to have suddenly gone wrong.
DFB.de: The U21s also booked their ticket to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio by reaching the semi-final. Does the pleasure of securing that place balance out the disappointment of being knocked out in the semis?
Flick: No, not for me, I keep those things separate. We went into the EUROs with the aim of winning the tournament. We didn’t accomplish this goal, and booking our place at the Olympics doesn’t change this. But it’s obviously great for German football and for the DFB that we’ll be represented at the Rio games next year. We can proud of that fact.
DFB.de: You’ve announced that Germany will send the strongest team possible to Rio.
Flick: How else should it be? We’ll discuss this in the next few months. I’m obviously aware of the interest of the clubs; I understand the time pressure. We can’t overwork the players. Next year there are the European Championship in France, in 2017 the Confederation’s Cup in Russia, and then in 2018 the World Cup. Regarding the players, we have a great responsibility. One of the biggest tasks for us is to manage the burden on the players and not wear them out. This is a challenge for the DFB, the DFL and the clubs in equal measure.
created by mmc/sm
A year ago, he became a World Champion with the men’s national team. After Brazil 2014, Hansi Flick started a new chapter in his life – the assistant manager became DFB sporting director. Now he’s much more in touch with the youth teams, and was of course present at the European U21 Championship. Following the final between Portugal and Sweden, Flick sat down with DFB.de to discuss his views on the tournament in the Czech Republic.
DFB.de: Mr. Flick, Sweden are the new European U21 Champions. Hand on heart – if we’d have told you that before the tournament started...
Hansi Flick: …I would have been surprised. I had a number of teams in mind as potential winners, but Sweden definitely weren’t among the big favourites.
DFB.de: How did it come to such a result?
Flick: During the tournament, the strengths of the Swedes became more and more obvious. Above all, the team relied upon their strength of character, on their impressive physique, on their willingness to run and on a high-intensity style of play.
DFB.de: And that way they were maybe able to make up for lacking individual quality?
Flick: No, the Swedes also had a number of talented individuals. But above all, they did everything as a team. They defended and attacked as a team. After losing possession, they always managed to get seven or eight men back behind the ball. At the same time, they were also able to get a lot of players into dangerous areas of the pitch. They showed that they were very comfortable in a 4-4-2 system, and stood up strong with two lines of four. Looking at the tournament as a whole, I think you can argue that the Sweden are worthy European Champions. They weren’t the worse side in the final against Portugal, either.
DFB.de: You followed the whole tournament live. What insights did you get from doing so? Are there any new footballing trends that we might see more of in the coming years?
Flick: The quality of football was high, although the quality at the 2013 EUROs was even a little higher. Back then, there were players like Isco, Thiago and Immobile involved – I didn’t see any such talented players this time around. However, this tournament has shown how well other countries are preparing their youth teams. There really are a large number of players who have been educated excellently, both tactically and technically. Pretty much every team was full of excellent squad players. The teams were also capable of switching between different systems. Regarding player positions, this tournament seemed to confirm how important it was that every player, in every position, thinks offensively. It was especially noticeable how the Portuguese full-backs, and also the Czech Pavel Kaderabek, were always looking for a way to attack. That in particular impressed me.
DFB.de: How do you explain the 5-0 loss to Portugal?
Flick: Being totally honest, we have to admit that the entire tournament didn’t go as we had imagined. We had a rough start – the first half against Serbia was indifferent, although the second half was better. The team played very well in phases during the 3-0 win over Denmark. We could have taken the game away from the Czechs but we missed some good chances. We made too many mistakes in every game, including the semi-final, and in that game it just so happened that we were up against an opponent who punished us greatly for those mistakes. Regardless of any disappointment about our own performance, we have to recognise the qualities of the opposition.
DFB.de: What did you think of the Portuguese team?
Flick: Alongside their individual capabilities, their level of game intelligence really stood out. They made the right decision almost every time. They increased the tempo when they saw an opportunity to score and slowed the game down, when they knew they needed to keep the ball.
DFB.de: Unlike the German team.
Flick: We didn’t fulfil expectations – there’s no question about that. However I will say that the quality and mentality of the team are excellent. The 5-0 loss to Portugal was an anomaly; that result doesn’t mean we should question the quality of the players. I’m sure that many of the boys have a good future ahead of them.
DFB.de: Emre Can came out after the game and publicly criticised his own performance.
Flick: That shows he has a good character, a maturity. He’s a leader and a team player – he’s already shown that in earlier youth teams. He has the opportunity to progress, and he’s definitely known amongst the men’s national team. I’ve seen him play in England a few times and his development has been phenomenal. He has a great reputation at Liverpool and he’s been well accepted into the club by the fans and fellow players. Emre didn’t play well against Portugal, but it bodes well for him that he recognises and admits this.
DFB.de: After the defeat to Portugal it was also revealed that not all of the players had perhaps prepared for the game in the most professional way possible.
Flick: I was there; I saw it first hand and can say that it absolutely isn’t true. Not true for the players, or for the management. I saw the players train; I’m familiar with the circumstances. Everything was totally professional. The DFB took care of everything. Two of the youth team coaches, Marcus Sorg and Meikel Schönweitz, helped out with scouting and supported the U21 coaching staff. The team was well-arranged and well-prepared in all areas. After a 5-0 loss, you don’t have many excuses, but I refuse to accept that everything is supposed to have suddenly gone wrong.
DFB.de: The U21s also booked their ticket to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio by reaching the semi-final. Does the pleasure of securing that place balance out the disappointment of being knocked out in the semis?
Flick: No, not for me, I keep those things separate. We went into the EUROs with the aim of winning the tournament. We didn’t accomplish this goal, and booking our place at the Olympics doesn’t change this. But it’s obviously great for German football and for the DFB that we’ll be represented at the Rio games next year. We can proud of that fact.
DFB.de: You’ve announced that Germany will send the strongest team possible to Rio.
Flick: How else should it be? We’ll discuss this in the next few months. I’m obviously aware of the interest of the clubs; I understand the time pressure. We can’t overwork the players. Next year there are the European Championship in France, in 2017 the Confederation’s Cup in Russia, and then in 2018 the World Cup. Regarding the players, we have a great responsibility. One of the biggest tasks for us is to manage the burden on the players and not wear them out. This is a challenge for the DFB, the DFL and the clubs in equal measure.
