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The dismissal of Hansi Flick as national coach was long overdue. For the players, it is now the last chance to create a spirit of optimism before the home European Championship. A comment.
There’s no question about it – national coach Hansi Flick’s departure was long overdue. Even after the performances before the summer break, improvement seemed utopian. Only the very last optimists still had hope – but they were the usual, conservative decision-makers at the DFB. The task force around DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, deputy Hans-Joachim Watzke and Rudi Völler was already wrong in January by sticking with Flick.
Flick was the wrong man
Hansi Flick is not a bad coach – he was just the wrong man at a time that needed a sense of optimism. During this important phase he seemed overwhelmed and resistant to advice.
At the same time as the DFB press release about Flick’s exit, the German basketball players showed what a team can achieve. Team spirit – self-sacrificing commitment to your fellow players. When top stars didn’t score, others were there. Even an argument on the pitch was moderated by the confident coach on the sidelines and even led to an increase in performance. This is how authority works!
Last chance for the current DFB generation
The Flick-Aus is now the last chance for the current DFB generation to demonstrate their existing class and rally Germany behind them shortly before the home European Championship – like the basketball players did.
In the end, of course, the players are primarily responsible for the series of failures. Kimmich, Gündogan and Co. are now losing their last alibi. They had obviously already lost faith in their coach before the Japan game – the tactical changes came to nothing.
Regardless of who the financially strapped DFB will now present as the new coach after Rudi Völler’s interim solution: the game against France in Dortmund can be the start of something really good. If you don’t act with 100 percent commitment, the last loan will be lost.
