The German Football Federation (DFB) has fired Hansi Flick as head coach of the national team, less than a year before they host the European Championships.
Flick was appointed in August 2021 after replacing Joachim Low, who had stepped down after the 2020 European Championships. He enjoyed a successful start to his tenure, leading Germany to a 10-match unbeaten run. However, the team’s form has since dipped, and they have won just four of their last 16 matches.
The final straw for the DFB came on Saturday, when Germany were humiliated by Japan in a 4-1 defeat in Wolfsburg. Fans at the Volkswagen Arena jeered the hosts at the final whistle, with Germany having now conceded 11 goals in their last five matches.
Rudi Völler will take over as interim coach for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Romania and North Macedonia. The DFB will then begin the search for a permanent replacement for Flick.
Flick’s firing is a major setback for the German national team. He was seen as one of the most promising coaches in the world, and his departure leaves the team in a state of flux. With just nine months to go until the European Championships, the DFB will be under pressure to find a new coach who can quickly turn things around.
What went wrong for Flick?
It is difficult to say definitively what went wrong for Flick. However, there are a few possible explanations for his downfall.
One possibility is that Flick simply lost the dressing room. The players may have become disillusioned with his methods, or they may have felt that he was not the right person to lead them into the European Championships.
Another possibility is that Flick was simply not the right fit for the German national team. He is a very demanding coach, and he may have been too much for some of the players.
Whatever the reason, Flick’s firing is a major blow for the German national team. They are now in a state of flux, and they will need to find a new coach quickly if they are to have any chance of success at the European Championships.