Berlin – Hansi Flick awaited his stars in an ambience made of brick and steel. Surrounded by the rustic industrial charm of the four-star design hotel Gastwerk in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld, the national coach wants to create a new feel-good atmosphere in the national team. At the reception on Monday he had prepared a few comforting words for the broken Bayern professionals, all together he swore to the next tasks in the World Cup qualification. His key: trust.
“It’s like everywhere in life, for example in the family: communication, appreciation and loyalty are important. You have to talk to each other, ”said Flick before his second course as the new boss. The “spirit of optimism” proclaimed by DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, which was felt at its premiere in September, should inspire the DFB selection this time as well. Flick demanded from her an “all-in for Germany” – always with the goal of “returning to the top” at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 in mind.
Hansi Flick feels a great desire for the big task
The national coach, who arrived from Munich late on Sunday evening after Bayern’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt, feels a huge desire for the big task. “I’m allowed to work with the best players in Germany, that’s something very special for me, a great honor. I really enjoy that, ”he said. His team should live this fun in the duels with Romania on Friday in the Volkspark and with DFB-Schreck North Macedonia three days later in Skopje – and continue to take the fans for Flick’s mission.
“Our goal is for everyone to identify with the national team again,” said the national coach, “that is not only about sporting success, but also about having the right mentality, intensity, commitment and greed.” With two more He could win the World Cup ticket early. But Flick is still thinking of a successful desert World Cup. Qatar is by no means just an “intermediate goal” on the way to the European Championship at home in 2024, he emphasized, he would like to reap the first fruits in around 14 months. To do this, Flick wants to break old ways of thinking and bring all of German football on board.
“I want us to act together and be there for one another, the association for the clubs and vice versa. Too often I get interpreted on each other here. We want to break open this way of thinking, here the club and there the association, “he said in the kicker about the relationship between association and associations, he was thinking of” an even better teamwork, an even more constructive cooperation “. And so he has kept in touch since the three September victories – also as a “groundhopper” at numerous games on site.
Before the nomination of his 23-man squad, he tried to talk to Mats Hummels or Ridle Baku, as well as their coaches and sports directors, why he would do without them this time. “Retired”, he emphasized with a view to Mario Götze, Julian Draxler or Julian Brandt, “is nobody.”
Conversations with Joachim Löw
“Again and again” Flick discussed with his predecessor Joachim Löw. He kept the fans, who enthusiastically supported the restart, happy with a virtual “cabin talk”. Another question and answer session is planned especially for the appendix on Saturday. The most important thing for him is to be authentic, said Flick: “As a national coach, I don’t do anything that I would do differently at home in my family.” Bierhoff sees this communicative style as a success factor. “Hansi does a great job of addressing it. He gives a clear line. He takes everyone with him, gives the players confidence and support. “
That goes down very well with the team. “You can tell that everyone is up for taking this route,” said Bierhoff. Now, in Hamburg, “we have to continue to work there”. Flick is ready.