Image: APA/AFP/ODD ANDERSEN
“Everything was better even with the anthem: Germany in a Rudi frenzy,” was the headline in the Bild newspaper after the national soccer team’s 2-1 win in the preparatory match for the home EURO 2024 against runner-up world champion France. It was only a test match in which the Equipe Tricolore were without their best player – Kylian Mbappé. Nevertheless, after the sadness under the direction of former national coach Hansi Flick, who not only ruined the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but also failed to win five matches in a row (with 13 goals conceded) before his expulsion, there is a sense of optimism.
Interim coach and sports director Rudi Völler, along with his assistants Sandro Wagner and Hannes Wolf, managed to get a floundering team on its feet. Fighting, scratching, biting, running, forcing happiness – the German virtues took hold again. Even if certain media are now euphorically calling for a sequel story with Völler on the bench, it remains a one-off event. Völler “just” stepped in and is now intensively involved in the search for a Flick successor. Nothing has changed in the names that are circulating through the rumor mill: Julian Nagelsmann, Oliver Glasner, Louis van Gaal.
Völler and Flick parted ways on good terms. That’s not surprising. Because the 63-year-old always supported the triple winner with FC Bayern until Saturday’s 4-1 embarrassment against Japan, which sealed their exit. After that there was no alternative to separation. “I was in contact with Hansi before the France game and he congratulated me afterwards,” reported Völler, who was particularly happy with the first half hour. And of course with the indestructible Thomas Müller, who set the course with the early 1-0 (4th) and was later an exemplary captain after Ilkay Gündogan left (back problems).
Völler and his teammates did everything right – especially with the functioning back four, in which Jonathan Tah and Benjamin Henrichs excelled in the wing positions. In midfield, substitute Pascal Groß from Brighton & Hove Albion played “wonderfully,” said Völler: “We played against a world-class team. That gives a bit of prestige, it just feels good.” The positive result does not change the fact that Völler is not available as a coach. The course for the future will be set “in the next few days”.
My themes
For your saved topics were
new articles found.
info By clicking on the icon you can add the keyword to your topics.
info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. They have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.
info By clicking on the icon you can remove the keyword from your topics.
Add the topic to your topics.
Source: Nachrichten
