The German national team returned to Germany quietly. No player gave any more statements. The World Cup disappointment weighs too heavily on the team.
At around 6:15 p.m. local time, the time had come: the Lufthansa plane with the German national team on board landed at Franz-Josef-Strauß Airport in Munich for a stopover. DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, most of the Bayern players, David Raum from Leipzig and Antonio Rüdiger from Real Madrid left the plane. Others flew on to Frankfurt or had already left Doha for vacation.
It was a quiet arrival. Nobody wanted to talk. Defender Antonio Rüdiger was the first to leave the so-called VIP wing at the airport in a dark blue jacket and climbed straight into the waiting limousine. He remained silent and with a dark expression, just like Manuel Neuer, Bierhoff or the others.
What should they say after the embarrassing elimination after the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar? Only the talkative Thomas Müller was carried away to a brief statement. “I feel medium,” said the 33-year-old attacking player, whose performances in Qatar fell far short of expectations. Müller indicated his departure from the national team immediately after the World Cup. But that was it. For the national players it is important to process what has happened first. The negative events of the past few days are still fresh in our minds.
The mood is leaden
It will probably take some time before the leaden mood around the national team will evaporate. That depends on how the DFB leadership and national coach Hansi Flick deal with the renewed setback. In the coming week, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf wants to sit down with Flick, Bierhoff and DFB Vice Hans-Joachim Watzke to hear from those responsible about the reasons for the early failure. Neuendorf and Watzke will also want to know how things will continue and Flick wants to get the team back on the road to success. In 18 months, the European Championship begins in their own country.
Flick and Bierhoff will have to provide answers, the failure at the desert tournament was too disastrous. Flick in particular has obviously made too many mistakes: the national coach has not found a fixed formation since he took office a year and a half ago. The results in the run-up to the World Cup were poor, the failure to convert chances and the unstable defense are permanent problems that he has not gotten under control in any way so far. His sticking to Thomas Müller and his unsuccessful line-up in the first World Cup group game will also be an issue.
Bierhoff also has to justify himself
A lot of criticism is also directed at Bierhoff and the DFB itself. In the debate about the One Love armband, the association did not cut a good figure; the preparation for the World Cup and the selection of the secluded team quarters seem unfortunate in hindsight. With his failed image campaign (“The Team”), Bierhoff has done a lot to ensure that the national team has lost fans.
There are numerous points to be clarified. It is not certain whether Flick and Bierhoff will keep their jobs. Because the criticism will increase when the first disappointment has subsided and the past weeks and months are considered soberly.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
