Hansi Flick staying on as Germany coach despite early World Cup exit
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s coach is staying, the pinnacle of its league just isn’t.
The German soccer federation maintained its belief in Hansi Flick as nationwide staff coach on Wednesday regardless of the disappointing World Cup efficiency.
Separately, German soccer league chief govt Donata Hopfen will depart her place on the finish of the month after reaching a mutual settlement to chop quick her three-year contract due to what the league mentioned was “differing ideas about the further strategic direction of the company.”
Hopfen’s departure — unrelated to the World Cup — after lower than a yr in cost had been anticipated amid simmering problems with discontent amongst Bundesliga golf equipment and groups from the second division.
Flick’s future was extra unsure following Germany’s early World Cup exit, its third straight disappointing efficiency at a serious event, and the previous Bayern Munich coach was beneath stress going into Wednesday’s assembly with federation president Bernd Neuendorf and vp Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Neuendorf mentioned afterward the physique has “full confidence” in Flick to guide the staff by the 2024 European Championship, which Germany is scheduled to host and which Neuendorf described as a “great opportunity” for the way forward for soccer within the nation.
Flick left the assembly with out a phrase, however was quoted in a press release from the federation.
“We as a team can achieve much more than we showed in Qatar,” Flick mentioned within the assertion. “We missed a big opportunity there. We’ll learn our lessons from it.”
Flick mentioned he was optimistic about Euro 2024 and that he has confidence within the path Neuendorf and Watzke agreed to.
“We want all of Germany to rally behind the national team again at the 2024 European Championship at home,” mentioned Flick, who confronted criticism for his staff choice and techniques towards group rivals Japan, Spain and Costa Rica in Qatar.
Mistakes in protection, the place Flick was unable to decide on his most popular again 4, and an incapacity to place away possibilities price Germany a spot within the knockout spherical.
Germany’s file beneath Flick was additionally poor earlier than the event. Flick took over from Joachim Löw final yr after Germany’s second-round exit from the European Championship and has a contract by Euro 2024.
The federation nonetheless wants a alternative for Oliver Bierhoff, who ended an 18-year stint Monday when he agreed to resign as managing director of Germany’s nationwide soccer groups and academy. Bierhoff may not have a direct alternative.
“We have agreed to discuss the future structure of this area of responsibility first within the federation in order to make a decision then on personnel,” Neuendorf mentioned.
Bierhoff is the one casualty so removed from Germany’s group-stage exit from the World Cup in Qatar, the staff’s second straight embarrassing failure in soccer’s largest event. Germany additionally was eradicated from the identical stage on the 2018 World Cup as defending champion.
Hertha Berlin normal supervisor Fredi Bobic was a reported candidate to take over from Bierhoff, although he mentioned Wednesday he was “very comfortable at Hertha.” Bobic, who has a contract by 2024 with the Berlin membership, didn’t rule himself out, nevertheless.
Flick appeared to criticize the federation for Bierhoff’s exit on Tuesday, when he mentioned each he and his teaching employees “are having a hard time imagining how the gap left by Oliver’s departure can be closed.”
Hopfen took over from Christian Seifert in January as the primary feminine chief govt of Germany’s high two soccer divisions however struggled to impose her imaginative and prescient or resolve long-standing questions on points such because the league’s 50+1 rule limiting the function of out of doors buyers, advertising and marketing at house and overseas, and the sale of media rights.
Hopfen mentioned in a social media submit on Linkedin that she didn’t obtain the help she wanted from the league.
“I came into this job, like many before me, from the outside, as a non-player, as a woman with a clear plan on how the league can be led into the future: digitally, internationally and with strong partners and associates,” Hopfen mentioned. “Such a transition is a feat of strength and requires courage. For all that you need staying power and the support and joint action of all stakeholders. I didn’t feel that anymore in the end.”
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