- Hansi Flick Fired as Germany Manager After 4-1 Loss to Japan
- Rudi Voller Takes Temporary Charge for Upcoming Friendly Against France
- Germany’s Search for Permanent Replacement Begins Amidst Recent Poor Performances
Hansi Flick has been dismissed from his position as Germany manager following Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Japan in Wolfsburg.
He is the first German manager to be fired since the position was established in 1926.
Since replacing Joachim Low in August 2021, Germany has lost four of their last five games, with Flick guiding them to just 12 victories in 25 matches since taking over.
Former manager from 2000 to 2004, Rudi Voller, assumes temporary control for Tuesday’s friendly against France.
In February, former Germany striker Voller, age 63, was appointed director of the German national team.
Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner will serve as his assistant.
Next year, Germany will host the men’s European Championship, but they are currently in disarray.
Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Association, stated, “The committee agreed that the German national team needs a new impetus following recent disappointing results.”
“Before the European Championship next summer, we need national optimism and confidence in our squad.
“This has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in this position because I have tremendous professional and personal respect for Hansi Flick and his assistants.
“Sporting success is of the utmost importance to the DFB, hence the necessity of this decision.”
From 2006 to 2014, 58-year-old Flick was Low’s assistant manager for Germany.
His tenure began with eight consecutive victories, but their form progressively deteriorated, and Germany failed to advance past the group stage at the 2014 World Cup.
Marcus Sorg and Danny Rohl, his assistants, have also been fired.
Oman, Costa Rica, and Peru are the only teams Germany has defeated in the past 12 months.
Given that Flick won 70 of his 86 games in command of Bayern Munich between November 2019 and June 2021, such a disappointing performance was unexpected.
In the 2019-20 season, Bayern won the domestic league, cup, and Champions League titles under Flick.
After Germany’s loss to Japan, Flick said he was “brutally disappointed” but still the “right manager” for Germany.
However, he added ominously, “Things can change in professional football, and I can’t see what’s to come.”
The German FA stated that it planned to announce Flick’s permanent replacement “soon.”
Julian Nagelsmann, who succeeded Flick as Bayern manager after the 2020-21 season, could be a prominent candidate. The highly regarded 38-year-old has been unemployed since his dismissal from Bayern Munich in March.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also been mentioned in the German media, and Voller could also be in the running despite not having managed since his 2005 tenure as Bayer Leverkusen’s interim manager.
Oliver Glasner, the former Austrian manager of Eintracht Frankfurt, is also being considered.
