By Klaus Bergmann and Jan Mies, dpa
FRANKFURT -Germany coach Hansi Flick is confident his team will soon be in a better shape after disappointing performances in recent games and ahead of their home Euros in 2024.
“In September, everything will look completely different,” he told a news conference on Monday, referring to the next round of friendly matches against Japan, France and the United States. Then we will certainly see a team that should also achieve the success we expect for the Euro 2024,” he said.
Flick had all the players in his squad available in the final training session on Monday for a friendly match against Colombia.
After a 3-3 draw with Ukraine and a 1-0 defeat to Poland last week, Germany will have a final chance on Tuesday against Colombia to get at least one win out of the three friendly games this month.
The coach had already said that Champions League champions Ilkay Gündogan will be in the starting line-up against Colombia. The midfielder missed the game against Ukraine while still on duty with Manchester City and was rested against Poland.
Gündogan doesn’t see himself as Germany’s saviour, but said: “I think I can bring a lot of positive energy because of the last few weeks and also a certain calmness.”
Flick has only won four games of the last 15 amid growing criticism on him. The coach said that the criticism of the team’s performance is justified.
“The results leave little room for anything else,” but he stressed: “We believe in our path. We are convinced of our way. We have seen progress, even if the game in Poland was seen in a negative way.”
“Of course we’re not happy about the results. We want to win, we want to be successful. We didn’t succeed in the last two games. But to declare the end of the world because of that is also completely exaggerated.”
Flick was backed by his former assistant Hermann Gerland, who highlighted his special qualities.
“I am always disappointed when I hear that Hansi Flick is not doing the right thing. I worked with him, we won everything there was to win. He is one of the best coaches in the world,” said Gerland, who worked with Flick at Bayern Munich and is currently assistant coach at Germany’s under-21 team.
Flick had a very successful stint with Bayern, winning the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup in the 2019-2020 season.
