DISASTER for Germany as they are hammered 4-1 in friendly against Japan… but beleaguered boss Hansi Flick insists he IS the right man to lead hosts into Euro 2024 (despite just four wins in 17 games!)
- Hansi Flick believes he is still the best person to lead the German national team
- Germany were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Japan in Saturday’s friendly
- Listen to the latest episode of the Mail Sport podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’
Germany coach Hansi Flick said he was still the right man to lead the team after their 4-1 shock loss at home against Japan in their international friendly on Saturday and despite mounting pressure following a string of bad results.
The Germans, four-time world champions, had hoped the match would mark a new beginning for them nine months before hosting the Euro 2024 tournament. Instead it turned into a debacle and their third straight loss amid jeers and whistles from the home fans.
Flick was already in the spotlight before the match with his team having won only four of their last 16 matches before Saturday and having crashed out of the World Cup first round last year.
Their latest slip-up will only lead to louder calls for Flick’s departure.
‘I know in football there is a dynamic and I cannot forecast what will happen but from my side we try everything to prepare the team well,’ Flick told reporters.
Hansi Flick believes he is still the right man to lead Germany despite the team’s poor recent form
The 4-1 defeat to Japan on Saturday made it three defeats in a row for Germany. They have won just four of their last 17 matches.
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‘I think we are doing a good job and I think I am (the right man for the job),’ he said when asked specifically about his future.
The Germans have not enjoyed any success under Flick since he took over two years ago. They crashed out of the World Cup group stage last year winning just one of three matches, and have since shown no real signs of recovery.
‘I am very disappointed and we have to admit that Japan have a very good team. We don’t have the means to beat such a compact defence,’ Flick said.
‘We started well. But they score with their first chance, we come back and level and we felt the support, but then they score again.’
‘The second half there were too many individual mistakes.’
Japan cruised to a comfortable win in Wolfsburg to heap more pressure on former Bayern Munich boss Flick
Germany now face World Cup finalists France on Tuesday as they continue their preparations ahead of hosting Euro 2024
Flick, who had started his stint with an eight-game winning run, will now have to prepare his team for an even tougher task against 2022 World Cup finalists France on Tuesday.
‘We will prepare well and recover. We chose such games because we want to play against the best,’ Flick said.
‘Today we were not in a position to beat this team. We will prepare for France, give the team courage. That’s the daily work. I can understand the criticism.’
‘We have to go through this together. We are one team. We lost heavily today but we have to shake it off and be different against France.’
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
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