The German soccer world is calling for Jürgen Klinsmann, 59, to step down as head coach of the South Korean national soccer team.
The German Football Association (DFB) parted ways with Hanji Flick on Tuesday (July 10). “We have dismissed Coach Flick and the coaching staff,” the DFB said on its official website, adding, “We have decided that the men’s national team needs a new impetus after recent disappointing results. “We have decided that the men’s national team needs a fresh push after recent disappointing results and we need to be confident for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany.메이저놀이터
Shock loss to Japan proves costly Germany crashed to a 1-3 defeat against Japan in a friendly in Anbang on Tuesday. It was a simple A match, but Germany’s pride was well and truly stomped on in front of their home fans.
It was a déjà vu of last year’s encounter. Germany also fell victim to the “Miracle of Doha” last year, losing 1-2 to Japan in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. As a result, Germany failed to advance to the round of 16, while Japan topped their group and advanced to the round of 16 by knocking out Spain.
The return match, played nearly 10 months later, was a similar story. Germany dominated possession, but it was Japan who took advantage. Germany went down by two goals in the first half, and then self-destructed with two more goals in the second half due to defensive mistakes. They were only saved by Leroy Zane’s goal in the 18th minute to make it 1-1.
The shockwave was huge. Germany was stunned by the unexpected defeat. “This is a disaster,” the RTL+ commentator said at the end of the game, and Bild reported that Flick’s career was coming to an end.
Immediately after the game, speculation about Flick’s future emerged. “There are not many people who support Flick anymore,” said ‘German soccer legend’ Lothar Matthäus, “and I doubt that he will be able to keep his job,” while director Rudy Pöhler said, “1-4 is a disgrace,” and “I think we should get together for a while. Let’s get together overnight and see what happens,” hinting at a hardline discussion.
It didn’t last long, as Flick became the first coach in German national team history to be sacked. In the past 123 years, no one has ever been fired from the German national team without cause. Flick won a treble with Bayern Munich, but he left the club in 2021 with just 12 wins, seven draws, and six defeats in 25 games.
Germany will now play France on Sept. 13 in their second September A friendly. The Germans have fired their entire coaching staff, so they will play the game on an acting basis, with Föhler, Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner leading the staff.
Several names have been floated as possible replacements for Flick. Local media speculation, including Bild, has included names such as Julian Nagelsmann, Oliver Glaser, Pöller, Jürgen Klopp, Matthias Zummer, Ralf Hasenhüttl, Zinedine Zinn and Miroslav Klose.
Klinsmann, who began his coaching career in 2004 when he took the helm of the German national team, led the then-declining team to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Afterward, Klinsmann abruptly announced his retirement and left the team to applause.
“German legend” Verdi Fogtz, 77, strongly recommended Klinsmann as Flick’s successor, having coached the German national team for eight years and having assisted Klinsmann as a technical advisor with the U.S. national team from 2011 to 2016.
According to Germany’s Fussball, Fogtz said, “The German national team needs someone with experience. We need passion and charisma to revive German football. Both Klinsmann and Klopp have that,” he argued.
“Everyone remembers with pleasure the fairy tale that took place in the summer of 2006. Klinsmann was our savior back then, and he brought passion to the U.S. national team, and that’s exactly what we need now.”
However, the likelihood of Fogtz’s wish becoming a reality doesn’t seem too great. Klinsmann has been in charge of the South Korean national team since March. Of course, he’s faced a lot of criticism since his arrival, with a five-match winless streak, poor performances, and a controversial work-from-home policy, but the chances of him being sacked before the Asian Cup next January are virtually zero.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Bavarian Football has come up with the exact opposite opinion of Falks. In a list of 10 candidates for the German national team job, the publication categorized Klinsmann into four tiers (what are you thinking?) and, without much explanation, said “Noooooooooooooooo” and that Klinsmann should be off the table altogether.