AWhen the German national team last visited Amsterdam in March 2019, he was unemployed. A year earlier, Hansi Flick had resigned from his position as managing director of sport at 1899 Hoffenheim. He was on hold while the German team tried to do something for their reputation with Joachim Löw, under whom Flick was once an assistant. She had suffered a lot after the disastrous preliminary round at the 2018 World Cup.
Back then, Germany won 3-2 in the Amsterdam Arena. Nico Schulz scored the winning goal. The Dortmunder will not be there on Tuesday when the German national team plays again in the Dutch metropolis (8.45 p.m. / ARD). Hansi Flick for that. Last year he made his way to the DFB via FC Bayern, where he first joined as an assistant coach before winning the treble as head coach in 2020.
The image of the German elite selection has improved again under Flick, as there were eight wins in eight games and the football was sometimes quite respectable. Nevertheless, the team is no less in debt in their World Cup test in the evening.
National coach Flick praises the opponent and challenges his own team
Quelle: Getty Images/Alex Grimm
After duels against football lightweights such as Liechtenstein or Armenia, she has to prove herself against a well-known and strong opponent for the first time under the direction of Flick – and show that she meets higher standards. There is still some time to practice, test and rehearse before the tournament in Qatar, which starts on November 21st. But the duel with the Oranje team is a first important stress test.
Flick praises the Netherlands
“It’s a team that has enormous quality and is a benchmark for us,” said the national coach before departure on Monday afternoon: “But I want to win the game. I told the team that too. Because every win gives us self-confidence and strengthens our belief in our own strength.” The 57-year-old announced that they would send a well-prepared team onto the field and try to put the opponent under pressure and force them to make mistakes: “Me see our development very positively. We want to continue like this.”
The fact that his team will be challenged a little more this time can already be guessed from the game played by the Dutch team at the weekend: Elftal, coached by Louis van Gaal, played 4-2 at home against Denmark.
Van Gaal, who, like Flick, once coached Bayern, played in a 3-4-3 system. He had announced in advance that he would try it. Like the German team, the Dutch team is also in a finding phase. A big system debate was sparked in this: 4-3-3, which van Gaal preferred in the World Cup qualifier, or 3-4-3 or 5-3-2? “There is a lot of discussion right now about whether we should abandon the ‘Dutch School’ and choose a different system. The best part of the Dutch squad is the defence, so van Gaal wants three centre-backs,” says Arman Avsaroglu.
Van Gaal and the system question
He is one of the most famous radio reporters in the Netherlands and works for NOS. According to Avsaroglu, it is striking that there are not that many top-quality strikers anymore – regardless of the four-goal festival against Denmark. Dick van Burik, who played 245 Bundesliga games for Hertha BSC and works as a player’s agent, sees the Oranje team on the right track. That would be mainly due to the coach: “Louis van Gaal has proven that he can form good teams, including our national team.”
Louis van Gaal during a Dutch team training session
Credit: AFP/BART STOUTJESDIJK
Van Gaal, 70 years old, is Bonds coach for the third time. He is held in high esteem in the Netherlands. In 2014, when Germany became world champions in Brazil, he led the national team to third place in his second term. Hansi Flick is looking forward to meeting van Gaal. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about him. Huge compliments to him for how he changed football,” said the national coach and let it be known that he and Löw had dealt with van Gaal’s philosophy when he coached Bayern. That was the case from 2009 to 2011.
The position of the goalkeeper is currently in the focus of experts in Dutch football. SC Freiburg’s Mark Flekken made his international debut against Denmark as regular No. 1 Feyenoord Rotterdam’s Justin Bijlow is injured. Although Flekken didn’t look too happy when the Danes were 1-1 because he hesitated to run out, van Gaal gave him a good start. He is particularly impressed by Flekken’s footballing skills. “We need to use him a lot more in the build-up. I think it’s a plus that he can open the game, which allows us to keep playing football.”
Germany probably with the best eleven
As far as his own goalkeeper is concerned, Hansi Flick doesn’t have to worry – it’s completely different.
How will the German defence, in which Manuel Neuer in goal and Antonio Rüdiger in central defense are first choice again on Tuesday, react if an opponent presses high and early? When he acts creatively? What solutions does the offensive have to offer? There were many inaccurate passes against Israel that went unpunished. It requires more good ideas in attacking play and, above all, much more precision when finishing. In the game against Israel, many chances were carelessly missed. The biggest problem area is currently at the front in the center.
Timo Werner did score against Israel, but from a free kick. After an injury and corona disease, it was clear that he was still looking for form. At Chelsea, the striker is currently only a substitute. Most recently, Kai Havertz, who can be used flexibly offensively, played up front with the Londoners – and did it very well. Experts currently see him in the national team as the better alternative to Werner and thus in the role of the executor, as Miroslav Klose, who has long since ended his career, once was in the German team.
Do Havertz and Werner swap positions?
In Amsterdam, the Chelsea duo will probably be in the starting XI again. Maybe they’re just swapping positions. Havertz could move forward, Werner could come on the right. Leroy Sané and Thomas Müller, who came on at the weekend, will also start.
Often a substitute in Paris, included in the national team: Thilo Kehrer (left) is a regular in the DFB team under Flick
Source: dpa/Sebastian Gollnow
In any case, Flick will bring what is probably his best eleven in Amsterdam at the moment, which the 25-man squad has to offer – a starting eleven in which important pillars such as Joshua Kimmich (is out due to the birth of the third child), Leon Goretzka (was rested after a long injury) and Niklas Süle (injured) are missing. In defense, Flick will rely on Nico Schlotterbeck and Rüdiger on the inside, on David Raum on the left and on Thilo Kehrer on the right.
Kehrer has a rock in the board with the national coach, although he is not always the first choice at PSG and sometimes comes off the bench. In all eight international matches under Flick, however, he was always in the starting XI. “I like the way he performs with us. That’s a plus for him,” said Flick: “I like players who can be used flexibly – and that’s him.” Ilkay Gündogan and Jamal Musiala will complement the German midfield.
