German Football Federation sack head coach Hansi Flick after Japan thrashing; Voeller takes interim charge
The German Football Federation (DFB) has officially sacked head coach Hansi Flick after they were thrashed 4-1 by Japan in an international friendly on Saturday, September 9. The news comes with nine months remaining for the Euro 2024 where Germany are already through as the host of the tournament. The defeat was a spanner in the work for the former European champions as DFB sporting director Rudi Voeller, who coached the side to a 2002 World Cup final against Brazil, will take over an interim role.
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German FA boss Bernd Neuendorf said the sacking was «unavoidable» after the team's recent run of «disappointing» results.
In a statement, Neuendorf said «with a view towards the European championships in our own country, we need a spirit of optimism and confidence», saying the decision was one of his «most difficult so far.»
While Flick’s sacking looked inevitable on the cards, his exit had a piece of history as he became the first manager to be sacked from the national team role since World War II. He is also the only coach sacked from the position when it was created in 1926.
Flick’s sacking could now pave the way for former Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann who is without a job. Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern in March despite the team competing on three fronts for trophies. DFB is expected to formally contact Nagelsmann for the vacant role while former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner, out of work since May, has also been named as a possible successor.
The Germans were thoroughly outclassed by the Blue Samurai on home soil in the friendly in Wolfsburg, with only some acrobatic 'keeping from Marc-Andre ter Stegen preventing the score from eclipsing 2001's 5-1 loss to England in
