Frankfurt/Main (dpa) – The “painful” rejection of Niklas Süle and many injuries and aches and pains among his Qatar candidates prompt Hansi Flick to make completely unexpected personnel decisions right at the start of the World Cup year.
As a reaction to the lack of fitness among planned World Cup greats such as Leon Goretzka, Marco Reus or Robin Gosens, the national coach amazed on Friday when he nominated his first squad for 2022.
In addition to the Mainz surprise man Anton Stach, Flick brought Julian Weigl, Benjamin Henrichs and Robin Koch back to the national football team after breaks of several years. Rio World Champion Julian Draxler is also allowed to audition for his World Cup chance despite being a reserve player at Paris Saint-Germain.
“We wanted to try to have the top players with us. Now a few are out, so we take the opportunity to see one or the other, »explained Flick his selection for the first test international game against Israel on March 26 in Sinsheim and the following classic three days later against the highly esteemed Netherlands in Amsterdam. “It’s a trial and error on the one hand,” said Flick. But of course you want to take both games seriously and win them too.
Flick wants to find Mix
For Flick, the countdown to the start of the World Cup on November 21st is ticking down. Only eight months remain for preparation. “Basically, we want to get used to it, get the automatisms in,” said the 57-year-old. But he also wanted to “find a mix of trying out and playing in,” emphasized the DFB head coach, who has always been victorious in his seven games.
The demands on the national players are still high. In the coming months, he expects “a development to take place,” Flick postulated clearly. They will also be checked and any deficits will be clearly addressed. But the message has already been received, Flick felt the feedback in many conversations in the past few weeks. “I have the feeling that everyone wants to be there, everyone wants to be part of the team.”
For Flick, the condition for being nominated for the first international double was being able to play in both games. Right-back Lukas Klostermann, who should continue to build substance in Leipzig, also fell through this grid of claims. At the World Cup, the highest willingness to perform will be required every four days, Flick made clear.
“If we want to be successful in Qatar, the prerequisite is that all players are in top shape, that’s the focus we set,” said Flick. Convalescents should therefore prefer to work on their comeback at their clubs.
Several BVB players not included
BVB defender Mats Hummels, who recently fell ill with Corona, is still not in the squad, with whom the national coach discussed the situation again in a telephone call. The World Cup perspective is only minimal for the ex-world champion.
Since Reus, Julian Brandt, Mahmoud Dahoud and Emre Can were not considered either, no Borussia Dortmund player is included in the DFB selection this time. It was a coincidence and no aversion to the second in the Bundesliga, assured Flick. The bulk of the 26-man squad consists of six players from FC Bayern Munich led by captain Manuel Neuer and the Chelsea trio Kai Havertz, Antonio Rüdiger and Timo Werner.
Süle is missing because of a torn muscle fiber, Florian Wirtz suffered a cruciate ligament rupture on Sunday and even threatens to miss the World Cup in late autumn. The ailing striker Karim Adeyemi from Red Bull Salzburg may not be available for the start of the year, as Flick reported on Friday.
The Freiburg central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who has recently been nominated several times, was guaranteed a debut. “He will definitely play his first game, that’s being planned,” said Flick.
Debutant Stach is happy about the nomination
The national coach also described the appointment of U-21 European champion Stach as a “surprise for everyone”. “We want to see what potential he offers us,” said Flick about the midfielder. Stach himself reported that he was excited and happy after the nomination while driving “twice wrong turn”.
The returnees Weigl (last international match 2017), Henrichs (2020) and Koch (2021) are back on track with the national team. Flick emphasized that they recently impressed at their clubs Benfica Lisbon, RB Leipzig and Leeds United.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220318-99-573884/4
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