Friday , March 29 2024

Germany looking forward to the March FIFA window!

“It has a symbolic meaning”: In a joint press conference at the DFB training centre in Frankfurt, Germany national team head coach Hansi Flick, U-21 head coach Antonio Di Salvo and the DFB sporting director Rudi Völler spoke about the upcoming tasks for both DFB teams as the international break begins.

Hansi Flick on…
…new players in the first team: We intend to give all the new players their debuts, but we have to wait and see how they perform and whether they earn it.

…players not called up: We have to make decisions. We could have taken all the players, but it is important that they not only train but also play. We couldn’t have given everyone this opportunity, so we decided it would be better for them to train at home and keep working to be well prepared for the rest of the season.

…the balance between trying things out and providing excitement: We have good quality, and are happy with the squad, and when you look at the players still at home, it’s a good team. We expect everyone to play with passion and conviction. If we can see that on the pitch, it will have an effect on the fans as well. Everyone should know what they have to do and be sure about what they can give to the team.

…making changes or not: Every tournament is a different chapter. Our task is to prepare the team across the board, and we’ll do that in March. Then we have just under a year to the European Championship. We know that we need stability and a team in which the players in the most important positions know that they will play, but we also need options for every position.

…his ambitions for the Euros: We need a little humility. You can’t guarantee success, but we’ll prepare ourselves very well for the tournament and see what happens.

…Marco Reus: In the end, nothing has changed in what I said: the door is open for every player who performs.

…Emre Can and Marius Wolf: Both have a lot to do with the position Borussia Dortmund are currently in. Marius Wolf is very solid defensively, and his readiness to be involved both going forward and at the back is great, so he deserves to be here. I’ve known Emre for a long time, and he’s also made progress, which is great to see. Both have a good mentality, which we need on the pitch.

…cooperation with Rudi Völler: Of course, we are together every day during the international matches, but our communication is also very good away from that. We talk on the phone several times a week and discuss ideas. Rudi is a figurehead in German football, so this is a good thing for us. We are happy that he supports us.

…communication with Antonio Di Salvo: Integration is important for everyone coming from the youth teams. The U21 European Championship is the next big event. We know the potential of the players, but our focus is on performance. It is very important for us to build up the squad across the board. I know what I can expect from the players we’ve already had. Together with Antonio Di Salvo, I have selected those who have the potential to play in the European Championship next year. We agreed on that deliberately and discussed, also in conversation with club coaches, that even if some aren’t ready to play yet, it’s important to support them. In summer, the U21s will play in the European Championship, so Toni should have the best players at his disposal. Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz will not be considered, however, because they are already firmly in our squad. After the games in March, we will discuss our joint path further.

Antonio di Salvo on…
…an important step: We are happy that we can finally come to the DFB training centre and train here. It is a sign of the integration that we are training together with the senior national team on Tuesday and Wednesday, and we are looking forward to it.

…the call up of some U21 players into the senior team: I’m happy when players make it into the senior team, and it’s an honour for the players and all the coaches who have accompanied them on their journey. There are many players who have played for the U21 team at a relatively young age, and there are some players with Hansi in the squad, but it’s also an opportunity for the new players we have with us to prove themselves and make it to the European Championship.

…the new U21 players in the senior team: Mergim Berisha is a player who does well with his back to goal and can score goals. You can see from his numbers in the Bundesliga that he can perform and is a good option. Kevin Schade is someone we promoted early on. He is very fast and can play on the wings and in the centre. Felix Nmecha is technically very good, has a strong right foot, and is tall, fast and strong in the air. He is good in link-up play, both in attack and defence. Josha Vagnoman was very young when he played in the last U21 European Championship and can play as a right or left back, he is confident in these positions. Malick Thiaw was the captain of the U21s last time. He had a difficult start at AC Milan, but you now see the potential he has. He plays regularly there, and is tall and strong in tackles and in the air.

…Paul Wanner: We met with him, together with his father and advisor, and showed him the path we see for him. He indicated to us that he wants to continue his journey with the DFB without making a final decision yet.

Rudi Völler on…
…the mixing of both teams: We decided on this joint press conference deliberately, it has a symbolic meaning. We all know that there is not just the big European Championship in 2024, but also the “smaller” U21 European Championship in June, which is just as important. We want to prove that today, and emphasise that the U21s come just behind the senior national team. It’s easy to see that of the 20 to 30 players who are in the wider circle of the senior national team, around 20 players come from the U21s. This is the basis for everything in German football, this is the future. That’s why Hansi made the selections he did, so that maybe one more player will make it to the 2024 Euros. I played for the U21s and was runner-up in the European Championship under Berti Vogts. In 1990, we became world champions with half of that team, and in addition, there are the 2009 European champions, many of whom won the FIFA World Cup in 2014. That’s no coincidence. All the players in the squad have a great chance of making it, and playing a major tournament is great for every player, it pushes you forward, but having one in your own country is something special, we are all looking forward to it. The senior team and U21 side will spend the evening together tomorrow in the hotel, it’s important to create togetherness.

…his work together with Hansi Flick: Hansi is the national coach; he is with his coaching staff every day. I try to support him in every way, but of course he alone makes the decisions about the team.

…the 2024 European Championship: You have to give the players the feeling that everyone has the opportunity to be at the tournament in Germany. A certain amount of competition is good for everyone and I think it’s also important that we get to see everyone.

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