Flick to remain German coach despite World Cup fiasco
Germany coach Hansi Flick will keep his job and lead the team to Euro 2024 despite their crushing World Cup disappointment, the German Football Association (DFB) said on Wednesday. "We have full confidence in Hansi Flick that he will master this challenge together with his team," Bernd Neuendorf, president of the DFB, said in a statement after a crisis meeting with Flick. The move means Flick, 57, will get the chance to seek redemption at the Euros on home soil in Germany. "My coaching team and I are optimistic about the European Championship in our own country," Flick said. "We as a team can achieve much more than we showed in Qatar. We missed a great opportunity there," he added. "We will learn our lessons from this." Flick took over as Germany coach from former mentor Joachim Loew after the European Championship in 2021. He had previously served as deputy to Loew in Germany's 2014 World Cup triumph as well as leading Bayern Munich to a treble in 2020. He made a flying start to the job with eight wins, leaving Germany confident heading into the tournament in Qatar. However, the four-time World Cup winners crashed out in the group stages after losing to Japan in their opening game. Flick had said on the night Germany went out that he wanted to remain in the job and see out his contract. However, the same was true of team director Oliver Bierhoff, who nevertheless went on to stand aside earlier this week – much to Flick's disappointment. Speculation had since been rife that Flick may also resign. He will now be faced with the task of leading Germany to victory at the European Championships without his close confidant. In 19 international matches under Flick's leadership so far, Germany have 11 wins, six draws and two defeats – including the painful loss to Japan in Qatar. (AFP)