For a few weeks, the DFB has been advertising with a highly enigmatic slogan for the two international matches that will take place on home soil in the next few days: on Saturday in Mainz against Peru, on Tuesday next week in Cologne against Belgium. “United in colors, in the matter for Germany,” the saying suggests a meaningful message, of which nobody tells you what it should consist of. Especially since Oliver Bierhoff is no longer available for complaints – which from his point of view should be one of the positive effects of his resignation after the World Cup.
Perhaps the creators of the campaign have recognized that advertising with the national team is currently polarizing in a similar way to public relations for nuclear power plants, which is why they chose a meaningless and therefore undisputed motto rather than one with a real connection. For example, “The return of the World Cup heroes” would not have been well received, and “Hansi’s star parade in your city” would also have been a controversial label since Monday at the latest.
As far as the attractiveness of the team called up by Hansi Flick is concerned, after the voluntary renunciation of established greats such as Antonio Rüdiger, Ilkay Gündogan, Niklas Süle and Leroy Sané, there was another important loss report in the morning: Jamal Musiala left the team hotel in Frankfurt, which he left on had only moved into late the evening before. The Munich player had torn a muscle fiber in his thigh during the game with FC Bayern in Leverkusen (1: 2), but the official bodies have not yet been able to say anything about the prospect of recovery and the prospect of Musiala participating in the league summit between Bayern and Dortmund.
The coach had a lot planned for Musiala in the next few days, not just because of the “unique qualities” that the 20-year-old has according to Flick’s judgment (the rest of the world will not disagree). The national coach was also curious to connect his former Munich student with the other acknowledged future hopes of German football. Combining Musiala with Florian Wirtz, 19, and Kai Havertz, 23, will be one of the biggest tasks for the coaching staff in view of the European Championships next year. But even Wirtz, back in the middle of the game after suffering a cruciate ligament injury last year, made a somewhat exhausted impression on Sunday evening in Leverkusen and needs to be used sparingly for the time being.
Flick wants to unite Musiala with Wirtz and Havertz in the long term, who should steer the German game
For now, a veteran helped out on Monday to lift the spirits. Rudi Völler, 62, took the place of head of mission in the middle of the picture at the press conference at the start of the international match week, flanked by head coach Flick and U-21 national coach Antonio Di Salvo, who recently signed the seal Purveyor to the court of the national team may decorate. Di Salvo has handed over half his team to his colleague, also with two friendlies to play: Mergim Berisha, Kevin Schade, Felix Nmecha and Josha Vagnoman were joined on Sunday by Malick Thiaw, who replaced Armel Bella-Kotchap, who was injured.
The new DFB patron saint Völler interpreted the youth cast of the national team, which has been criticized here and there as being too experimental, as a sign of Flick’s progressive departure after the failed World Cup and as an “important message” to the junior players in question: that “everyone still the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful tournament”. What is meant is the European Championship on the doorstep, it could happen “very quickly”, says Völler.
The U-21 international Thiaw is not only experiencing how career changes can happen at lightning speed through promotion to Flick’s squad. Until the end of January, the former Schalke defender, who had played three league games before he was sold to Italy at the end of August, was an apprentice with little practical experience at the renowned club AC Milan. Since the beginning of February he has suddenly been a regular player with Champions League experience. Harry Kane was goalless against Thiaw and Italian gazettes promptly see him following in the footsteps of Milan national heroes Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.
The assessment of young players like Thiaw or Vagnoman should open up personnel perspectives for Flick. Sports director Völler has no doubts that the German selection of talents and top experts justified all hopes, but he would like to work towards the example of the World Cup teams from Argentina or Morocco that “unity, team spirit, passion and spirit” with the connect the technical talents of the players. “We have the footballing quality, we’re working on the rest,” announced Völler. Why didn’t the advertising strategists employed by the DFB simply ask him for the right slogan?