The noise surrounding Martina Voss-Tecklenburg makes it difficult for the German footballers under Horst Hrubesch to make a new beginning, but the players’ reaction is clear: the greatest possible distance
Frankfurt – The coughing fit came very suddenly. Lena Oberdorf had just stood in front of the glass front of the Melia Frankfurt City and heard the first question when the young leader of the German footballers choked so hard that it had the greatest possible symbolic effect: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s surprising public appearances caused a stir in the DFB -Women’s new beginning under Horst Hrubesch for the Nations League games against Wales in Sinsheim (Friday 5.45 p.m. / ARD) and against Iceland in Reykjavik (October 31st / 8 p.m. / zdfsport.de) a huge upset.
Lena Oberdorf about Martina Voss-Tecklenburg: “It gives me a few question marks”
“It gives me a few question marks, of course. I would definitely have wished for something different. That you say: Okay, let’s first clarify what happened at the World Cup – and then go on vacation. “Nevertheless, that’s what happened now,” said the 21-year-old. The facial expressions of the opinionated midfielder from VfL Wolfsburg, who fortunately still says what she thinks, spoke volumes in front of the Frankfurt Trade Fair Tower: The unresolved questions about the future surrounding the national coach are unnecessary ballast.
The team has now developed the greatest possible distance from the headstrong national coach, who went her own way as a player and is now building her own future in the association as a coach. Behind the scenes, the termination of the contract, which runs until 2025, is probably being negotiated with their lawyer Christoph Schickhardt, whereby the party also made DFB President Bernd Neuendorf look very bad, who must have been aware of the activities on vacation, but on Friday he had the impression did not counter that the employee was sick and needed to rest.
“MVT” case at the DFB: Horst Hrubesch is also annoyed
After the botched start of the Nations League against Denmark (0:2) and the convincing second appearance against Iceland (4:0) on the way to the desired Olympic qualification, the players actually wanted to get rid of the “MVT” cause, which is now before the first international match under Hrubesch reappears.
The permanent interim solution is also annoying. “That’s not my topic,” explained the 72-year-old tight-lipped, who apparently doesn’t see the events as a nuisance. Internally there is talk of sticks between the legs. The harmonious man from Hamburger SV no longer has contact with Voss-Tecklenburg, who gave Hrubesch an intact community for the 2019 World Cup at the end of 2018: “Britta Carlson is also there, who played the games before. The DFB will then have to decide how this is regulated. That, s not my Beer. I hope that it will ultimately be four games.” The emergency rescuer would also like to be responsible for the decisive second leg against Denmark in Rostock (December 1st) in order to ideally play in the final tournament for two free Olympic starting places in February 2024 as group winners.
Voss-Tecklenburg with public appearances, national players are stunned
For Voss-Tecklenburg, all of this is now a long way away: the 55-year-old spoke about “team building and coaching from the world of sports” at the “Forum Intelligentes Bauen” in Bremen two weeks ago, with the approval of her employer, and then last Thursday at the Bavarian Dentists’ Day in Munich about “Change Management in Women’s Football”. In terms of labor law, there is nothing wrong with such lectures, which are generally well-paid, but the moral side remains.
The fact that the head coach, who was initially on sick leave after the World Cup, was the first to speak on such stages stunned several national players. Anyone who is immediately looking for such a spotlight again after “mental and physical exhaustion” (husband Hermann Tecklenburg) should actually have the chutzpah to talk to actors who went through ups and downs with them for four and a half years.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz announces a visit to the DFB campus
Hrubesch also learned about the disturbed communication with his predecessor from conversations in Australia, but for him that is not enough of an explanation for the World Cup failure. “I have always tried to give the girls the message: They have personal responsibility.” The interim coach sees the fact that Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that he would be visiting the DFB campus for a training session on Tuesday afternoon as “clear appreciation,” because : “It’s not the first time he’s been there. We’re going to enjoy this.”
For the next few days, his aim is to convey a game idea in theory and practice that provides stability again after the uncertainty. Because women’s football has become “significantly faster, more agile,” Hrubesch wants to see “a faster pace.” The slow build-up of the game should be a thing of the past; long balls are not forbidden with the former header monster. Against Wales and Iceland you should “play full-time for goals”. Solution: You may still cough at the meeting point, but don’t stumble against such opponents.