Hansi Flick has created a spirit of optimism around the DFB team and apparently firmly re-established the primary virtues. That is at least a glimmer of hope for 2022
Potential stumbling blocks had not been in store for the German eleven in qualifying Group J, but they still took a severe beating once, in the 1:2 against North Macedonia under Joachim Löw.
Even against this background, the 31:2 goals scored in the seven games under Hansi Flick do not allow us to draw much of a conclusion as to how close German football has come to the top of the world again – but they do at least indicate that a certain hunger is back. For victories, for goals. This was also visible at the final in Armenia
2021 will go down in the history of the DFB as a year of missed European Championship opportunities and upheaval. And also as a year of change? After 15 years of Löw, the new national coach has created a spirit of change during his first three international seasons. First and foremost within the squad. But also among the public.
The 4:1 in Armenia was exemplary of Flick’s first months
All three home games, in Stuttgart, Hamburg and most recently in Wolfsburg, were well supported by the supporters. In view of the second-class opponents at most, this only says something about the sporting status to a limited extent, but it does document that the public appreciates it when the national team, unlike often in the past, does not take its foot off the gas prematurely.
In this respect, the end-of-the-year sweep in Erewan was exemplary for these first months under Flick. Twelve players who had arrived in Wolfsburg last Monday were no longer part of this delegation, and some phases of the game were correspondingly rough. However, the coach’s maxim was always recognisable: his team, even in an unfamiliar formation, always played forward, radiating energy and will.
These primary virtues alone will not be enough when the showdown with the top nations in the Nations League and the World Cup comes around in 2022. But the fact that they seem to be firmly anchored in the team again thanks to the new coach is in any case a glimmer of hope that the tender first steps under Flick can be followed by others in the new year.