The German Football Association announced on Sunday the dismissal of Hansie Flick from coaching the first national team, after a series of negative results, the latest of which was receiving a tough loss to Japan in a friendly match.
Germany fell 1-4 to Japan in Wolfsburg on Saturday as they prepare to host Euro 2024.
"At the suggestion of DFB President Bernd Neundorf it has been decided to dismiss Hansie Flick and his assistants from the national team with immediate effect," the federation said in a statement on its website.
Rudi Fuller, Hans Wolff and Sandro Wagner will take over the national team on an interim basis, during Tuesday's friendly against France in Dortmund.
i️ Gesellschafterversammlung und Aufsichtsrat der DFB GmbH und Co. KG haben heute auf Vorschlag von DFB-Präsident Bernd Neuendorf beschlossen, Bundestrainer Hansi Flick sowie die beiden Co-Trainer Marcus Sorg und Danny Röhl mit sofortiger Wirkung von ihren Aufgaben zu entbinden. pic.twitter.com/WtAcUxJvb2
— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) September 10, 2023
Flick took over as Germany coach in 2021 but has only won four times in his last 4 matches, and bid farewell to the 17 World Cup in the group stage.
Almost 9 months after losing 1-2 to Japan in the opening of their World Cup group stage campaign, Germany suffered yesterday their third consecutive defeat, and the fourth in the last five matches.
It was Germany's heaviest defeat at home since a 1-5 loss to England in September in a 2002 World Cup qualifier.
Despite Flick's success with Bayern, when he won six trophies in a season by winning the treble of the league, cup and Champions League, then the domestic Super Cup, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup, the coach produced lacklustre performances for the national team.
Flick took over as coach of a sleazy team after exiting the European Championship two years ago, and things have been made worse as they are unsettled on a squad and unsuccessful experiments continue.
🇩🇪 Rudi Völler, Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner will now take charge of German national team for Tuesday's friendly against France.
"The aim is to find a replacement for Hansi Flick as quickly as possible", DFB statement confirms. pic.twitter.com/6KpAO4C7MP
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 10, 2023
Among the names nominated to succeed Flick – which was circulated in the local newspapers – are Julian Nagelsmann, former Bayern Munich coach, sacked from his post last March, Austrian Oliver Glasner, winner with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League (Europa League) last season, and Stefan Kuntz, two-time European champion with the youth team (2017 and 2021).