Julian Nagelsmann.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Former Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann has come out as the frontrunner for Germany's head coach position after Hansi Flick was sacked, as per BILD.
Flick was relieved of his duties after a set of poor results, the 4-1 loss to Japan being the final nail in his coffin.
Flick's assistants, Marcus Sorg and Danny Rohl, were also relieved of their duties.
Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German football associaton (DFB) said in a statement "The committee agreed that the German national team needs a fresh impetus after the recent disappointing results. Going into the European Championship next summer, we need confidence and optimism in the country regarding our team. This has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make during my time in this role because I really respect Hansi Flick and his assistants, both on a professional and personal level. Sporting success is of the upmost importance to the DFB, which is why this decision had to be made."
However, Nagelsmann's potential appointment is complicated by the fact that he's still under contract with Bayern Munich and involves a hefty severance fee in the region of 15 million euros to release him from the Bundesliga greats.
At present, Rudi Voller, Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner, will assume charge of the team for their next game against France while the search for a new manager continues.
Voller after taking over said "Hansi Flick worked incredibly hard over the past few months with his coaching team to try and turn things around after the World Cup in Qatar. Unfortunately though, he hasn’t been able to do so. The Japan game clearly showed us that we couldn’t carry on like this. It’s not an easy time for me – I joined the DFB in February to support Hansi Flick in any way I could, in order for him to have success on the pitch. I strongly believed that he was capable of getting our national team back on track.
However, we now have had to act responsibly and have made a change so that we can play the kind of role we want to at our home tournament next summer. That’s what the fans here in Germany expect of us. I will fill in for the game against France with Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner by my side. Our most pressing task then will be to find a new coach that can help provide the team with a fresh impetus and can then prepare them for EURO 2024 next year. We hope the tournament can have a positive impact on both German football and the country as a whole. We want a coach that can get the national team back to the level that we know and expect it to be at."
The names of Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and ex-Eintracht Frankfurt gaffer Oliver Glasner have also been thrown into the ring.
Hansi Flick has become the first manager to be sacked by the German football body in its 123 year history, and with the nation hosting Euro 2024 nine months from now, a swift change is needed to turn around their recent losing streak where the 2014 World Cup winners have only managed 4 victories in their last 17 games.
Nagelsmann, 36, has been without a job since Bayern sacked him, in a move that suprised many, given he had only lost thrice in 37 games in the 2022/23 season. Since then, he was linked to several top clubs including Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, but the deal for his move collapsed last minute.