With Hansi Flick overseeing a run of four defeats in eight games in charge of Germany, the country’s top publication has asked their FA to replace him with Jurgen Klopp
German newspaper Bild has asked to replace Hansi Flick with Jurgen Klopp to save his chances at Euro 2024.
Flick is under increasing pressure as his national team manager following back-to-back defeats to Poland and Colombia following a 3-3 draw with Ukraine last week.
Fortunately, poor form, which has seen them win just two of their last eight matches, won’t cost them a place at next year’s Euros as they have already qualified as hosts.
But leading publication Bild wants Flick to go for the tournament as they are not behind the team approaching the trophy with him at the helm.
Their sports editor wrote a lengthy editorial urging the German Football Association to do everything possible to try and persuade Liverpool boss Klopp to take over.
They criticized Flick’s tactics as “completely confusing” and questioned the fact that he had no front nine and continued to rely on a back three. “It mostly does the opposite of logic,” he said.
“Experiments, experiences, experiences that we can’t even afford. It’s amazing how we push the EM 2024 full throttle against the wall.”
In the photo article with the title “DFB must now fight for Klopp” it is written: “The premium solution is Jürgen Klopp. Already after leaving Qatar he was knocked out – in vain.
“He felt it was his duty to lead Liverpool out of the crisis! But the DFB must fight for him with all their might. Klopp would lead Germany into the European euphoria from now on.”
Klopp still has a three-year contract at Anfield which means a substantial win is needed to secure his exit. The other option, of course, is for him to lead both the Reds and his country.
Both seem unlikely, with Bild suggesting Oliver Glasner – who left Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of the season – and current manager Rudi Voller as alternatives.
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Gary O’Neil fired in surprise first Premier League change of the summer
The first Premier League sacking this summer comes from a surprising source, with Bournemouth parting ways with their manager Gary O’Neil.
O’Neil left Liverpool, where he served as academy coach, to join Scott Parker’s Bournemouth staff in 2021, before taking over from him 18 months later.
His appointment came after an impressive interim run, and the 40-year-old steered Cherries clear of relegation last season with 10 wins and six draws from 34 games.
This included a 1–0 win over Liverpool at Dean Court with Bournemouth finishing the season in 15th place, five points clear of the bottom three.
But Monday brought the shocking news that O’Neil has been sacked, becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked after the end of the season.
While Chelsea and Tottenham recently appointed new managers Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou, their vacancies have been open for some time.
In a club statement, Bournemouth owner and chairman Bill Foley said: “Gary will have a long career as head coach or manager but we believe a change at this time is in the best interest of this football club.”
Foley explained there were “plans for long-term success” with “a number of key objectives” for the summer transfer window.
It is clear O’Neil was not in the plans, despite his record last season, with a new appointment described by the club as “imminent”.
Liverpool hired O’Neil as assistant to under-21s manager Barry Lewtas in 2020, and Tim Jenkins, head of development analysis at the Reds, subsequently followed him to Bournemouth.
In an interview with The Athletic on Sunday, academy director Alex Inglethorpe praised the impact O’Neil and Jenkins have made at Dean Court.
“It was no surprise to me that they avoided relegation with relative ease given the quality of people they brought in,” he said.
O’Neil has been touted as manager of the season’s contender in surviving Bournemouth – he will now be looking for a new job.
This is life in the Premier League.
