Japan crush Germany to leave Hansi Flick under pressure

On November 23, 2022, Takuma Asano scored at the near post against Germany in Al Rayyan.

On September 9, 2023, Junya Ito scored at the near post against Germany in Wolfsburg.

Both games saw an energetic start from Hansi Flick’s side before an organised Japan team made light work of their opponents. Almost 10 months on, nothing has changed — but Flick is convinced he remains the man for the job.

"Even if it is hard to comprehend, we prepare well for our opponents, we will keep on doing it. We are convinced of our job, so it will keep going for me," Flick told reporters in a quick post-match press conference.

Völler: Result 'an embarrassment'

An unusually loud crowd greeted a Germany side at the Volkswagen Arena, along with a familiar foe who had beaten them in their opening group stage match of the World Cup in Qatar.

After going 1-0 down, Germany’s response through Leroy Sane was brilliantly taken, but a short-lived reprieve. A defiant shake of the fist from DFB President Bernd Neuendorf was quickly followed by Japan breaking through Germany’s defence with playful ease, before the visitors scored a second just minutes later.

“Of course the disappointment sits deep," Flick said. "We had few options to get through this defence today. We had some individual actions through Leroy Sane. We started well but individual mistakes keep crushing our confidence.”

Two late goals from Japan only served to reinforce how far Germany have fallen. Loud boos and whistles echoed around the arena at full-time.

Rudi Völler, director of the German national team, was direct in his assessment of the game, describing it as a "deserved defeat" and "an embarrassment".

"We played against a really good Japanese team but, at the end of the day, to lose 4-1 is an embarrassment, you just have to say," Völler told broadcaster RTL.

When asked about the future of Flick as Germany's national coach, Völler didn't rule out a change of coach.

"I would suggest that after a game like that, after a defeat like that, we all gather ourselves together a bit," Völler said. "We are no longer among the first guard in Europe, but we still have players in our ranks — you could see that today. Now we must calm down a bit, sleep on it, then we will see."

Going forward without a threat

Leroy Sane’s lung-busting runs were the solitary bright spark against Japan, while the absent Niclas Füllkrug has arguably been the only consistent shining light of Flick’s tenure.

As sensible and understandable the decision to start Joshua Kimmich at right back was, it was just as baffling to shoe-horn center-back Nico Schlotterbeck in at left-back. It smacks of a coach clutching at straws, continuing to tinker with little time left.

Flick didn’t know his best team ahead of Qatar 2022, finally realising he needed a true number 9 just before the tournament and only starting Füllkrug in the final World Cup match after huge pressure to do so.

Out through injury, the recent Borussia Dortmund signing scored seven goals in just nine internationals since making his debut in November 2022.

Without him, Germany’s central striker options are null and void. Kai Havertz, Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry can fill the role as false nines but none have impressed there. The omitted Timo Werner is currently experiencing a dip in form at RB Leipzig.

Lahm’s leadership calls go unheard

In addition to the captains' armband, Ilkay Gündogan was handed the German Footballer of the Year trophy ahead of kickoff, rounding off a remarkable year in which he led Manchester City to a treble before joining Barcelona. But despite having a clearly defined leader, Germany remain rudderless.

The first names on the team sheet now boil down to Füllkrug, Joshua Kimmich, new captain Gündogan, and Antonio Rüdiger.

But Kimmich started the Bundesliga season failing to convince his Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel that his best position is number 6. Flick moved him to his old position of right-back and overlooked him as permanent captain after he stood in for the injured Manuel Neuer.

Gündogan functions best with a defensive enforcer alongside him like Rodri at Manchester City and now Oriol Romeu at Barcelona. Rüdiger naturally plays his best football with a world-class partner, which he has lacked in the national team.

In a recent interview with DW, former Germany captain Philipp Lahm questioned the lack of leadership in this Germany side.

"I don't know who has the responsibility, currently. Who is the face of the team? Who forms the core? Who are the key identifying players in this team?"

As was the case before the 2022 World Cup, Hansi Flick still seems no closer to answering these questions or knowing his best eleven, tinkering relentlessly without finding the correct formula.

Germany stuck with Flick

Can Flick still turn things around before Euro 2024? A recent poll on German football website Kicker saw 83% of participants vote no. While not suggesting the coach should go, Lahm cited the example of Morocco, who salvaged a desperate situation with little time to spare.

"Every successful Germany team had a core, which still needs to be formed now. There is still enough time. Morocco showed that at the last World Cup. The coach formed a unit just months after taking charge."

But the DFB were reluctant to replace Flick after a World Cup group stage exit. It seems unlikely they will pull the trigger now, especially in light of the lack of options available to them. Would Julian Nagelsmann or Oliver Glasner go near this poisoned chalice? If only Jupp Heynckes wasn’t 78 years old.

Japan show qualities Germany are missing

Japan had not been in action since they romped to wins over Peru (4-1) and El Salvador (6-0) in March. They impressed at the World Cup, beating both Spain and Germany 2-1 in the group stage before being knocked out by Croatia in the last 16. But this is still a side Germany must beat on paper.

But that has been the tale for too long. In June, Germany drew with Ukraine before losing to Poland and Colombia. Only a statement win would have allayed fears of a disastrous home Euros.

In a recently released behind-the-scenes All or Nothing documentary series following Germany’s World Cup campaign, Flick came across like a man desperate to instil urgency in this squad. But summer camp style team building exercises and lacklustre motivational speeches fell flat.

His self-proclaimed mission was to lead Germany back to the top. Ten months on, Germany are seemingly bottoming out.