09 September 2023 , 22:51
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Hansi Flick is on the brink of the sack as Germany manager after a thumping defeat by Japan – and if he does lose his job he will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Germany were beaten 4-1 by Japan in a friendly in Wolfsburg on Saturday night to suffer their biggest home defeat since England’s famous 5-1 victory in 2001. Flick is now under huge pressure for his job ahead of another friendly against France on Tuesday.
He has now overseen a fourth defeat in five games, while his side have conceded 11 times during that miserable run. The team were knocked out of the World Cup in Qatar in the group stages and have not improved since.
With less than a year before they host the European Championships, the German national team are in crisis, with just four wins from their last 16 matches. Now is therefore not an opportune moment for a behind-the-scenes documentary to be available for the public to watch.
All or Nothing: Germany is a continuation of Amazon’s long-running series offering fans a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. It was released on Friday, the day before the January loss, and does not reflect well on Flick, who took over the reins from Joachim Low in 2021.
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In the documentary, which focuses on the Qatar World Cup, we see Armel Bella-Kotchap and Julian Brandt turning up late to team meetings before the crunch match against Spain, in clear disregard for Flick’s authority.
“OK guys, it's a matter of discipline,” he tries to explain after Bella-Kotchap’s mishap. “Even if there's a lot going on right now, be punctual from now on or else... you'll make a contribution to the cash box.”
Hansi Flick is under huge pressure (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)His words do not work, however, with Brandt then falling foul a day later. “OK guys this is the last time I'll talk about this. This is the last time,” an angry Flick says.
“Yesterday a few guys came late. That has to do with respect and appreciation for others. That is my opinion and I think you share that opinion.”
There is also a bizarre scene in which Flick reflects on the 2-1 loss to Japan at the World Cup. He says: “There is a saying which sums up how I felt last night. It says: ‘what good is a cow that gives you 10 litres of milk in the day but knocks over the bucket with its tail in the evening’.... that's how I felt last night.
Hansi Flick spoke about cows at the World Cup (Prime Video)“We had chances, I think we had 78 per cent of possession in the first half. We didn't score. We weren't efficient enough. In the end we punished ourselves.”
Fast-forward nine months and Flick was left to rue another damaging defeat by Japan. This time, it could cost him his job. "Today it has to be said very clearly that we were in no condition to beat this team,” he said.
“The Japanese players are all highly trained and have the basics down. We in German football have to wake up and work on these things. We will still prepare well for France. It's clear that the disappointment is huge and I can understand the criticism. I cannot say more about that."