Like in Munich 2019: Flick has a perfect Germany start

Hansi Flick has started his German national team coaching career in the almost identical winning fashion as he did at Bayern Munich two years ago.

Reykjavik (dpa) – Twelve goals, three clean sheets and a maximum nine points: Germany have made a promising start into the Hansi Flick coaching era.

And if one compares it with Flick’s first three games in charge at Bayern Munich 22 months ago the future could look very bright.

Bayern also won the first three games under Flick in November 2019, with a 10-0 goal difference, and ended the season as Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble winners.

Flick, 56, left Bayern in summer after seven trophies in all to succeed Joachim Loew in a return to the national team where he was Loew’s assistant from 2006 until the 2014 World Cup triumph.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is the next big event and the 2-0 over Liechtenstein last Thursday, 6-0 against Armenia Sunday and 4-0 in Iceland Wednesday see the four-time world champions well-placed to qualify.

Flick’s team got going after a stuttering start against Liechtenstein and the coach was happy with the full points and the early development of the team.

“We didn’t have a lot of training sessions but we picked up nine points, that was our aim,” Flick said.

“The way we played our football is a step in the right direction. We’re not at 100 percent yet, but that can’t be expected of us either. I am completely satisfied, even if there are still a few things we need to improve on.”

Midfielder Joshua Kimmich said: “Twelve goals and none conceded in three games isn’t bad at all.”

His Munich team-mate Leon Goretzka added: “We wanted to show a different side to our game and show that we enjoy playing. Our goalkeeper and our defenders will certainly be pleased we’ve not conceded any goals.”

Munich players are the backbone of the new-look team, with their forwards Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry finding the net again along with Chelsea’s Timo Werner to score away the recent Euro 2020 blues with a last 16 exit.

“I think the team simply needed this: three games, three wins, the last two with great conviction. That feels good. Everyone of us knows that trust in your own strength is extremely important. And if you win, that happens all the faster,” Flick said.

Flick told his players they can return to their clubs with plenty of confidence and will now hope that everyone stays healthy for the next qualifiers on October 8 against Romania and three days later in North Macedonia – who shocked Germany 2-1 in their first meeting in March.

While happy with the early success, Flick is not getting carried away as he insisted: “We will stay calm. I think it is important that we feel our way from game to game.”