Hrubesch leaves future as national women's coach open
Whether Horst Hrubesch will continue as national coach of the German women's soccer team after a possible qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris remains to be seen. He "hasn't thought about it yet", said the 72-year-old on Thursday in a media roundtable ahead of the important Nations League match against Denmark in Rostock on Friday (20:30/ZDF). He had said from the outset: "We are looking from game to game". Hrubesch had stepped in as interim head coach at the beginning of October after the then national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, whose contract with the German Football Association (DFB) has since been terminated, called in sick.
"We first made it clear that we would play these four games and then we would see if we could continue on this path," said Hrubesch. He was referring to the four Nations League games against Wales (5:1), Iceland (2:0), now against Denmark and on Tuesday in Wales. "Everything else is not an issue for me either."
Only by finishing first in their group can the German women's soccer team play for one of the two European Olympic places in the four-team Nations League final tournament at the end of February. In the event of a tie, the direct comparison and then the goal difference will decide.
The DFB team (9 points) are currently in second place behind the leading Danes (12). After the 2-0 defeat in the first leg, Hrubesch's players will only be able to beat Denmark by at least two goals to take the lead going into the final matchday and secure a much-needed group win.
Should the DFB team qualify for the Nations League final tournament, Hrubesch will almost certainly be on the sidelines. It would "make little sense for a new coach to come back in between, perhaps with a different idea," said Hrubesch. After that at the latest, however, "a new decision will be made". The 1980 European champion had already stepped in as national coach once before in 2018.
The German women's soccer team is currently participating in the Nations League, with key matches against Denmark and Wales. Hrubesch, the interim coach, has stated that they will focus on each game and assess their possibilities afterwards, hinting at the potential involvement of the DFB women's national team in the Nations League final tournament.
Source: www.dpa.com
