After a disastrous 1-4 defeat at the hands of Japan on Saturday, Hansi Flick was relieved of his duties as the head coach of the German national side. An underwhelming display in Qatar saw Die Mannschaft exit the group stages at a second consecutive World Cup, however, the DFB kept their faith in Flick.
Nevertheless, a run of five games without victory – as Germany prepare for Euro 2024 on home soil – was the final nail in the head coach’s coffin. As Germany begin the hunt for a successor, Flick’s future remains in the air.
It would be easy to forget the positive work Flick achieved while at Bayern Munich after such a disappointing stint in charge of the national side. However, the 58-year-old transformed an uninspiring Bayern side into sextuple winners while in charge at the Allianz Arena.
A two-year spell that heralded a historic campaign for Die Rekordmeister left Flick being regarded as one of the most sought-after managers in Europe. If he is to return to management, who could lure the former Champions League-winning head coach?
It would be understandable to see Flick take time away from the game to recuperate in a similar manner to Julian Nagelsmann. As well as this, with European football campaigns having just got underway, there will be few opportunities appearing presentable right away.
Nevertheless, there are a plethora of sides that could view the departure of Flick as a silver lining to their current misfortunes. The 58-year-old has consistently been linked with a possible move to the Premier League, and most notably, to Chelsea.
While Mauricio Pochettino has recently been placed in charge at Stamford Bridge, Todd Boehly has shown with the dismissal of Graham Potter that he is not willing to wait for results to turn around. If the Argentinian continues to oversee Chelsea’s lack of development, then a door may open up for Flick in London.
While there are always openings across Europe, the Bundesliga would welcome Flick back with open arms. However, a manager of his ilk would more than likely have his eye on two jobs in particular.
The remarkable story would undoubtedly be Flick returning to the dugout in Bavaria. The success experienced just a few years ago would stand the head coach in good stead, while previous disputes with those higher up at the club would no longer be an issue with various changes having been made since his departure.
If Bayern believe Flick returning would be best for the club, then they will get it done despite what Thomas Tuchel achieves. However, Tuchel is yet to set the world alight for Die Rekordmeister and with tensions growing at the Säbener Straße, time could already be ticking for Tuchel.
Nevertheless, Flick may wait for another opening to shock German football. After throwing the Bundesliga title away last season, Dortmund have failed to hit the ground running this term.
Disappointing performances and results have plagued BVB, and Edin Terzić is beginning to feel the pressure. While Nagelsmann would certainly be an option if the door was to open, prizing a proven winner in Flick to the Westfalenstadion could be a serious statement from Die Schwarzgelben.
Regardless of what is next for Flick, he will have to take time to reflect on what went wrong with the national side. Whether it was a case of the right man at the wrong time, or whether he simply failed to implement his style.
But the Premier League and Bundesliga would remain his most likely destination, and by the new year, the 58-year-old could find himself back in football. A phenomenal manager with an eye for success, will Flick return to his once astonishing best?
GGFN | Will Shopland
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