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Doris Fitschen: Now the work can really begin

The manager of Germany’s women’s national team can now plan with certainty after her side secured their place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada before even playing their final qualifier against Ireland on Wednesday (live on ARD from 18:00 CET). After a resounding 4-1 (3-1) win over Russia in Moscow, Doris Fitschen discussed the team’s continued path to the World Cup in the DFB.de Interview of the Week.

DFB.de: What’s your verdict on World Cup qualification?

Doris Fitschen: Very positive. We managed to qualify well for Canada 2015 thanks to team spirit and focused performances. What’s particularly impressive is that we did this without losing a match despite constantly having to compensate for the absence of injured or suspended players. That shows how much quality there is in our team. Now we want to deliver another successful performance in our last game against Ireland in Heidenheim.

DFB.de: Did any particular moments stick in your mind?

Fitschen: Our first World Cup qualifier was very special and gave us a confidence boost for the games that followed. We beat Russia 9-0 in Cottbus, which nobody could possibly have expected given that the Russians were one of our strongest group opponents. Of course, the reverse fixture against Ireland was memorable thanks to Melanie Leupolz’s last-minute winner.

DFB.de: Looking at the other teams, did they surprise you at all during qualifying?

Fitschen: The favourites progressed from most groups even though it was close in a couple of cases. I’m glad to see the Swiss qualify for their first World Cup, for example. That’s a great success for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who has already achieved so much as a coach there.

DFB.de: What challenges do you foresee for the World Cup?



The manager of Germany’s women’s national team can now plan with certainty after her side secured their place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada before even playing their final qualifier against Ireland on Wednesday (live on ARD from 18:00 CET). After a resounding 4-1 (3-1) win over Russia in Moscow, Doris Fitschen discussed the team’s continued path to the World Cup in the DFB.de Interview of the Week.

DFB.de: What’s your verdict on World Cup qualification?

Doris Fitschen: Very positive. We managed to qualify well for Canada 2015 thanks to team spirit and focused performances. What’s particularly impressive is that we did this without losing a match despite constantly having to compensate for the absence of injured or suspended players. That shows how much quality there is in our team. Now we want to deliver another successful performance in our last game against Ireland in Heidenheim.

DFB.de: Did any particular moments stick in your mind?

Fitschen: Our first World Cup qualifier was very special and gave us a confidence boost for the games that followed. We beat Russia 9-0 in Cottbus, which nobody could possibly have expected given that the Russians were one of our strongest group opponents. Of course, the reverse fixture against Ireland was memorable thanks to Melanie Leupolz’s last-minute winner.

DFB.de: Looking at the other teams, did they surprise you at all during qualifying?

Fitschen: The favourites progressed from most groups even though it was close in a couple of cases. I’m glad to see the Swiss qualify for their first World Cup, for example. That’s a great success for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who has already achieved so much as a coach there.

DFB.de: What challenges do you foresee for the World Cup?

Fitschen: The World Cup brings with it a very special set of challenges. The first is the fact that it will be held on artificial turf, which requires a particular approach. In addition, the early tournament start means we’ll have less time to prepare than ever before. The opening match will be played on 6 June 2015; the last Bundesliga games are only on 10 May with the Champions League final scheduled for 14 May.

DFB.de: How do you draw up your plans in the run-up to the World Cup?

Fitschen: Silvia Neid and her coaching team had the World Cup in their sights and began making plans as soon as the European Championships were over. The shorter preparation time has made it vital for Silvia and her assistant Ulrika Ballweg to work even more closely with club coaches than usual. Comprehensive coordination is particularly crucial when it comes to fitness. This season, it’s important that everybody pulls together. In organisational terms, all our plans are ultimately drafted with the aim of getting every single player and the overall team in the best possible shape so that we can deliver our best World Cup performances, and that always means working closely with the coaching team.

DFB.de: What aspects of planning are you focusing on most closely?

Fitschen: Several different aspects such as confirming the team behind the team, organising warm-up matches and our preparatory training camp. Then there’s the World Cup itself, which presents many challenges in itself as a result of the large distances between venues. As soon as the World Cup group draw is made in December, we’ll visit Canada to inspect all of our match locations and make our final preparations.

DFB.de: How much insight for your current plans did you gain at this summer’s U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada?

Fitschen: In sporting terms, there was regular dialogue between the U-20 coaching team of Maren Meinert and Bettina Wiegmann and the senior pairing of Silvia Neid and Ulrike Ballweg. Nevertheless, we’re still evaluating several sporting and organisational considerations. It was certainly helpful that not only Silvia and Ulrike attended this summer’s tournament but also our team administrator Patrizia Hell, who managed to gather impressions of the operations, logistics, hotels and the reality of a competition in Canada. After a final evaluation, this knowledge will be incorporated into our planning for 2015.

DFB.de: Are there any particular highlights for fans to look forward to on the way to the World Cup?

Fitschen: We still have three international matches against top sides this year that will definitely help our team to continue their development. For example, we face the technically adept French in Offenbach on 25 October before meeting Sweden on 29 October. Then in 23 November a very special match awaits: playing England at the legendary Wembley Stadium. We’ll also have two further home games against formidable opponents next year, but we’ll wait until after the World Cup group draw takes place in Ottawa on 6 December before deciding who we’ll be playing in those final encounters.