The countdown to the World Cup in Qatar has begun. The Germany national team have moved into their accommodation in Oman and are preparing there for one final dress rehearsal in the shape of a friendly against their hosts on Wednesday. After their final training session prior to the game, Hansi Flick, debutant Niclas Füllkrug and Freiburg player Christian Günter spoke about the upcoming fixture, their World Cup preparation and the tournament as a whole. DFB.de have summarised their most important comments from the press conference.
Hansi Flick on:
... acclimatising: Naturally, it’s very hot during the day, but this evening has offered the perfect conditions. The temperature is very pleasant and the turf is top quality. These are optimal conditions for what we are preparing for.
... Thomas Müller: He’s had a long break, but he has been training well recently. His rehabilitation at Bayern Munich was very good so we’ve been able to continue his training programme. We have a lot of quality across the front line, which is something we need if we want to be successful during the tournament. If the players are putting in their best performances, then it will be extremely difficult for us to decide who to pick.
... the game against Oman: We will see who needs a break or who needs 45 minutes. We’ll give it a lot of thought. We want everyone to be on the same level if possible, when we get down to it. It may well be that we rest one or two players tomorrow. Thomas Müller and Antonio Rüdiger will return to team training first thing on Saturday.
... question marks surrounding certain players ahead of the World Cup: Fundamentally, there are going to be question marks throughout the tournament as well. We have to adapt to the conditions. We have a big squad so we don’t have any major concerns. As soon as Marc-André ter Stegen can travel, he will. He’s on the road to recovery.
... the style of play: Our style of football is to be active and to play with high intensity to force the opposition into making mistakes. We have the players to do that.
... Mario Götze: He has a lot of minutes under his belt. We will think about exactly what we do with him. He has enormous quality in the final third and is a player who has a very good first touch and gains an advantage through this. He can then play his teammates in well. I see him as having figured out his game. He has matured a lot and I am pleased that he is here with us because he has proved what a brilliant footballer he is.
... Manuel Neuer: I have known him a long time; he is an important sounding block and someone who has a lot of experience. For me, he is still the number one [goalkeeper] in the world.
... the preparation: The World Cup has different standards in terms of preparation. You have to work a bit differently. We have to see who needs minutes still and who needs a break. This is the discussion that we are having.
Niclas Füllkrug on...
... his first day: The boys have really accepted me. I am happy to be a part of all of it. I want to be successful with the boys.
... his role: I had my first training session today, there is a lot of quality on the pitch. It is important that we can be successful as a team. Sometimes in tournaments it develops in a way that you can’t imagine. Everyone has to carry out their role. What my job will be remains to be seen. There will definitely be one or two conversations to improve things. I don’t think that it will be seamless straight away but that would obviously be nice.
...acclimatising: I am trying to take a lot from training and to get up to speed with the tactics. I am trying to integrate myself in the way that the team needs me.
... his call-up: On the day I got called up my phone was going crazy. I got lots of messages from people who have been a part of my journey. I was so pleased that so many of them were thinking of them. I haven’t had a lot of time to think up till now. It was very short-term but maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
... patience: You need a player to be at 100% for every second, regardless of if they are playing or not, or are only on the pitch for a minute. I will try to be ready so that I can help the team even if there is not much time left to play.
... his game: As a striker, you have other possibilities if you don’t play from the start. You can be a substitution to bring on a different type of player, but we will see. I am trying to prepare myself as best I can.
... the game against Oman: Our focus in on our game, to get into the flow of things and to gain self-confidence so that we can go into the World Cup feeling positive.
Christian Günter on:
... his World Cup call-up: Being here at the World Cup is very emotional for me. As a footballer, there’s nothing bigger than playing for your country at a World Cup. I will never forget the moment that Hansi Flick called me up.
... his career: I definitely wouldn’t have guessed it when I was playing for the U17s. I’ve worked very, very hard for everything.
... his goals at the World Cup: Naturally, I want to be playing, that goes without saying. But no matter what role Hansi Flick sees for me: I will give everything in training, offer my all and fill out that role with energy.
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The countdown to the World Cup in Qatar has begun. The Germany national team have moved into their accommodation in Oman and are preparing there for one final dress rehearsal in the shape of a friendly against their hosts on Wednesday. After their final training session prior to the game, Hansi Flick, debutant Niclas Füllkrug and Freiburg player Christian Günter spoke about the upcoming fixture, their World Cup preparation and the tournament as a whole. DFB.de have summarised their most important comments from the press conference.
Hansi Flick on:
... acclimatising: Naturally, it’s very hot during the day, but this evening has offered the perfect conditions. The temperature is very pleasant and the turf is top quality. These are optimal conditions for what we are preparing for.
... Thomas Müller: He’s had a long break, but he has been training well recently. His rehabilitation at Bayern Munich was very good so we’ve been able to continue his training programme. We have a lot of quality across the front line, which is something we need if we want to be successful during the tournament. If the players are putting in their best performances, then it will be extremely difficult for us to decide who to pick.
... the game against Oman: We will see who needs a break or who needs 45 minutes. We’ll give it a lot of thought. We want everyone to be on the same level if possible, when we get down to it. It may well be that we rest one or two players tomorrow. Thomas Müller and Antonio Rüdiger will return to team training first thing on Saturday.
... question marks surrounding certain players ahead of the World Cup: Fundamentally, there are going to be question marks throughout the tournament as well. We have to adapt to the conditions. We have a big squad so we don’t have any major concerns. As soon as Marc-André ter Stegen can travel, he will. He’s on the road to recovery.
... the style of play: Our style of football is to be active and to play with high intensity to force the opposition into making mistakes. We have the players to do that.
... Mario Götze: He has a lot of minutes under his belt. We will think about exactly what we do with him. He has enormous quality in the final third and is a player who has a very good first touch and gains an advantage through this. He can then play his teammates in well. I see him as having figured out his game. He has matured a lot and I am pleased that he is here with us because he has proved what a brilliant footballer he is.
... Manuel Neuer: I have known him a long time; he is an important sounding block and someone who has a lot of experience. For me, he is still the number one [goalkeeper] in the world.
... the preparation: The World Cup has different standards in terms of preparation. You have to work a bit differently. We have to see who needs minutes still and who needs a break. This is the discussion that we are having.
Niclas Füllkrug on...
... his first day: The boys have really accepted me. I am happy to be a part of all of it. I want to be successful with the boys.
... his role: I had my first training session today, there is a lot of quality on the pitch. It is important that we can be successful as a team. Sometimes in tournaments it develops in a way that you can’t imagine. Everyone has to carry out their role. What my job will be remains to be seen. There will definitely be one or two conversations to improve things. I don’t think that it will be seamless straight away but that would obviously be nice.
...acclimatising: I am trying to take a lot from training and to get up to speed with the tactics. I am trying to integrate myself in the way that the team needs me.
... his call-up: On the day I got called up my phone was going crazy. I got lots of messages from people who have been a part of my journey. I was so pleased that so many of them were thinking of them. I haven’t had a lot of time to think up till now. It was very short-term but maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
... patience: You need a player to be at 100% for every second, regardless of if they are playing or not, or are only on the pitch for a minute. I will try to be ready so that I can help the team even if there is not much time left to play.
... his game: As a striker, you have other possibilities if you don’t play from the start. You can be a substitution to bring on a different type of player, but we will see. I am trying to prepare myself as best I can.
... the game against Oman: Our focus in on our game, to get into the flow of things and to gain self-confidence so that we can go into the World Cup feeling positive.
Christian Günter on:
... his World Cup call-up: Being here at the World Cup is very emotional for me. As a footballer, there’s nothing bigger than playing for your country at a World Cup. I will never forget the moment that Hansi Flick called me up.
... his career: I definitely wouldn’t have guessed it when I was playing for the U17s. I’ve worked very, very hard for everything.
... his goals at the World Cup: Naturally, I want to be playing, that goes without saying. But no matter what role Hansi Flick sees for me: I will give everything in training, offer my all and fill out that role with energy.
