Germany hire Bayern Munich's Treble-winning Hansi Flick as manager

Posted Wednesday, May 26, 2021 by ESPN

Germany have confirmed the appointment of Hansi Flick as their new manager on a contract to 2024. Flick, 56, takes charge after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the 2020-21 season. His contract starts after the forthcoming European Championship and sees him replace the outgoing Joachim Low.

"I am very happy to be able to work as national coach from autumn onwards," Flick said.

"The season has just ended and my two years at Bayern Munich. The team spirit and the attitude of the players were outstanding, and I'll take a lot with me that will continue to shape my work. I'm really looking forward to [the Germany job] because I can see the great quality of the players, especially the young players in Germany.

"That's why we have every reason to approach the upcoming tournaments with optimism, for example the European Championship at home in 2024. In addition, I know from best experience that with Oliver Bierhoff, I have a strong, trustworthy partner by my side and also with the team behind the team, so we can get started without a long build-up.

"I am also looking forward to contributing my ideas and ideas beyond the national team to the academy and the other national teams. The important thing now is not what will happen in September -- I will speak with you in detail in August -- but the upcoming European Championship, for which I wish the team the greatest possible success."

Flick will lead Germany into the 2022 Qatar World Cup and arrives off the back of a trophy-laden spell at Bayern. After taking charge midway through the 2019-20 season, he led the Bavarians to a clean sweep of trophies -- winning the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, DFL Supercup and FIFA Club World Cup. He leaves Bayern after guiding them to the 2021 Bundesliga, their ninth straight German title.

He became only the second man after Pep Guardiola at Barcelona in 2009 to win all six available trophies in one year.

Flick's contract at Bayern was due to expire in 2023, but he announced in April he planned to leave the club at the end of the season. Bayern originally stated their wish for Flick to see out his contract, but then accepted his resignation and turned to Julian Nagelsmann as his successor.

The appointment sees Flick return to the German national team, where he was assistant under Low from 2006 to 2014. Flick's playing career saw him play for Bayern and FC Cologne, before he went into coaching and had spells with Hoffenheim and FC Salzburg before taking up the assistant manager role with Germany.

During his time with the national side, Germany reached the Euro 2008 final and won the 2014 World Cup. They were also semifinalists at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. He then took up a sporting director role at the German FA before joining Bayern in 2019 as Nico Kovac's assistant.

After a poor start to the 2019-20 season, Kovac was sacked and Flick was placed in interim charge. And after a remarkable unbeaten run, Flick was handed a permanent contract in April 2020, through to 2023. But with Flick's relationship with Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic deteriorating, he announced his departure.

Flick was on Barcelona's radar, according to ESPN sources, but the La Liga giants were told he had already committed to Germany.

He replaces Low, who has been with Germany since 2004. Low spent the first two years as assistant under Jurgen Klinsmann before taking the top job in 2006.

Oliver Bierhoff, DFB Director National Teams and Academy, said: "I am very proud that we have succeeded in signing Hansi Flick for the post of national coach. He was from the start at the top of my wish list. I have known and appreciate the human and professional qualities of Hansi since our many successful years together with the national team."

The high point of Low's reign came in 2014 when Germany won the World Cup, and he will hope to end his tenure on another high, having failed to get out of the group stage at the last World Cup in 2018.