Troubles Mount for Wueck as Germany's Women Fall to Scotland
The Headache Before the Euros
Speechlessness overtakes coach following extraordinary performance
By Anja Rau
Football fans are eagerly anticipating the European Championship this summer, but German national coach Christian Wueck is faced with a predicament. Despite securing a comfortable victory against Scotland, the match highlighted several concerning issue within the squad.
After conceding a goal to Caroline Weir (40') in the first half, Wueck's team fell into a downward spiral. Fans watched in consternation as Wolfsburg stadium's crowd began to dwindle. Fortunately, a massive comeback following half-time brought victory back into the Germans' grasp. Selina Cerci (51', 56', 76'), Giovanna Hoffmann (63', 65'), and Laura Freigang (67') scored six goals in just 25 minutes, turning the tide of the game and ushering in jubilation among the fans.
Germany - Scotland 6:1 (0:1)
However, Wueck remained speechless, expressing disappointment over a split performance from the team. "How one can show two faces like that with almost the same team, that's quite extraordinary. We have to get that under control," he said[2]. He emphasized the gravity of the situation for the EM, where stiff competition is expected.
Failure to correct these problems could be disastrous, with a group stage appearance for Sweden looming, in addition to Denmark and Poland. The possibility of facing England, the Netherlands, or France in the quarter-finals underscores the significance of the team addressing its issues swiftly[1].
Captain Giulia Gwinn also sounded the alarm. "That must not happen to us, that will be punished on that level. Against other teams, it will be punished even more clearly." Meanwhile, Cerci pointed to the positive aspects of the performance, acknowledging the potential for improvement[2].
Enigma in the Dressing Room
The events transpiring between the first and second half may still linger in the minds of some players and coaches, reminiscent of the game against Austria at the end of February. In that match, the German team displayed a stagnant first half, which, despite a final score of 4-1, concealed underlying problems. Regrettably, UEFA would not accept a proposal to begin playing in the 46th minute[4].
Coach Sarina Wiegman was not content with the team's slow start. She acknowledged that the coaching staff may have failed to impart the severity of the situation. Right before their trip to Scotland, the team emerged victorious, with a 4-0 win formerly made possible by Elisa Sennß's goal in the opening minutes[1]. While Wiegman has pointed to a flaw with her team in other aspects, she maintains hope that such a performance during the second half can be replicated[2].
There are only two more games before the Euros arrive for Wiegman and her team. With the Netherlands on May 20 in Bremen and Austria on June 3 remaining, they must rapidly adapt to avoid the pitfalls shown during the Scotland game[2]. While the crowd may have cheered during the second half, for Wueck, the resounding question remains: can his team can match such intensity in the upcoming European Championship?
- Christian Wueck has expressed concern over the inconsistency displayed by his team, stating, "We have to get that under control," given the stiff competition in the European Championship, particularly from Sweden, Denmark, Poland, England, the Netherlands, or France.
- In light of Germany's split performance, captain Giulia Gwinn emphasized the importance of addressing the issues before they are harshly penalized, stating, "That must not happen to us, that will be punished on that level."
- Coach Sarina Wiegman aims to replicate the intensity shown by her team during the second half of the Scotland game, acknowledging that the coaching staff may have failed to communicate the gravity of the situation effectively.
