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Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, coach of the women's national football team: "I've never run away when things get difficult"
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg will not resign after the historic preliminary round exit of the German footballers at the World Cup in Australia. "Never have I ever run away when things get difficult. That's why I still have the firm will to take the next steps in German women's football with everyone involved," said the 55-year-old at a DFB press conference in Wyong on Saturday, two days after the disappointing 1-1 draw against South Korea in Brisbane and missing out on the round of <>. She now wants to lead the German team to next year's Olympic Games in Paris.
Voss-Tecklenburg's first task after the World Cup debacle is the duel on September 22 in Denmark at the start of the new Nations League. Bernd Neuendorf had previously supported the coach several times as president of the German Football Association. "I'm convinced of it," said the 62-year-old at a DFB event in Hanau, Hesse, on Friday. Neuendorf also pointed out that her contract had been extended only a few months ago.
Voss-Tecklenburg took over the women's team in 2018 as successor to Horst Hrubesch, and her contract runs until the 2025 European Championships in Switzerland. At the 2019 World Cup in France, the former national player failed with the German team in the quarter-finals against Sweden and thus also missed the Olympic participation. At last year's European Championships, she led the DFB team to the final. There, the Germans were defeated by hosts England, but the successful tournament triggered euphoria at home.
The first World Cup preliminary round exit in the history of the women's national team was therefore all the more surprising. However, it has no effect on the desired qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The European teams can only secure the two places reserved for them via the Nations League. Immediately after the early exit from the tournament in Australia, Voss-Tecklenburg had left her personal future open, but recently indicated that she would continue.
oka/dpa