Hansi Flick’s future as Germany boss thrown into doubt after Oliver Bierhoff resignation

Hansi Flick admits he is ‘finding it difficult’ to envisage life without Oliver Bierhoff at Germany after the sporting director stepped down in the wake of their early World Cup exit.

Bierhoff quit as the head of the DFB on Monday following Germany’s poor showing in Qatar, where they suffered a second straight group-stage exit after taking just four points from their opening three matches.

In a statement, the 54-year-old said: ‘My work was founded upon the conviction of doing my best for the German FA and the national teams. But that only makes the results of the men’s national team at the World Cups in Russia and Qatar more painful. That’s why I’m not leaving without the necessary self-criticism.’

Hansi Flick (R) is ‘finding it difficult’ to imagine how Oliver Bierhoff (L) is replaced at Germany

Bierhoff has agreed to terminate his contract with DFB after Germany’s World Cup exit

Flick insisted that he would not walk away from Germany despite their miserable trip to Qatar, yet Sport Bild believe he could follow Bierhoff out of the door.

The former Bayern Munich boss has expressed his disappointment with Bierhoff’s departure in his own statement, describing him as his ‘first contact and friend within the team’.     

He said: ‘My coaching team and I are finding it difficult at the moment to imagine how the gap created by Oliver’s departure can be closed professionally and personally.

‘For me personally, Oliver was my first contact and friend within the team. Our common goal was the EM 2024 project in Germany.’

Flick is set to attend a crisis meeting on Wednesday, where he could walk away from Germany

Bierhoff’s exit could trigger a domino effect in German football, with Flick’s future as head coach now understood to be hanging by a thread.

The latter is set to attend a DFB crisis meeting on Wednesday, and if he is unhappy with the plan going forward no compromises will be made.

Should he depart, it is believed former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will be in the frame to take over. 

Flick has walked away from positions earlier than planned in the past, quitting Bayern following a dispute with sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić and also resigning as Hoffenheim boss.

To make matters worse, Bierhoff is expected to be replaced by Matthias Sammer, the former DBF sporting director who has a strained relationship with the current head coach.

Matthias Sammer, who has a tense relationship with Flick, is expected to replace Bierhoff

Should Flick walk away, former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is the frontrunner to come in

Flick and predecessor Joachim Low were left unhappy with Sammer attempting to influence their work as sporting director, meaning his return to the position to replace Bierhoff may not go down well.

Germany’s shock elimination at the World Cup had already plunged Flick’s future into doubt, with Dietmar Hamann branding their performance ‘pathetic’ while calling for the manager to be moved on.

Hamann told Sky Germany: ‘I think it’s impossible that we can continue with the coach. After this debacle we only have 18 months until the Euros at home, that was pathetic.

‘When I hear some comments from the people in charge, I have to say that has nothing to do with assuming responsibility. Excuses, excuses, excuses. It’s time for a cut.’