SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Hansi Flick praises Spain after World Cup semi-final defeat

Record ID: 455522

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Hansi Flick praises Spain after World Cup semi-final defeat
  • Date: 9th July 2010
  • Summary: ERASMIA, NEAR PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 8, 2010) (REUTERS) ARRIVAL OF ASSISTANT COACH HANSI FLICK AT NEWS CONFERENCE HANSI FLICK AT NEWSCONFERENCE JOURNALISTS, (SOUNDBITE) (German) ASSISTANT COACH HANSI FLICK SAYING: "If you do not even have the chance to get close to the players, then you can't play in a hard way. In the end, they had the quick passes and our midfield had no real access to the ball. The few times we were in possession, we missed the chance to bring the attacks to a positive end, like we managed against England, Argentina or Australia." PHOTOGRAPHER JOURNALISTS PAN FROM FLICK TO JOURNALISTS CAPTAIN PHILIPP LAHM AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE (German) CAPTAIN PHILIPP LAHM SAYING: "First of all there is a big disappointment. Because you do not have the chance to play every four years a World Cup semi-final with the opportunity to reach the final. Therefore the disappointment today is very big. Nevertheless, you can say that the team played an excellent tournament. And the team has a lot of quality and has to work hard for the opportunity to gain titles in the next tournaments." PAN OVER JOURNALISTS PHOTOGRAPHER LAHM AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE (German) CAPTAIN PHILIPP LAHM SAYING: "I will not give back the captain's armband after the tournament to the coach. But if the coach decides in a different way and says: 'Philipp, give back the captain's armband, because Michael Ballack is going to be the captain again', then I don't have a problem with it. But it won't happen from my side, because I would love to stay the captain of the team, because it was fun. But as I said before, if the coach decides Michael Ballack will be captain, I do not have a problem with his decision." CAMERAMEN NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 24th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAD1QE3KOVCP1D6J44EG7O3E32
  • Story Text: Germany's assistant coach Hansi Flick was full of praise for the Spanish after their 1-0 defeat to them in the World Cup semi-final in Durban, South Africa on Wednesday (July 7).
    Germany came into the match as slight favourites having scored four goals in each of their games against Australia, England and then Argentina in the quarter-finals, but Spain dominated the match with a superb midfield display, capped by a headed goal from Carles Puyol in the 72nd minute.
    "If you do not even have the chance to get close to the players, then you can't play in a hard way," said Flick, speaking at the team's training headquarters near Pretoria on Thursday (July 8). "In the end, they had the quick passes and our midfield had no real access to the ball. The few times we were in possession, we missed the chance to bring the attacks to a positive end, like we managed against England, Argentina or Australia."
    Captain Philipp Lahm, while disappointed at Germany's exit, was pleased with the overall performance of the squad in the tournament.
    "First of all there is a big disappointment. Because you do not have the chance to play every four years a World Cup semi-final with the opportunity to reach the final. Therefore the disappointment today is very big. Nevertheless, you can say that the team played an excellent tournament. And the team has a lot of quality and has to work hard for the opportunity to gain titles in the next tournaments."
    Lahm reiterated he would be happy to continue as captain but would have no problem if Michael Ballack returned to his usual role when he has recovered from injury.
    "I will not give back the captain's armband after the tournament to the coach," said Lahm. "But if the coach decides in a different way and says: 'Philipp, give back the captain's armband, because Michael Ballack is going to be the captain again', then I don't have a problem with it. But it won't happen from my side, because I would love to stay the captain of the team, because it was fun. But as I said before, if the coach decides Michael Ballack will be captain, I do not have a problem with his decision."
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