Hansi Flick was sacked as Germany’s head coach on Sunday, the country’s football federation (DFB) announced, one day after a 4-1 defeat to Japan.
The DFB said director Rudi Völler would be one of three coaches taking over in the next match, a friendly against France on Tuesday in Dortmund.
Germany has not won any of its last five matches and was knocked out in the group stage of last year’s World Cup.
Flick said after the defeat to Japan that he wanted to remain as coach and insisted he was the right man for the job.
Sunday’s announcement came hours after he led the team in a public training session attended by fans.
Flick won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2020 and took the job in Germany the following year.
He started by winning his first eight matches, but has only managed four wins in 17 matches since then.
Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan backed Flick to stay after the game against Japan but said the team seriously lacked cohesion.
“Many of our players, they are in a mental battle with themselves. There is no confidence, no understanding of timing, to make the right decisions on the pitch,” Gündogan told broadcaster beIN as quoted by ESPN.
The interim coaching staff faces a tough task against France, who have won all five of their Euro 2024 qualifying matches without conceding a goal since losing the World Cup final on penalties to Argentina last year.
His likely permanent replacement is Julian Nagelsmann.
He was Flick’s successor at Bayern until the club replaced him with Thomas Tuchel in March.
After the match against France, Germany were next in action on October 14 against the United States, and Mexico four days later.
“Now, we, who are responsible, must act in order to be able to play the demanding and ambitious role of hosts at next year’s Euros that we hope to play. That is what the German fans expect from us,” said Völler, who is the national team coach of 2000 to 2004.
“The most urgent thing is to bring in a national team coach who in a short time can direct and prepare our team for the big Euro tournament next year.”
“We expect from them, as does the whole country, positive encouragement. A coach who can raise our level to the level we know and hope for,” he concluded.
