Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia has earned his first senior Belgium call-up but there is no place for Axel Witsel in Domenico Tedesco's first squad as coach

The Saints man enters the fray in the Red Devils' first selection following Roberto Martinez's exit at the conclusion of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Lavia, a Belgium youth international, is the only new name among a squad that mixes experience and youth, including the country's most-capped player in Anderlecht's Jan Vertonghen.

But Atletico Madrid midfielder Witsel, who only trails Vertonghen when it comes to appearances for the national team, is an eye-catching omission as Tedesco looks to leave his mark.

Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski has been recalled in place of the retired Simon Mignolet.

Other names earning a return to the fold include Nottingham Forest midfielder Orel Mangala and Wolfsburg defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, both of whom were last capped against Burkina Faso a year ago.

Belgium open their Euro 2024 qualification campaign against Sweden next Friday, before they play a friendly against hosts Germany a week on Tuesday.

The team endured a lacklustre World Cup campaign last year, failing to progress from Group F after defeat against Morocco and a goalless draw with Croatia.

Belgium squad: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Thomas Kaminski (Blackburn Rovers), Matz Sels (Strasbourg); Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht); Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Charles De Ketelaere (Milan), Romeo Lavia (Southampton). Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest), Amadou Onana (Everton), Dennis Praet (Leicester City), Alexis Saelemaekers (Milan); Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Romelu Lukaku (Inter), Dodi Lukebakio (Hertha BSC), Lois Openda (Lens), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

The German Football Association (DFB) has announced it will not support Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president.

Infantino is set to be re-elected at the 73rd FIFA Congress in Rwandan capital Kigali on Thursday after no challengers came forward to stand against him in the leadership race.

However, despite Infantino having a clear run at another term in charge, Germany have joined a select few nations to publicly declare they do not back the decision.

The DFB added in a statement on Wednesday that it has contacted FIFA in recent weeks on a matter of issues but has received no reply or only insufficient information.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said: "The DFB will not support the re-election of FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Kigali. 

"We have received little to no substantial information from FIFA in response to several inquiries from our part in recent weeks, especially on contentious issues. 

"However, we can expect FIFA to take the concerns of its member associations seriously and address them. 

"FIFA should become much more transparent and open in its dealings with the national associations."

Neuendorf has previously criticised FIFA for its attempts to restrict teams' political protests at the Qatar World Cup, but he hopes for a positive outcome in future discussions.

"It is in its own interests to explain how and why certain decisions are made and who is involved in them. This has not been the case of late," he said.

"Nevertheless, there was a constructive exchange between several European member associations and the FIFA president on contentious issues today. 

"We therefore remain hopeful that this will lead to an improvement in our cooperation in the future.

"I am interested in maintaining a critical and constructive cooperation with FIFA, in particular with its president, and hope that this can be realised in the coming years."

Infantino succeeded Sepp Blatter as the president of world football governing body FIFA in February 2016.

Thomas Muller will be left out of Hansi Flick's upcoming Germany squad, but the head coach has not "shut the door" on the Bayern Munich forward.

Muller is fourth on his nation's all-time caps list (121) behind only Lothar Matthaus (150), Miroslav Klose (137) and Lukas Podolski (130), while his tally of 44 goals puts him seventh.

A World Cup winner in 2014, the 33-year-old said he would contemplate his international future following Germany's group-stage exit from the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Muller has been directly involved in 11 goals for Bayern this season (scored four, assisted seven), with only Jamal Musiala (eight) registering more assists for the Bundesliga leaders.

However, Flick revealed the forward will play no part in the friendlies against Belgium and Peru later this month, though the head coach has left the door open for a potential return with Germany hosting next year's European Championship.

"I discussed with Thomas that he will not be called up to the games in March and June," Flick told Suddeutsche Zeitung.

"I want to give younger players a chance with the national team. But that doesn't mean that his Germany career is over or that he won't play a role at the Euros.

"He sees things the way I do. As a national team player, you don't retire. You either get a call-up or you don't, and he's now on hold until the summer.

"Why would I shut the door on a player like that forever? Look at his current importance for Bayern. He's totally important again, and I'm very happy for him."

 

Flick also insists there are no guarantees that Manuel Neuer will remain his first-choice goalkeeper upon his return from injury, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen or Kevin Trapp likely to be handed opportunities in the friendlies.

The Bayern captain, and Germany's most-capped goalkeeper with 117 appearances, is out for the season having broken his leg during a skiing trip shortly after the World Cup.

"The performance concept is in the foreground," Flick added. "There's nothing set in stone — Manu knows that.

"I am convinced that he will reach his performance limit when he becomes 100 per cent fit again."

Manuel Neuer backed Yann Sommer to succeed at Bayern Munich but questioned the dismissal of their goalkeeping coach after his freak skiing injury.

Germany veteran Neuer suffered a season-ending injury to his lower right leg in a fall in December.

The 36-year-old subsequently underwent surgery, with the setback coming just days after Germany tumbled out of the World Cup in the group stage.

Bayern searched frantically to replace their star goalkeeper in the January transfer window, eventually bringing in Sommer from Borussia Monchengladbach in a deal Neuer has "no problem at all" with.

He told The Athletic: "I put up a picture in our WhatsApp group and apologised. I also called the people in charge, apologised to them and said I'm sorry.

"I'm not a coward who goes into hiding. I explained everything to them, including the background.

"It created a lot of work for the people who run the club and that I might have harmed the team, yes. I didn't want that. I'm the happiest person when Sven Ulreich does well, as he always has done when he stood in for me.

"When Yann was brought in, I told the bosses I had no problem at all with that. I think it's good we have two great goalkeepers. I'm a team player. It's important to me what happens at Bayern.

"I look at the overall picture I don't just think of me and my pain and so on. I have a vocation, I have a job.

"I'm an important part of the team and also an important part of the club and I want the club and the team to be as successful as possible. That's the most important thing to me.

"I've known Yann for a long time and know that he's a good guy – and a good goalkeeper. The club found a great solution. It was important to me that there's someone there and that I don't have to worry."

While Sommer eased Julian Nagelsmann's goalkeeping fears, Bayern dismissed Neuer's long-time coach Toni Tapalovic.

"That blow hit me extremely hard," Neuer added. "Toni was always a team player with us, everyone saw it that way.

"He wasn't working for me for eleven and a half years, but for the entire goalkeeper group, for the coaching staff and for the club.

"We were always able to separate work and private life. I understand that it might sound like I'm not being objective or not believable, but I can really tell the difference.

"For me, that was a blow – when I was already down on the ground. I felt like my heart was being ripped out. It was the most brutal thing I've experienced in my career. And I've experienced a lot."

Bayern sit a point clear of Union Berlin at the Bundesliga summit ahead of Sunday's visit to Wolfsburg.

Rudi Voller revealed his first reaction at being asked to become director of the Germany national team was: "Is there nobody else?"

The former Germany striker and head coach ultimately agreed to take on the job, filling the role previously held by Oliver Bierhoff until he departed after a second successive World Cup failure.

Voller's appointment was confirmed by the German Football Association (DFB), with head coach Hansi Flick among those who welcomed his arrival.

It came after deliberations from a DFB task force that included Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Oliver Kahn, Matthias Sammer and Oliver Mintzlaff, plus Voller himself.

Hans-Joachim Watzke offered 62-year-old Voller the job, and the vide-president may have been surprised by the initial response.

"First I asked: 'Is there nobody else?' I wasn't really convinced," said Voller. "In the end I let myself be convinced."

Watzke, speaking at a press conference on Friday said there were "arguments" between the pair to begin with.

"Then we found each other more and more. In the meantime, a friendship and a total relationship of trust have developed from it," Watzke said. "Rudi is actually ideal for this position."

Voller will begin work on February 1, the DFB said. He won 90 caps for West Germany and later Germany, playing a significant part in the Italia 90 World Cup triumph.

He went on to become head coach of the team that lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final.

Voller has held various roles at Bayer Leverkusen but will direct his energy to the Germany job for now.

Germany will host the Euro 2024 finals, and bringing about success in that tournament will be the priority for Voller and Flick. Group-stage exits at the last two World Cups came either side of a Euro 2020 last-16 defeat to England, leaving the national team in the doldrums.

Voller said: "First of all, we have to lay the foundations for a successful home European Championship in 2024, supported by the whole of Germany. We have the players to do this.

"Out of these top players, we want to form a close-knit community, a strong-willed and likeable national team with the clear purpose of winning back the complete support of the fans. Above all, I would like to give plenty of support to head coach Hansi Flick and his coaching team."

Flick said of the appointment: "Rudi is a constant in German football. He has thrilled the fans in both his manner and his successes as a player, coach and general manager.

"At this point in time, with his experience with the national team and his years of work at Bayer Leverkusen, he is the right appointment for the task ahead. My coaching team and I are looking forward to working together with him towards the home European Championship next year."

Lothar Matthaus has urged Julian Nagelsmann to think again and ditch the idea of veteran Thomas Muller playing as a striker for Bayern Munich.

Muller featured as Bayern's furthest man forward in a 4-4 friendly draw against Salzburg on Friday, as the German champions prepare for the resumption of the Bundesliga season.

It remains to be seen who leads the line when Bayern return to competitive action against RB Leipzig on Friday, but Muller is an option for that role.

According to Matthaus, Germany's most-capped player and a long-standing former Bayern player, Muller simply is not suited to the role.

He has mostly operated in midfield, on the flanks, or behind a striker, proving to be an accomplished support act to the Robert Lewandowski goals show in recent seasons.

Now that Lewandowski has departed for Barcelona, and with injuries affecting Nagelsmann's options, Muller might have to fill the stop-gap role.

Yet Matthaus told German magazine Kicker: "You're not doing Thomas any favours, he's in the wrong place up front.

"Let him play where he has his strengths. Thomas belongs behind the striker, like in the past with Robert Lewandowski."

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is among the Bayern forwards sidelined by injury at present, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting another option as a starting striker for Bayern in the second half of the season.

Muller has just three goals in 15 games for Bayern this term, having hit 14, 15 and most recently 13 in the past three seasons. His shot conversion rate is also down, compared to those seasons, at a disappointing 12 per cent.

Muller, who has 121 caps for Germany, has elected to remain available to his country in the wake of their miserable World Cup group-stage exit.

He is 29 caps behind Matthaus' caps record, and the man in possession of that mark thinks 33-year-old Muller should only stay involved if he is going to play a significant role for national coach Hansi Flick.

Pointing to a case from recent history, Matthaus said: "I don't want to see him in the role of Lukas Podolski: to be there and play as a joker for the statistics in the 90th minute."

Joshua Kimmich joked he may have to play until the age of 45 to lift an international trophy as he rued Germany's dire showing at the 2022 World Cup.  

Having been eliminated in the group stage at Russia 2018 and fallen to England in the last 16 at Euro 2020, Germany arrived in Qatar in the midst of a dismal run of tournament showings.

Hansi Flick's side were left with a familiar sinking feeling as they failed to recover from a shock defeat to Japan in their Group E opener, missing out on a place in the round of 16 despite taking four points from games against Spain and Costa Rica.

Bayern Munich midfielder Kimmich has now been a Germany regular at four major tournaments, and their shortcomings have left him with a "bitter" taste.

Kimmich is back in Doha for a mid-season training camp with Bayern, and asked in a press conference about Germany's chances of winning a major trophy as they look ahead to hosting Euro 2024, he said: "I just have to keep playing until I'm 45, then we will, hopefully."

Reflecting on Germany's World Cup exit, the 27-year-old added: "We had big objectives and wanted to reach something. 

"Eventually, we got knocked out early again. After 2018, the Euros and now another tournament like this, it is very bitter.

"You don't get that many chances with the national team, so this is not something you can just easily forget and move on from because it is what it is."

Kimmich believes Germany could have grown into the tournament had they qualified from their group, but he acknowledges other sides – including eventual champions Argentina – arrived in Qatar in better form.

"I thought that in 2018, many things weren't working, also internally on our team. Against England [at Euro 2020], it felt like a 50-50 game," Kimmich said.

"Last year, I don't want to say everything was great but in the end, those 30 minutes against Japan cost us the tournament. If we had drawn there, we would definitely have progressed.

"We were also missing self-confidence, especially when I look at other teams. Italy before the Euros had a long streak of unbeaten games, Argentina as well [before the World Cup].

"This is something we have to aim for. We can't just start with that once the tournament starts. We should start that in March. 

"We have to win our games, gain self-confidence and gain some self-understanding for our processes. Then we have to also bring that to the pitch and be able to rely on that."

Julian Nagelsmann has elected against discussing Germany's poor World Cup with his Bayern Munich players.

Seven Bayern players featured in Germany's World Cup squad, as Hansi Flick's side failed to progress from the group stage in Qatar.

A defeat to Japan in their Group E opener was followed by a 1-1 draw with Spain, and a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica was not enough to send Germany through.

It is the second successive World Cup that Germany have failed to make the knockout stage, but Nagelsmann – who succeeded Flick at Bayern and has taken his squad to Doha for a training camp – does not believe it is his job to discuss the tournament with his players.

""I thought a lot about how we would address it during the break. I decided on very little," he told reporters.

"The players have the opportunity to come to me. I deliberately left them alone.

"I'm not much of a comforter. It's always a matter of choice. I can talk for half an hour about the bad, sad World Cup. Or I just leave it out.

"Focus on what they can influence – in the present and in the future. I tried to limit myself to that."

Indeed, Nagelsmann hopes the Bayern players instead turn their disappointment into motivation for the rest of the season.

"I can imagine what it means when you are eliminated from a World Cup," he said.

"But sometimes it's night, then it's usually day again. It's day now and there's a lot of light.

"You have it in your own hands to be more successful than you were at the World Cup.

"We, as the coaching staff, need to create the foundation for the players to perform at their best.

"Frustration and disappointment can also be the biggest motivating factor. I sense they are in a good place, they're training well and are fit."

While Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich and the rest of Bayern's Germany players endured a difficult World Cup, Dayot Upamecano established himself as a key part of France's defence.

Upamecano made a spectacular block as France drew 3-3 with Argentina in a thrilling final, only for Les Bleus to lose on penalties, but Nagelsmann has been impressed with the 24-year-old's development over the course of the campaign.

"Upamecano has been solid, as he was in the first half of the season, when he developed well," Nagelsmann said.

"He was also on top form in training. He had a good World Cup and he was one of the best defenders. We need him in top form."

Enzo Fernandez is the epitome of the type of footballer Germany must look to produce, according to RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl.

Benfica midfielder Fernandez had an outstanding World Cup for Argentina and has since been linked with a host of major European clubs, prompting speculation of a move in the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old was an all-action figure in the team that carried off the trophy, and Eberl said Fernandez and Rodrigo de Paul were players whose industry caught the eye.

Eberl, previously sporting director at Borussia Monchengladbach for 14 years, is considered one of German football's smartest thinkers.

He wants to see leaders produced and believes that character trait can be as significant as skill.

"We should have this heart for the cause more into focus again. We have recently moved away a bit from the German virtues such as robustness and assertiveness," Eberl said.

In an interview with Kicker magazine, Eberl spoke of the players who are approaching the end of their international careers.

With Germany hosting Euro 2024, this is a moment where the pressure is on to deliver a winning team, and the World Cup group-stage exit suggests coach Hansi Flick is a long way off establishing such a group.

Eberl said: "I think we have outstanding football players in Germany, but we also know that we will lose very important players like Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Ilkay Gundogan.

"We need players like Enzo Fernandez or Rodrigo de Paul with the Argentines. Good footballers who act with total dedication and the ability to work as part of a team. We've lost a bit of that greed to win every single duel."

Among players from teams who reached the World Cup knockout stage and contested at least 60 duels, only Croatia's Mateo Kovacic in the select group of 16 bettered Fernandez's 59 per cent success rate (40 of 68 duels won).

Germany goalkeeper Neuer broke his leg in a skiing accident after the World Cup and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. He is 36, while his Bayern Munich team-mate Muller is 33 and Manchester City midfielder Gundogan is 32. They are in the twilight of their international careers, and the new generation has yet to show it can deliver the success Germany expects.

Eberl added: "Time is clearly against us, because we will only see in the next 10 to 15 years what we have missed.

"We have to get more boys into football again. And one question would be: does it make sense to have youth academies up to under-eight or should we leave the boys in their clubs and start with the junior academies later?"

Former Germany defender Per Mertesacker insists he has his hands full at Arsenal and is not considering the possibility of his country coming calling.

Mertesacker is the academy manager at Arsenal, but he has been tipped as a "perfect man for the job" as Germany seek a new national team director.

That was the view expressed this week by Real Madrid star Toni Kroos, a former international team-mate of Mertesacker.

Mertesacker, speaking to German broadcaster Sky Sport on Saturday at a charity ice hockey game benefitting his Per Mertesacker Foundation, spoke of his enjoyment of his role in England.

The national team role has become vacant after long-time incumbent Oliver Bierhoff moved on after Germany's second consecutive World Cup group-stage exit.

"I'm super happy in England and I'm in charge of the youth academy. There's a lot to do there," said Mertesacker, who won 104 caps for Germany. 

"We're very committed and try to introduce young talent, but also give them certain values. That's very, very important to me."

Regarding the DFB position, he added: "I haven't been spoken to yet, so I don't want to speculate. We're all interested in German football and in having a lot to offer in the future."

Mertesacker, 38, retired from playing at the end of the 2017-18 season after seven campaigns with Arsenal, and immediately took up his current role.

Germany's football association, the DFB, recently announced a new advisory group to help the national team bounce back from their latest dismal World Cup performance.

It includes ex-Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, BVB adviser Matthias Sammer, Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff, current Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn and long-time Bayer Leverkusen managing director Rudi Voller.

The group will be led by DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and vice-chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Resignation never entered Hansi Flick's thoughts following Germany's early World Cup exit, as the coach lamented "unacceptable" mistakes.

A premature departure from Qatar means four-time champions Germany have suffered back-to-back group-stage exits at the World Cup, having also been eliminated early in Russia four years ago.

A 2-1 defeat to Japan in their opening match was followed by a 1-1 draw against Spain, while a 4-2 win over Costa Rica in their final Group E game was not enough.

Despite those shortcomings, Flick's focus remained on his post and he says the idea of leaving was never considered.

"No. It was never an issue for me to resign," he told SID.

"I am absolutely convinced. And the communication and cooperation with Bernd Neuendorf and [Hans-Joachim] Watzke are very good, we have a good understanding."

Germany's exit from the competition came despite having an expected goals (xG) of 10.4 from the group stages, higher than any other side, though only six goals were scored from 69 shots – showing Flick where improvements are needed.

"If you put the data on top of that, we were one of the teams that created the most scoring chances. But we lacked efficiency," he added.

"Defensively it was only average, so we didn't have enough compactness. The opponents took advantage of this, they had the efficiency that we lacked.

"We didn't have the consistency over 90 minutes to pull through our match plan 100 percent. But we need that for the future, which is enormously important.

"Mistakes like the last 30 minutes against Japan are unacceptable at this level."

Germany will now look to build towards Euro 2024, which they are hosting, and Flick knows exactly what his side need to work on.

"We have to generate enthusiasm again. Every player and every coach wants to be supported by the fans," he added.

"But we know that the general mood, which was depressed by the last tournaments anyway, was not improved by our performance in Qatar.

"We want to change that. We want to show attractive football and prove to the fans: 'we get it'.

"We're proud to be able to play for Germany and we're looking forward to the European Championships at home. Everyone has to give their all to show top performance in every game."

As the host nation, Germany's spot at the 2024 European Championship is already secure, with friendlies likely to be played in March's international break.

German Football Association (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf has announced the formation of a new advisory group to help the national team bounce back from their dismal World Cup.

Germany, who were expected to reach the latter stages of Qatar 2022, crashed out at the group stage, leading to the departure of team director Oliver Bierhoff after 18 years.

There was speculation boss Hansi Flick would follow him, but the former Bayern Munich coach confirmed he would be staying on board.

The new advisory group includes former Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Oliver Mintzlaff, and former Germany internationals Matthias Sammer, Rudi Voller and Oliver Kahn.

It will be led by Neuendorf and DFB vice-chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke.

"I think this is a group that knows a lot about men's football and the national team," Neuendorf said. "We are not an association in which one person decides everything.

"There will be a first discussion before Christmas. We will give ourselves a timetable there. We have to join forces towards the European Championship in 2024. It has to be a success."

Neuendorf also confirmed there will be a new group that will "take a close look at the entire business area for which Bierhoff was responsible".

This group will include DFB general secretary Heike Ullrich, former Germany international Philipp Lahm and European Championship ambassador Celia Sasic.

"We will see how we set up the area in the future in order to be successful," Neuendorf added. "And we will be self-critical."

Stefan Effenburg has ruled himself out of the running to replace Oliver Bierhoff as Germany's technical director, insisting "I am not available".

Bierhoff left his role of 18 years with the German Football Association (DFB) following Die Nationalmannschaft's second successive World Cup group-stage exit in Qatar.

Philipp Lahm – Germany's victorious captain in 2014 – and Dietmar Hamann were among several former players calling for significant changes in German football, though head coach Hansi Flick will remain in charge.

Regarding a replacement, president Bernd Neuendorf said he will "first discuss the future structure of this area of ​​responsibility within the DFB and then make a personnel decision."

Former midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger suggested Effenburg – Bayern Munich's Champions League-winning captain in 2001 – and Michael Ballack as potential candidates, telling ARD: "These are still guys who can really tackle".

But despite having held a similar position at KFC Uerdingen, the 54-year-old insisted he is "extremely comfortable" in his role as a brand ambassador at former club Bayern, while also serving as a columnist and television pundit.

"It is clear that many names were mentioned. The fact that mine was also there honours me," he told Sport1.

"[The ambassadorial and media work] fills me and that's what I want to continue to focus on. So I'm not going to send an application to the DFB. I am not available."

Manuel Neuer has rocked Bayern Munich with news of his broken right leg after the club captain suffered the season-ending injury on a skiing holiday.

The goalkeeper fractured his lower right leg in a fall on Friday and has already undergone surgery, with the calamitous setback coming just days after Germany tumbled out of the World Cup in the group stage.

Bayern must decide whether second-choice keeper Sven Ulreich takes over the gloves for the rest of the season, or if Neuer's injury should prompt a move for an elite replacement in the January transfer window.

Ulreich filled in when a shoulder problem kept Neuer sidelined earlier in the season, and Bayern have won all eight games in 2022-23 when the 34-year-old has started, conceding just six goals.

Former Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Alexander Nubel is in the second year of a two-year loan to Monaco, where he has been a first-team regular, and it is not yet known whether Bayern may look to recall the 26-year-old.

Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn said: "The news of Manuel's injury shocked us all. We will stand by him and accompany him on his way to his comeback.

"He will also overcome this serious injury and return to the pitch as strong as before."

In a statement on the club's website, sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said: "The fact that Manuel had such an accident is terrible, and of course all our thoughts are with him.

"I spoke with him yesterday and today, and the surgery went as well as possible. Manuel will receive all the support he needs.

"He is a strong personality and will come back. I wish him all the best, he can rely on FC Bayern!"

Germany boss Hansi Flick also sent his best wishes, saying: "We wish Manu a speedy recovery!"

Neuer, 36, would have been hoping to play a key role in Bayern's pursuit of silverware in the Bundesliga and Champions League after the World Cup break.

He said the injury occurred while he was "trying to get my head clear" after the misery of Germany's early exit in Qatar.

Bayern face a daunting last-16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, while they are due to return to Bundesliga action on January 20 against RB Leipzig.

Former Germany head coach Berti Vogts hopes a new "healthy culture of debate" can help the national team return to its former glory.

Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage, which led to team director Oliver Bierhoff leaving his role.

There was speculation boss Hansi Flick would follow him, but the former Bayern Munich coach has confirmed he will be staying on board.

Vogts, who led Germany between 1990 and 1998, believes the German Football Association (DFB) has paid the price for fostering a harmonious atmosphere and wants Matthias Sammer appointed to ruffle some feathers. 

"I was surprised that Oliver Bierhoff went so quickly," he wrote in the Rheinische Post. "But it speaks for his character that he is retiring and thus taking responsibility after the second preliminary round exit at a World Cup in a row.

"But the problems of German football are not solved with the departure of Bierhoff alone. There are too many theorists at the DFB who are far removed from football. You have to be close to the game again; in player training, but also in coaching.

"I hope that Matthias Sammer will work in the background and support Hans-Joachim Watzke [vice-chairman].

"Matthias is a child of football, he knows and loves it, and he is a critical spirit who also addresses unpleasant things.

"That was missing in the DFB for too long. That's certainly something that Oliver Bierhoff has been accused of. I often pointed this out to him, but criticism was not welcome in his environment.

"That's why I left the DFB advisory board years ago. I hope Watzke will re-establish a healthy culture of debate in the DFB with Sammer in the background.

"There has been too much harmony in the DFB in recent years. This has led to a standstill in many places. Hansi Flick will also benefit from more friction in his work.

"It's right to leave him in office. It's not just with a view to the European Championship, but he has the full confidence of the DFB to put our football back on the road to success."

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