Through Oman to Qatar: National team director Oliver Bierhoff sees Oman as a good stopover for the national team’s short preparations for the World Cup.
Frankfurt/Main – Oliver Bierhoff is very focused on the last day of preparation for the World Cup in Oman in November.
“Discussions and negotiations like this are not always easy, in the end, it is important that we go to the climate zone of Qatar as soon as possible and can play a friendly game against a rival that is not very good. Strong, it also makes it easy for the coach to be able to test when the player comes from the current competition, from the English week,” said the director of the DFB.
German soccer players will fly to Oman on November 14, just one day after the 15th Bundesliga match. Two days later there will be an international match against the local host, before two days later it Will go to the World Cup base at Zulal Wellness Resort in the north of Qatar.
“Be quick with the time, with the weather”
Bierhoff said that “preparation for the competition is very different from other competitions. When the weather conditions are different in Germany, you need to adapt to the time and the weather quickly”, explained the 54-year-old man.
The World Cup group draw shattered Bierhoff’s initial idea of a tournament countdown. The test in Dubai with Japan was originally planned. The Asian national team was drawn to join the DFB team in Group F as the opening pair on November 23. Other opponents in Qatar are Spain (November 27) and Costa Rica (December 1).
“Then there is a different discussion, when it comes to the topic, it is the sports orientation of each team, and the coaches have their thoughts, different interests, maybe one or the other economic things, but for us, of course., the sports aspect has absolute priority”, said the director of the DFB about the planning for the World Cup.
The last competitive games before the World Cup will be held for the DFB selection at the end of the group stage of the Nations League this Friday in Leipzig against Hungary and on Monday in London against England.
