After slightly over two years in charge of Germany's national football team, Hansi Flick had to go through surreal scenes.

While the 58-year-old supervised a training session on Sunday morning, association leaders and decision-makers of German football agreed on his dismissal, following his team's disappointing defeats and a lack of progress.

In the afternoon, the breaking news of Flick's departure was overshadowed by news that Germany's basketball team had beaten Serbia to win the FIBA World Cup for the first time in history.

Things seemed to require some speeding up as the struggling 2014 FIFA World Cup winners face France in a friendly this Tuesday.

A caretaker trio of sporting director Rudi Voller, development supervisor Hannes Wolf, and the under-20 junior assistant coach Sandro Wagner will take temporary charge.

After the France game, a successor for Flick must be found, while the former Bayern Munich coach became the first Germany coach in the association's 123-year-long history to be fired.

Speculation about possible successors go from Julian Nagelsmann and Oliver Glasner, to Matthias Sammer, Louis van Gaal and Felix Magath.

Reports speak of Nagelsmann as the favorite despite his young age of 36. The fan's most wanted national coach, Jurgen Klopp, is not thought to be available as he remains under contract with Liverpool.

"Hansi Flick invested all to regain success for the team," Voller said. "But we had to conclude we didn't make it."

After 25 games, Flick had not only lost the dressing room but also the fans' trust. Germany's hosting of Euro 2024 in nine months' time might have increased the pressure.

Along with Flick, his assistant coaches Danny Rohl and Marcus Sorg have also left.

Nine months before Euro 2024, German football finds itself in a crisis, with the new coach having to create a miracle.

"We need a spirit of optimism and conviction among fans to run a successful Euro 2024. Sporting success is above everything else," said association president Bernd Neuendorf.

Unrest has grown in German football after two painful group exits at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and in 2022 in Qatar.

Choosing Nagelsmann means having to take up negotiations with Bayern, as the 36-year-old still retains commitments with the Bavarian side after having been sacked in March.

Flick succeeded Joachim Low as Germany coach in August 2021, and came with great expectations after having won the 2020 treble with Bayern Munich the year previously.

However, after early successes in his first eight games, mainly against underdogs, Flick's fortunes started to fade away.

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