Does Fromms have to tremble as a No.1? “There’s nothing I can do”

Still Germany’s top goalkeeper? Meier Fromms.
IMAGO/Susan Hubner

Mel Fromes Delivered again. The goalkeeper didn’t have much to do. 4-1 win over Poland in European Championship qualifiers On Friday night, she was powerless to defend against Natalia Padilla-Bidas’s first goal after just 28 seconds. But there was one time when she was there when it mattered most: in the 17th minute, her colleague from Wolfsburg, Ewa Pajor, appeared in front of her. In a one-on-one match, Froms’ close-range shot prevented a 0-2 deficit and kept the German women’s team ahead. This has been the case quite often since she became Germany’s new No.1 in goal in 2020.

But whether Froomes will maintain that status at the next event, the Paris Olympics (July 26-August 11), seems more open than ever. Horst Hrubesch at least doesn’t want to make a commitment before the international doubles against Poland“I’m not going to answer that question because I have three good goalkeepers,” the 73-year-old explained when asked. “Tomorrow one could get injured and then another would be No.1. So why would I do that?”

Froms is confident: “It has been made clear in the media”

How does Froms himself view his chances? “It has been made clear in the media,” the 29-year-old said somewhat cryptically after the Poland game. Horst Hrubesch I told her “just as he said in the media”. The goalkeeper looked very confident and it was clear that she read more into the statements of the national team coach than many others.

In any case, Froms said she has to accept every decision made by the coach: “That’s his right as a coach. I don’t have to be able to understand a decision, I have to be able to deal with it.” In order to convince Hrubesch, she has to bring her performances to the court. “This is what I did, both at the club and here, and I can’t do anything else anymore,” said the 2022 European champion.

All three goalkeepers should have a chance.

Before the Olympics, Hrubesch was faced with the choice of whether to omit one of the three goalkeepers, as he could only nominate 18 players instead of the usual 23. Therefore, each goalkeeper should have been given a chance in the remaining (qualifying) games. “The coach said very early on that he wanted to give playing time to all three goalkeepers,” said Froms, who considered this “very fair.” It was important for her to have the opportunity to play against Poland in order to prepare for the Olympics with the national team. “I used the playing time I got and performed well,” Froms said succinctly.

She doesn’t know yet whether she’ll be between the posts in the second leg next Tuesday (6pm, Kicks Live!). Ann Katrin Berger The next opportunity will be in the first two qualifying games against Austria (3:2Frohms) and Iceland (3:1Berger) both take turns in the role. Or even debuting regular number 3 Stina Johanneswho is considered the first candidate for the Olympics?

Hrubesch did not want to commit to that publicly on Friday night. “I know I have three good goalkeepers and I have to think about whether I should try them again,” the 73-year-old said. Regarding the Olympic nominations, the interim national team coach spoke only in general terms, and it is clear that he will have to make a difficult decision with 24 or 25 top players. “I know what I have. We have to see before the Olympics who is suitable,” Hrubesch said. The question of who will be the No.1 in Paris still seems to be up in the air.