Stir over helmet remark
Source: Agencies |
June 9, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GERMANY assistant coach Hansi Flick apologized yesterday for saying his players would need steel helmets for protection when Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo takes freekicks in its Euro 2012 Group B match tonight.
The comment made earlier before the team's departure for match venue Lviv caused a stir in Germany due to its military connotations. The German word for steel helmet (Stahlhelm) not only refers to the actual military helmet used by German soldiers in both World Wars but also to a post-World War I paramilitary organization.
"I am sorry if my unfortunate comment created irritations," Flick said in a statement. "It was a verbal error that should not create wrong impressions. It is not my style to use military vocabulary for sporting issues."
"I would like to apologize for my expression at the news conference and I am angry with myself because I know how sensitive we are with these issues," he added.
A delegation from the Germany team visited the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz in Poland on June 1.
Ronaldo packs a powerful strike from dead-ball situations and the Germans have been told to minimize the risk of committing fouls outside the penalty area in one-on-one situations, Flick had earlier told reporters.
"I think just steel helmets and to make themselves big," the assistant coach had said when asked how the Germans planned to deal with any potential freekicks from the Portuguese forward.
"At 20, 25 or even 30 meters we need to be clever in the one-on-one situations. Ronaldo has an exceptional freekick quality."
The comment made earlier before the team's departure for match venue Lviv caused a stir in Germany due to its military connotations. The German word for steel helmet (Stahlhelm) not only refers to the actual military helmet used by German soldiers in both World Wars but also to a post-World War I paramilitary organization.
"I am sorry if my unfortunate comment created irritations," Flick said in a statement. "It was a verbal error that should not create wrong impressions. It is not my style to use military vocabulary for sporting issues."
"I would like to apologize for my expression at the news conference and I am angry with myself because I know how sensitive we are with these issues," he added.
A delegation from the Germany team visited the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz in Poland on June 1.
Ronaldo packs a powerful strike from dead-ball situations and the Germans have been told to minimize the risk of committing fouls outside the penalty area in one-on-one situations, Flick had earlier told reporters.
"I think just steel helmets and to make themselves big," the assistant coach had said when asked how the Germans planned to deal with any potential freekicks from the Portuguese forward.
"At 20, 25 or even 30 meters we need to be clever in the one-on-one situations. Ronaldo has an exceptional freekick quality."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
