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"It's a shame for us that we can no longer turn the situation in the group, now we have to learn the right lessons and make the most of a disappointing year.
We want to sign off with another strong performance to prove we are on the right track."
Joachim Löw was an epitome of positivism ahead of Germany's final game of the year, against the Netherlands.
The 58-year-old was aware the result was of no consequence to Die Mannschaft, already relegated to the second-tier following the Dutch team's win over world champions France three days earlier.
He was also aware that a win, against an arch-rival, would be a morale booster, required at this juncture to reignite the pride of arguably the most consistent nation in world football.
For a good 85 minutes, Die Mannschaft was well on track in Gelsenkirchen, looking likely to protect their two-goal cushion and end the year on a positive note.
However, it was not meant to be.
The Dutch, themselves having a point to prove having failed to qualify for the last two major tournaments, scored twice in the last five minutes to not only secure a draw but also pip France (on goal difference) for the top spot and qualify for next year's finals in Portugal.
Annus horribilis...
The result marked the culmination of what can be termed as annus horribilis for Die Mannschaft.
It was a year in which they failed miserably as regards their title defense at the World Cup, crashing out at the group stage for the first time in 80 years.
It was a year in which they finished in last place, with just two points, in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, and were relegated to League B.
It was a year in which they lost six times for the first time in their history, a record the team certainly won't be proud of.
It was a year in which they won just four matches.
It was a year they witnessed their longest winning drought since 1978.
And it was a year when they realized that they would no longer be among the 10 top seeds for the Euro 2020 qualification draw.
It is imperative to mention here that despite their remarkable consistency at major tournaments – between going out in the first round in the 1938 World Cup (hosted by France) and the failure to cross the first hurdle in Russia earlier this year the German national team had finished among the top eight for 16 successive editions, Die Mannschaft have endured an occasional collapse or two.
Having entered Euro 2000 as the defending champions Die Mannschaft finished bottom of the group with just a single point, having suffered reverses at the hands of both England and Portugal.
Four years later in the same tournament, they finished third in their group, behind the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, and failed to make the knockout stages.
However, never before had Die Mannschaft failed in successive tournaments in the same year. In that sense, 2018 is a first, even if in a negative sense.
Reality Bites
To his credit, Löw was honest in his summation of the team's performance this year.
"We have been one of the most consistent teams over the last 10 years - this year was a real slap in the face, which was disappointing, but now it goes on," he said.
The 58-year-old has been in charge of the national side for 12 years now, and in the period has guided them to a fourth World Cup (2014), a Confederations Cup (2017) and the Euro 2008 final.
Amid the pile of successes, Löw could have been forgiven for allowing an iota of complacency to creep in, had it been any other team. However, Die Mannschaft has always had high standards and the humiliation in Russia was unacceptable.
Löw's future as manager was questioned post the World Cup, and pressure has been increasing with every reverse the side has faced since.
Many view his preference to stick to experienced (but now inconsistent) players like Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller as obstinance.
Others point out his hesitance to use the plethora of young talent at his disposal on a regular basis.
Experts opine a change in management is a logical step to ensure a new direction for Die Mannschaft. So far the German Football Association (DFB) has felt otherwise, and fully backed the incumbent, entrusting him to oversee a successful transition and steer the national team back on course.
The Germans don't play a competitive game till March but Löw is aware a lot of work needs to be done.
"This year was something completely new for me. Now we have reached a phase where we have to renew things, improve, start from scratch," he admitted during a recent interaction with the media.
Hope floats
It's a fact that Die Mannschaft is a team in crisis. However, it is not something they cannot come out of. After all, with every problem comes a solution, and the Germans may have just found one with an exciting new lot of players.
For all the criticisms he has had to endure for not playing youngsters on a consistent basis, it is to his credit that Löw rather controversially included just three World Cup winners in his squad for the Confederations Cup last year.
His experimental line-ups not only excelled but also brought home the trophy, leading their manager to claim Die Mannschaft is "still the best team in the world"
While that may not be the case anymore, the Germans are more than capable of reclaiming their throne. And who knows it better than their rivals.
Ronald Koeman, himself ensuring a Dutch renaissance of sorts, had encouraging words to say.
"I don't think Germany have to panic. They still play good games, although the World Cup was not so good, in the Nations League they could have won some games," the Netherlands manager was quoted as saying to the media.
"They still have a lot of talent but transition takes time. I understand it's hard for [the] Germans because they are, even more than us, used to winning a lot."
The series of poor results has forced Löw to once again turn to the young brigade, and they seem promising prospects.
Die Mannschaft's young front line - comprising RB Leipzig's Timo Werner, Manchester City's Leroy Sané and Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry, showed immense potential in a 3-0 friendly win over Russia last week.
The trio, nicknamed "the moped gang," also looked promising for most of the game against the Dutch, with both Werner and Sané on target.
And Löw is now more aware than ever before that phasing out the experienced players, and easing the younger lot into the team, is the way forward.
Keeping that in mind the current longest-serving national team manager in Europe has set new targets.
"Our focus, however, is now like it was before, solely on qualifying for the European Championship, where we want to send a strong team out," said Löw, after the match in Gelsenkirchen, adding,
"With this in mind we will have lots of room to allow young players to come in and for them to get more and more experience with the national team. We are on the right path, but we must continue to improve."
