Master tactician Loew plots to wreck Sabella’s dream
PHOTO | PATRIK STOLLARZ Germany's coach Joachim Loew addresses a press conference at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 3, 2014 on the eve of the quarter final football match between France and Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
What you need to know:
- He addresses issues early and leaves nothing to chance
- Having been appointed Jurgen Klinsmann’s assistant in 2004 before becoming head coach in 2006, Germany have reached at least the semi-finals of all five major tournaments during his decade involved.
Rio de Janeiro
Joachim Loew has again saved Germany’s best until the World Cup finals with the 54-year-old poised to finally claim his first major title in Brazil.
Having been appointed Jurgen Klinsmann’s assistant in 2004 before becoming head coach in 2006, Germany have reached at least the semi-finals of all five major tournaments during his decade involved.
“Everyone changes over ten years, you gain experience, you have triumph and defeats, but what he has preserved is a clear-cut philosophy,” said his captain Philipp Lahm, who has been with Loew every step of the way. “He addresses issues which need looking at early on and leaves nothing to chance.”
Third-place at the 2006 World Cup heralded Germany’s return to the international stage after failing to reach the knock-out stages of Euro 2004.
Loew took the Germans to the Euro 2008 final where they lost to a Spanish side at the start of a golden era.
Despite fielding one of the youngest squads at the 2010 World Cup, Loew’s young guns hammered Australia, England and Argentina in South Africa.
Spain again ended the Germans run to the final, but this time a third-place finish failed to satisfy a title-hungry nation. Despite steering Germany to a perfect set of 10 wins to qualify for Euro 2012, Loew started being criticised after losing to Italy in the semi-finals. The charges levied at him by the German media piled up.
STUNNING FIGHT-BACK
Too hard. Too soft. Too stubborn. Too loyal. Doesn’t listen to the public. Depends too much on aging striker Miroslav Klose. Must drop Mesut Ozil.
More grumblings followed when Loew copied Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola in switching captain Philipp Lahm from right-back to midfield this season.
Germany qualified for Brazil with nine wins from ten matches, only a stunning fight-back by Sweden, who drew 4-4 in Berlin, blotted another perfect record. The mutterings grew louder when Germany’s final World Cup squad was announced. Injury-prone 36-year-old Klose was the only recognised striker.
Captain Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Manuel Neuer all arrived at the training camp carrying injuries. Sami Khedira arrived from Real Madrid unfit after six months on the sidelines with a knee injury.
‘Home before the semi-finals’ was the general verdict from disgruntled fans. Fast forward five weeks and only Argentina stands in the way of Loew winning the World Cup title at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium on Sunday. Khedira and Schweinsteiger have been oustanding in the defensive midfield.
