Löw to stick around as coach
July 23, 2014
On Wednesday, World Cup winner Joachim Löw announced that he would remain Germany's coach through the 2016 European Championship in France. Although Löw had extended his contract well before the tournament, media had speculated that he might step down after Germany lifted its fourth World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the July 13 final in Rio de Janeiro.
"At the minute I can't imagine anything better than to work with this team, to lead them to Euro 2016 in France, and to keep on developing the team and individuals," Löw said in an interview published Wednesday on the website of the German Football Association (DFB). As for the rumors that he might have considered leaving, Löw said: "I haven't thought about that for a second, I have only stuck to what we agreed before the World Cup - that after the World Cup, we'd sit down in peace and analyze the tournament. Of course we were all aware that developments during a World Cup can change the dynamic. I just needed a few days to let everything sink in, get my emotions under control and have a clear view forward again."
Löw, 54, took over as coach in 2006, having served since 2004 as an assistant to current US manager Jürgen Klinsmann. Under Löw's guidance the German national team finished runner-up in Euro 2008 and third in the 2010 World Cup, before finishing as semifinalists in Euro 2012 and as world champions in 2014. This year's tournament in Brazil represented Germany's first major trophy since Euro 1996 and the first World Cup win since 1990.
'Still further goals'
Germany, tipped as favorites for Euro 2016, will face Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Georgia and Gibraltar in its qualification group. Before all that, however, Löw will need to find a captain to replace Philipp Lahm, who retired from international duty last week, and a new assistant to take over for Hansi Flick, who has accepted a different position within the DFB.
"I'm just as motivated now as on the first day with the DFB," Löw said in the interview on Wednesday. "We celebrated a gigantic success in Brazil, but there are still further goals we wish to reach. The World Cup 2014 was a high point for everyone but it is not yet the conclusion."
The German national team's next match will come September 3 in Düsseldorf, a friendly against Argentina less than two months after the nasty nail-biter in Rio.
mkg/tj (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)