Germany coach Loew stays in job despite World Cup debacle

BERLIN: Germany coach Joachim Loew will remain in his job despite the World Cup holders’ shock elimination in the group phase in Russia, the German Football Association (DFB) said on Tuesday.

The DFB said Loew, who has been in the job for 12 years, had told German football chiefs he wanted to carry on and oversee the “rebuilding” of the national team.Loew, who won the World Cup with Germany in Brazil in 2014, was told he continued to enjoy “the support of the entire leadership” despite the team’s failure to progress from the first round for the first time in 80 years.

In one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, Germany finished bottom of their group after defeats to Mexico and South Korea in Russia.Shortly before the tournament, Loew signed a contract extension until the 2022 World Cup.

Loew said: “I am very grateful for the confidence that the DFB has again shown in me and I feel a lot of support and encouragement despite the justified criticism of our elimination.“I am still hugely disappointed, but now my team and I would like to get started on the rebuilding. I will analyse with my team, hold discussions and draw conclusions before the start of the new season. That all takes time, but it will be done by the time international matches start in September.”

Senior players in the Germany team including Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller have given Loew their backing, yet could all face the axe after poor displays.There are, however, reports of player disgruntlement in other quarters.

Frankfurt-based newspaper FAZ quoted unnamed Germany players who said the squad was deeply divided between senior and younger players in Russia.There was also reportedly resentment about the special status given to captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.