Loew to Strengthen German team Spirit for World Cup
Germany coach Joachim Loew, 57, is said to like many aspects of the Italian lifestyle, at least when it comes to espresso.
And Loew couldn’t have chosen a better place for the World Cup training camp than Eppan in northern Italy.
Instead of gathering his players together to enjoy the culinary delights in the team’s hotel nestling in a wine region, Loew intends to use every single minute to shape a tight-knit community to defend the title won in Brazil in 2014.
Team spirit, he says, can make all the difference.
The German coach has to solve several problems and he loves training camps as he can work directly with his team in a coaching capacity rather than just an observer.
It was one of his strongest points that he got everyone working together as a team within a short period of time.
Loew, who is fully aware that a successful training camp lays the foundation for a successful World Cup campaign, now has 16 days to get the squad’s mindset focused on the upcoming tournament in Russia.
“As in the past ahead of previous World Cups, the preparatory camp is the best opportunity to lay the foundation for a successful World Cup. We’ll be working hard to win the title,” Loew commented after the team’s arrival in Eppan.
Loew’s most crucial task is to get injured players such as Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng (both Bayern Munich) and Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) back on track.
He will have to cheer up his bunch of frustrated players from Bayern Munich after they suffered a shock defeat in the German Cup final to Eintracht Frankfurt.
To “give them the chance to get their heads free”, Loew has allowed Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Mueller, Niklas Suele and Boateng to join the team this Friday after a short four-day vacation.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (FC Barcelona) and Antonio Ruediger (Chelsea FC), who were busy with their club teams, will follow soon.
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos will join the squad next week as he has to play the Champions League final against Liverpool this Saturday.
Loew will have to decide on his final squad of 23 players by June 4, which means four of the 27 players in Eppan will be excluded.
Germany’s schedule includes games against Austria (June 2) and Saudi Arabia (June 8) as well as two warm-up matches against Germany’s U-20 team which have been organized to give Neuer match practice after his eight-month injury break.
German tabloid Bild and sports magazine Sport-Bild reported that Neuer will only join the German World Cup team if he is fit enough to play as the team’s number one.
The pre-World Cup friendly against Austria is said to be the deadline for Neuer to prove his fitness. Loew has the Plan B as Ter Stegen is ready and waiting to replace Neuer.
Germany are in Group F with Mexico, Sweden and South Korea in the World Cup finals.
Team manager Oliver Bierhoff emphasized the aim to win the 2018 World Cup. “We know what it takes to do it again. What happened to some of the past World Champions four years after their victory is a warning shot for us. We want to do better,” the 1996 European Champion commented.
courtasy : xinhuanet.com
Photo : ikub.al
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