DFB decides Joachim Löw will remain Germany manager

Despite what looks to be mass confusion surround squad selections and rampantly inconsistent performances on the pitch, the DFB has elected to proceed with Joachim Löw as Germany’s manager.

In a statement released via the DFB website, the organization acknowledged reports by Sport Bild and Sport1 that there was a meeting ahead of the reported December 4th date to discuss Löw’s status:

The DFB Presidium agreed on Monday in a telephone conference that the path of renewal of the National team with national coach Joachim Löw to continue without restriction. The Presidium thus followed a recommendation by the Presidial Committee and by Oliver Bierhoff, Director National Teams & Academy.

On Monday morning, the members of the Presidential Committee (President Fritz Keller, 1st Vice President Amateurs Rainer Koch, 1st Vice President Professional Football Peter Peters, Treasurer Stephan Osnabrugge; Secretary General Friedrich Curtius absent due to illness) met Oliver Bierhoff and Joachim Löw in Frankfurt am Main. It was important for the national coach to discuss the current situation, the defeat against Spain and the months leading up to the European Championship in an open, constructive and intensive exchange. Joachim Löw informed the participants about his assessments, ideas and further plans. The members of the Executive Committee agreed that what counts is the high-quality work of the coaching staff, the intact relationship between the team and the coach and a clear concept for the previous and future procedures. A single game cannot and must not be a yardstick for the general performance of the national team and the national coach.

Sport1 indicated that there was some internal griping on the roster about how the team has performed:

According to Sport1 information, Löw has had to put up with one internal accusation from within the team: that he recently experimented too much tactically and let the team act disorderly and sometimes haphazardly on defense. Too many players are literally cooking their own soup on the pitch. Against Spain, some players criticized the fact that there was too little tactical aids on the part of the coaching team.

There was also criticism regarding how Löw handled the loss to Spain and his lack of instruction and emotion while the team was getting dismantled on the pitch. Still, Löw has his supporters on the roster:

Within the team, Löw still has a wide range of supporters behind him: especially his 2014 world champions (Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos, Matthias Ginter, Julian Draxler). A number of new national players, including Florian Neuhaus and Luca Waldschmidt, are already very grateful to the national coach.

Still, the DFB leaned on the fact that Germany has qualified for the Euros, but did acknowledge that it was disappointed with the squad’s performance against Spain:

The DFB Presidium agrees: On the way to the EM 2021, important sporting goals have already been achieved - including the EM qualification, remaining in League A of the Nations League and positioning in the first lottery pot for World Cup qualification. Accordingly, Joachim Löw continues to have the trust of the DFB Presidium.

The defeat of the national team against Spain was also discussed in the conversation with the national coach and in the subsequent telephone conference of the DFB presidium. For everyone - the players, the national coach, the DFB, the fans and the football-interested public - the 0: 6 against Spain was a disappointment.

Together, the view is purposeful and focused on further preparations for the European Championship next year. There is a firm conviction that Joachim Löw and his coaching team will deliver successful games and results despite a challenging situation for everyone. The national coach will take all necessary measures to play an exciting EM 2021 with the team. The national coach’s assessment also receives approval that subsequent tournaments - specifically the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 European Championship, which will take place in their own country — must already play a role as perspectives and sporting goals in further sporting and personal considerations at this point in time.

Whatever the case, Löw has survived yet again.