Oliver Bierhoff sees Joachim Löw’s future as national coach in danger if he failed at the EM. “At the end of the day we all have to be measured by our results. Jogi knows that too. Now is not the time for a decision – the tournament is yet to come,” said the DFB director in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” .
Bierhoff does not want to lack support for Löw, but only until the EM_finals next summer. “We now have to turn the mood into a positive one. I will follow the path that the national coach has taken up to and including the European Championship,” said Bierhoff. But then Löw’s contract as head coach of the national soccer team does not end at all – it will run until the 2022 World Cup. Bierhoff is his supervisor in the DFB structures.
In 2006, Löw took over his position as head coach at the DFB, after having previously been Jürgen Klinsmann’s assistant. In 2014 he led the team to victory in Brazil. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the defending champion sensationally failed in the group stage behind Sweden, Mexico and South Korea. Löw didn’t have to leave after that, instead he should build a new team.
“The best national coach we can have”
Bierhoff does not express any fundamental doubts about the skills of the 60-year-old. “I am also convinced that he is the best national coach we can have. He has shown his skills over the years and we know what we have about him. Now he has a young team and despite the gray atmosphere positive results achieved for the rebuilding. I am still convinced that he is the right man, “said Bierhoff in another interview with Sport1.
As a possible successor to Löw, Bierhoff considers his former assistant and current Bayern successful coach Hansi Flick to be suitable – but not at this point in time. “Do I trust him? Absolutely. Is it currently a topic? No,” said Bierhoff. “Hansi knows the DFB inside and out. He has his quality and has always said how he values the association. But neither for us nor for him this is currently an issue.”
The bad mood around the national team, described by Bierhoff as a “dark cloud”, will not be dispelled so quickly, according to the 52-year-old. “It takes time. We have gambled away trust. And it is not possible to regain that overnight. The great opportunities lie in a successful EM. We have to convince there,” said Bierhoff.
At the same time, the DFB director also referred to what he saw as the first successes in the image change towards greater fan proximity and the recent sporting upswing. “In 15 games there was one defeat, five draws and nine wins. And that in a phase of rebuilding. That speaks absolutely for the coach,” said Bierhoff.
