The setting at the official farewell to Jogi Löw (61) is not exactly glamorous. More in line with the messed up last three of his 15 years as a national coach.
The celebration takes place in the provincial Wolfsburg. Not in the Olympic Stadium, in the Allianz Arena or in Maracanã, where he became world champion. The game is against Liechtenstein. Not against France, Spain, Brazil or Argentina, one of his great adversaries. The DFB doesn’t even have a “real” president at the moment. And successor Hansi Flick is deeply involved in corona problems.
Why is it that, of all people, our great world champion coaches had a rather inglorious exit in the end? Not being able to let go? There is only one exception: Franz Beckenbauer also went here as emperor.
Sepp Herberger († 1977), our most legendary trainer, remained in office for ten years after the “Miracle of Bern”. Of the first 17 games after that, he only won four. At the 1958 World Cup there was another upswing, the team only failed in the semifinals with 1: 3 to hosts Sweden. Four years later in Chile the end came in the first knockout game against Yugoslavia (0: 1), which was considered a failure at home.
Herberger was irritated by the unusual criticism, internal problems arose with the DFB, and in the summer of 1964 he resigned.
Helmut Schön († 1996), the most successful national coach as world and European champion, remained in office for four years after the triumph of Munich in 1974. At the European Championship in 1976 he made it back to the final, but Uli Hoeneß missed the title from the penalty spot. At the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, the “Shame of Cordoba” followed in the second round, the 2: 3 against Austria. Schön had announced his resignation before the tournament. At the official farewell in November in Frankfurt, the fog was so thick that the international match against Hungary had to be stopped in the 60th minute when the score was 0-0.
Only Franz Beckenbauer (76) had the size to step down after winning the World Cup in Rome in 1990 at the absolute height. How often can Jogi Löw have regretted not doing the same thing in 2014? The shame of the preliminary round at the World Cup in Russia and the pitiful end at the EM this summer would have been spared him.
But Löw also gave us great internationals and unforgettable tournaments. With the coronation at the 2014 World Cup, the unbelievable 7: 1 over Brazil and the great 1: 0 final victory over Argentina.
You stay world champion forever! One day, just like its predecessors, only that will be remembered.
Jogi Löw should now take on this role. And don’t tend to withdraw from the public eye, as it unfortunately recently appeared.
Today in Wolfsburg he will not only be adopted. He will also be warmly thanked. And rightly so!
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