Low fumes as ‘sloppy’ Germany crash on Neuer’s return
Joachim Low has warned his Germany side they must raise their game if they are to have any chance of retaining the World Cup in Russia.
The world champions lost 2-1 to Austria in Klagenfurt on Saturday and a disgruntled Low said: “If we play like that in Russia, then we have no chance.”
Less than two weeks before the World Cup kicks off in Russia, Germany have now suffered back-to-back defeats after sliding to a 1-0 loss to Brazil in Berlin in March.
Low said he was frustrated by his side’s forward play, which failed to gel as they slipped to their first loss to Austria in almost 32 years.
“The defeat annoys me,” he said. “We didn’t put into practice what we had planned. After the break, we fell into a pattern which I didn’t like at all and we were far too sloppy in our game going forward.”
However, Low was keeping calm with one eye on the World Cup, where Germany are looking to be the first side since Brazil in 1962 to win back-toback titles.
“There is a lot of work to do, but we won’t drive ourselves crazy,” he said. “In two weeks, the team will be very differently prepared and I won’t be having sleepless nights.”
Low left out World Cup winners Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng from the lineup, while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer played for the first time in eight months after recovering from a broken foot.
Low declined to comment when a poll by national broadcaster ZDF showed the majority of German fans would rather see Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen than Neuer play at the World Cup.
Despite missing 259 days with a fractured foot, Neuer looked sharp against Austria but Low says he will see how his goalkeeper’s problematic left foot reacted yesterday before making a final decision on his squad today.
Low must cut four names today before Germany name their final 23-man World Cup squad and several players have reason to worry.
Nils Petersen, the Freiburg striker was the top scoring German in the Bundesliga, but is one of the chief candidates to be axed after making his debut for 76 minutes against Austria.
“I’ll keep calm and let myself be surprised by whatever happens on Monday,” said the former Bayern Munich striker.
Germany play Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen on Friday in their final warm-up match before facing Mexico in Moscow in their opening World Cup match on June 17 in Group F.
Sweden and Mexico are the other two sides in the group.
We didn’t put into practice what we had planned. After the break, we fell into a pattern which I didn’t like at all JOACHIM LOW Germany manager