Loew hits back at ´leaving´ claims

Germany coach Joachim Loew has refuted claims he will leave the job in 2014.

Despite the weight of persistent pressure and expectation, the former Stuttgart boss made it clear he has never said he will be leaving, even though his contract will expire in two years’ time.

“I never said that I would stop in 2014. Do you know of such a statement?” Low said in an interview with Bild.

“A contract extension is not currently up for debate. I have been here since 2004, I know everyone here well and in due course we will have a conversation about my contract, but in private.”

The head coach also admitted Germany will learn a lot from the recent 4-4 draw against Sweden, where his side let a four-goal lead slip.

“Painful lessons against Sweden are helpful despite the pressure. We will learn from such experiences, to perform better in the future,” he said.

“I am focusing on the positive aspects of our game. The fact that we have won 22 of our last 25 qualifiers and drawn three is great, but it is still frustrating to let a 4-0 lead go to 4-4.”