Highs and Löw
Friday 1 February 2008
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Magazine Promo 01.02.08 (uefa.com)
For better or worse, UEFA EURO 2008™ will feel a whole lot closer for Austrian supporters on Wednesday when their side takes on Germany in a prequel of their Group B showdown in June. It is a rivalry that runs deep, from an Austrian perspective at least, and clips of Hans Krankl's famous winner against Germany in the 1978 FIFA World Cup will be replayed over and over in the build up to kick-off in Vienna. What would Austria give for another such hero on Wednesday to lift spirits in the run-up to the main event this summer?
Momentum
While Austrian hopes have tumbled, Germany's challenge is to keep expectations in check. Joachim Löw's side took qualifying by storm, picking up from where they left off at the 2006 FIFA World Cup under Jürgen Klinsmann. Germany were top scorers in qualifying and though they missed out on first place in Group D to the Czech Republic, they had already secured a berth in the finals in record time. As Germany embark on a run of friendlies, Löw will be hoping to regain that momentum.
Hitzfeld impressed
FC Bayern München coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has been impressed with what he has seen and is confident that with Löw at the helm the competition's most successful nation have what it takes to add to their three crowns. "Germany were able to maintain their form from the World Cup to the EURO qualifiers," Hitzfeld said. "They also managed the change in coaches well. Former assistant coach Joachim Löw has taken over and done well, but he was already responsible for tactics during the World Cup, for instance with the team's attacking philosophy.
Löw has had to improvise and was able to do so because Germany play a clear 4-4-2 system with every player knowing his role and being expendable. This is to the coach's credit
Ottmar Hitzfeld
'Philosophy'
"Jürgen Klinsmann's philosophy was Löw's philosophy, and it's no surprise the team is so strong now, even though they have had so many injuries. [Michael] Ballack missed some games and [Torsten] Frings, [Miroslav] Klose and [Lukas] Podolski were injured as well. Löw has had to improvise and was able to do so because Germany play a clear 4-4-2 system with every player knowing his role and being expendable. This is to the coach's credit. I don't want to nitpick and say this or that can be improved. We mustn't forget Germany have never qualified so early for a major tournament so Löw did everything right. Every team has to develop and set new goals, over and over again. Qualifying is over so Germany belong among the favourites at EURO, but they have to get even stronger."
Changes
Certainly Löw will want to see a marked improvement on recent results. Since qualifying with a goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland, Germany have lost to the Czech Republic and drawn with Wales. Löw also needs to settle the thorny issue of who will be his first-choice goalkeeper in the summer, and the likes of Ballack, Frings and Bernd Schneider need to be reintegrated in midfield after missing large chunks of qualifying through injury. There is also a place in the back four up for grabs alongside Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder and the battle for the second striker's role alongside Klose still has a long way to run as Mario Gómez, Kevin Kuranyi and Podolski jostle for position.
German system
Crucial to Germany's success, though, has been Löw's ability to find players to fit his system regardless of injuries, rather than building a team around individuals. "I was surprised the German team was able to stick to their system and their way of playing so well, no matter who was playing," says Hitzfeld. "Löw has his way and his system which he developed with the scout Urs Siegenthaler, who helps analyse a player's mistakes. They have a clear philosophy and you could say the system is more important than the players. The players change, the system doesn't and you still have success." For Löw that means two defensive midfielders protecting the defence in a 4-4-2 formation and that is unlikely to change whatever the opposition.
Krankl memories
Germany will play friendlies against teams most similar to those they will meet in Group B. For Poland read Belarus and Serbia stand in for Croatia. First up though is Austria. From a German point of view the rivalry has diminished in recent years due to the contrasting fortunes of the two sides. Losing to Austria, though, does not bear considering. Austria coach Josef Hickersberger played in the "Miracle of Cordoba" when Austria beat Germany in 1978 and this week insisted the nation must stop living in the past. For Germany, Hans Krankl was bad enough, a modern-day Austrian hero would be too much to stomach. It may be a friendly, but Löw will not be taking it lightly.
Hitzfeld was speaking of Germany's chances after studying the Castrol Performance Index, a new scientific system which analyses the performances and effectiveness of players competing at UEFA EURO 2008™.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
