Jogi's Newest DFB Interview: "Großes Kompliment an die Mannschaft" & An ESPN joke!
"Großes Kompliment an die Mannschaft"
LINK TO THE ORIGINAL
Translated by me, jenny_jenkins
The semi-final is reached. Thanks to a strong showing in the 4-2 win over Greece, the national team has once again, after 2006, 2008, 2010, made the semi-finals of a World Cup of a European Cup.
Bundestrainer Joachim Löw talks in an interview about the victory over the Greeks, his chances to the starting 11 and of being a favourite.
Mr Löw, your team has arrived for the fourth time in a major tournament in the semi-finals. How do you rate it?
That's a wonderful achievement. After 2004 no one thought it was possible. The team has also won 15 competitive games in a row. It is the youngest team at the tournament with an amazing future. Huge compliments are due them for what they have achieved. We can be proud of this team.
Did you have doubts?
No question, we are the clearly deserved winner. The Greeks had one chance on goal and got two of them. It's a curious team. We played well, weren't put off or ruffled after the equalizer, and then the goals came. The Greeks were overwhelmed by much of what we did.
Nevertheless you disappeared in a rage into the locker-room for a brief period in the 25th minute. What happened? Did you need a quick Espresso?
An Espresso wouldn't have been enough, because we gave up the next chances. I was just annoyed. I was a little upset over the missed posibilities. Those were the feelings that came out. Finally though we made four goals and can be content.
You shuffled around the team that had won the group stages. Why?
It was a time for change. I thought: I have to change things around after 3 wins. That was something I had already had in my head. After three wins I wasn't the least bit unsatisfied. But we had to be unpredictable. I had to bring a fresh win, different player-types, who could play between the lines better.
How difficult was it to tell Mario Gomez he wouldn't be playing?
Of course it hurt me a little bit. Mario had made three goals and was involved in a fourth. Also Poldi (ed note: Lukas Podolski trans. note: LOL) had had a goal. But the time was right. Sometimes you just feel it. It worked out very well. Marco Reus played very well, also André Schürrle, and Miro Klose made a goal. That finished the game.
ESPN's take on the two players singled out by Löw in this interview
What did you think of the performance from Sami Khedira?
Very dynamic, very present. Since 2010 he's become a leader. He leaves his position, presses, but then always returns to where he should be. It's very difficult to win against him in a one on one situation. It's good for the people around him that he is there.
What do you think of Mesut Özil?
It was absolutely justified that he be man of the match. He was always there, always playable, moved around a great deal. Nearly everything that happened went through him.
Who would you prefer in the semi-final? England or Italy?
Both teams are very uncomfortable for us. Roy Hodgson had rearranged the English game. They stand very compact, nothing like so divided as in 2010. He has brought a clear order to this team. They are better organized and counter-attack quickly. Italy plays rather similarly.
The German team is treated as the big favourite next to Spain. How do you see this situation?
All teams that are in the semi-finals are title-contenders. They can all play on the same level. There are small details in each team that are different: these are all important countries.
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