16.05.2010
Loew handed post-World Cup decision deadline
Germany coach Joachim Loew has been set a deadline of 14 days after the end of the World Cup in South Africa to inform the German Football Federation (DFB) whether he intends to stay in charge.
Loew's contract expires after the World Cup, with the final set to take place on July 11.
But the DFB's general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach has said, with Germany facing a friendly against Denmark on August 11, that Loew will need to tell his bosses what his plans are within a fortnight of the final in Johannesburg.
"We need a decision 14 days after the World Cup," said Niersbach at Berlin's Olympic Stadium after Bayern Munich's 4-0 win over Werder Bremen in the German Cup final on Saturday.
"Just four weeks after that, we have a friendly international on our programme.
"After the 2006 World Cup, we renewed Joachim Loew's contract within 14 days."
Currently with his squad at Germany's training camp in Sicily, Loew, who was assistant coach in 2006, succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach following the last World Cup.
Niersbach's reaction implies there is no Plan B to replace the 50-year-old as Germany coach, should Loew decide to walk away.
In February, contract extension negotiations between the DFB and Loew were surprisingly halted until after the World Cup, although Loew has not hinted he is looking for employment elsewhere.
Certainly Nierbach was relaxed about the topic.
"It is an open question and in our opinion, no drama," he said.
Source: © 2010 AFP - Torsten Silz
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