[bild1]
Unwinding, seeking serenity, restoring depleted energy reservoirs: For Joachim Löw, a successful and insightful year comes to a close. The past year, with it’s 13 games and five European qualifying matches, took every ounce of energy. For the players, for the German coach as well. Löw looks forward to the holidays, spending time with his family. Talking about anything but the game – for a change. An up-personal interview with the German coach.
DFB.de: Joachim Löw, what is Christmas to you?
Joachim Löw: It means a few quiet and calm days with my family, it means tradition and good food.
DFB.de: Will you attend service?
Löw: Christmas night, yes. We enjoy going to church with the entire family.
DFB.de: It can’t be that quiet, though, during the holidays…
Löw: You are right, we usually have many family members at our place at this time of the year. Being with family around Christmas, to me, is a relaxing and rewarding time.
DFB.de: Do you manage to blank out football and the national team?
Löw: Really, that’s not a topic during the Christmas break.
DFB.de: How about during church service?
Löw: Fans have addressed me at every imaginable location and point in time about an autograph. But as of yet, this has not happened in church (laughs).
DFB.de: When do you shop for presents?
Löw: We don’t buy presents at all.
DFB.de: Really?
Löw: Well, obviously we buy presents for the children. But among us adults, we stopped giving presents a few years ago.
DFB.de: No more ideas on what to give?
Löw: No, we rather donate for charity projects, to support needful people. And then, I’d rather give presents throughout the year.
DFB.de: Speaking about morals and values – is that a criteria for selecting players to the German national team?
Löw: Yes. As the coach responsible, you ask yourself, how will that player fit into our team. Within the framework of our team, we certainly adhere to certain values. Broad-mindedness, discipline, accountability. Getting along with each other, interacting in a good way, that is important. Players need to be respectful towards the staff: the doctors, the trainers, our media and equipment people. All part of a productive working environment. Our players are also highly visible ambassadors for Germany, when you consider the number of away games. We want people to respect the German team, not just because of the way we play the game.
DFB.de: How important are these secondary skills in relation to the football skills of a player?
Löw: We choose players that can perform according to our plans, obviously that has priority. But as we approach the next tournament, we also reflect on the question: Which player is capable of giving energy to the team? Who can cope with setbacks, who can handle sitting on the bench for a game or two? Who handles the highly competitive environment adequately? Who’s driven by too much ambition, by egotism and envy? We have to find answers to all of these questions prior to the tournament? With 60 to 70 people spending two months together in a closed-off environment, you have to take such factors into account.
DFB.de: Do you only keep team-players on the team?
Löw: So far, so good. Players have internalized most of our values. Sometimes I ask myself, how much egotism can we afford as a team?
DFB.de: And the answer is…
Löw: Well, performance level is part of the equation.
DFB.de: So if you are a selfish person, you need to be an exceptional player?
Löw: Exactly. But as a coach, you also need to figure out when it becomes too much. The team concept is really without any alternative.
DFB.de: So how many of these ego-centered players are on your team?
Löw: Really, not a single one. We have a great team and extremely well-adjusted individuals. Their individual performances add-up to a great whole. Players nominated for the national team usually are pretty sound in their football skills, and they also have the tools to handle other challenges in their career. They are confident and efficient, and they also have a solid understanding on how to behave within a team. They act responsible, they know how to deal with criticism, they also stand up for their own opinion.
DFB.de: How important are team-leaders?
Löw: You’ll always need them. They are a prerequisite to success. But today’s leader is different from the past. Players such as Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miro Klose and Per Mertesacker are team leaders, both on and off the pitch. Even young players such as Manuel Neuer or Sami Khedira demand to carry part of the responsibility. Being able to communicate – that’s what makes a team leader.
DFB.de: What are other attributes?
Löw: A burning desire to be successful, the will to win. Such players always strive for perfection, they want to become a bit better each practice. Most team players are rather modest and humble. They focus on getting better, on improving, and they manage not to get tied up in irrelevant things. They act modest and respectful when meeting fans.
DFB.de: Pressure was certainly a topic this past Bundesliga season. How do you deal with the special pressure, every German national coach has to endure?
Löw: I enjoy what I’m doing, everything starts here. Playing important games, to me, is more enjoyment than pressure. It’s just a great feeling to square off with Spain. Or to battle England. Or Argentine, Portugal or the Netherlands. Then again, I’d be in denial if I said that I don’t feel any pressure at all. But not during the games, I sort of feel pressure delayed.
DFB.de: What helps you to deal with pressure?
Löw: My private life, which I keep away from my football life. My private life is sort of an oasis, where I find peace and relaxation.
DFB.de: What else is important?
Löw: People that support me, that keep me energetic.
DFB.de: Who belongs to that group?
Löw: The inner-circle of my staff, foremost our coaching staff. We certainly know each other well by now, our strengths and our weaknesses. By now, I’m good at delegating, I can hand-over responsibilities. For too long, I thought that a coach has to do everything on his own. Today, I know that it makes perfect sense to rely on experts for certain tasks.
[bild2]
DFB.de: Gary Speed, former national coach of Wales, committed suicide this year, and Bundesliga-referee Babak Rafati attempted to take his life. How do you feel about these tragic occurrences?
Löw: It makes you stop and think. Especially following a strenuous season, you feel all energy evaporate, you feel drained. The drop-off following such an emotional tournament as 2010 is huge, enormous. You stand the risk to lose your inner balance. I regard it as a sign of strength, when an individual can admit that to the public, that at this point in the career, one has to take a break. Because as a coach, by definition of the role, you carry the torch, you march in front of everybody else.
DFB.de: Let’s close with a question on the upcoming tournament: What will the German team achieve during the tournament? How do you rate your chances?
Löw: Well, I said it before: We have a shot at the title, but so do many other teams. We are one team among a group of favorites. Spain, the Netherlands, France, England, Italy, Portugal and certainly the two host countries should play a positive role at the EURO 2012. I expect an exciting tournament on a high level of play. We’ll bring a young team, very ambitious, very much ready for the challenge. With all our players, I feel a strong desire to win a championship. The window of opportunity will not close in 2012, this team should be contenting for a few more years to come. We’d like to continue our growth. And hopefully, that will translate into a great outcome of the EURO 2012.
created by th
[bild1]
Unwinding, seeking serenity, restoring depleted energy reservoirs: For Joachim Löw, a successful and insightful year comes to a close. The past year, with it’s 13 games and five European qualifying matches, took every ounce of energy. For the players, for the German coach as well. Löw looks forward to the holidays, spending time with his family. Talking about anything but the game – for a change. An up-personal interview with the German coach.
DFB.de: Joachim Löw, what is Christmas to you?
Joachim Löw: It means a few quiet and calm days with my family, it means tradition and good food.
DFB.de: Will you attend service?
Löw: Christmas night, yes. We enjoy going to church with the entire family.
DFB.de: It can’t be that quiet, though, during the holidays…
Löw: You are right, we usually have many family members at our place at this time of the year. Being with family around Christmas, to me, is a relaxing and rewarding time.
DFB.de: Do you manage to blank out football and the national team?
Löw: Really, that’s not a topic during the Christmas break.
DFB.de: How about during church service?
Löw: Fans have addressed me at every imaginable location and point in time about an autograph. But as of yet, this has not happened in church (laughs).
DFB.de: When do you shop for presents?
Löw: We don’t buy presents at all.
DFB.de: Really?
Löw: Well, obviously we buy presents for the children. But among us adults, we stopped giving presents a few years ago.
DFB.de: No more ideas on what to give?
Löw: No, we rather donate for charity projects, to support needful people. And then, I’d rather give presents throughout the year.
DFB.de: Speaking about morals and values – is that a criteria for selecting players to the German national team?
Löw: Yes. As the coach responsible, you ask yourself, how will that player fit into our team. Within the framework of our team, we certainly adhere to certain values. Broad-mindedness, discipline, accountability. Getting along with each other, interacting in a good way, that is important. Players need to be respectful towards the staff: the doctors, the trainers, our media and equipment people. All part of a productive working environment. Our players are also highly visible ambassadors for Germany, when you consider the number of away games. We want people to respect the German team, not just because of the way we play the game.
DFB.de: How important are these secondary skills in relation to the football skills of a player?
Löw: We choose players that can perform according to our plans, obviously that has priority. But as we approach the next tournament, we also reflect on the question: Which player is capable of giving energy to the team? Who can cope with setbacks, who can handle sitting on the bench for a game or two? Who handles the highly competitive environment adequately? Who’s driven by too much ambition, by egotism and envy? We have to find answers to all of these questions prior to the tournament? With 60 to 70 people spending two months together in a closed-off environment, you have to take such factors into account.
DFB.de: Do you only keep team-players on the team?
Löw: So far, so good. Players have internalized most of our values. Sometimes I ask myself, how much egotism can we afford as a team?
DFB.de: And the answer is…
Löw: Well, performance level is part of the equation.
DFB.de: So if you are a selfish person, you need to be an exceptional player?
Löw: Exactly. But as a coach, you also need to figure out when it becomes too much. The team concept is really without any alternative.
DFB.de: So how many of these ego-centered players are on your team?
Löw: Really, not a single one. We have a great team and extremely well-adjusted individuals. Their individual performances add-up to a great whole. Players nominated for the national team usually are pretty sound in their football skills, and they also have the tools to handle other challenges in their career. They are confident and efficient, and they also have a solid understanding on how to behave within a team. They act responsible, they know how to deal with criticism, they also stand up for their own opinion.
DFB.de: How important are team-leaders?
Löw: You’ll always need them. They are a prerequisite to success. But today’s leader is different from the past. Players such as Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miro Klose and Per Mertesacker are team leaders, both on and off the pitch. Even young players such as Manuel Neuer or Sami Khedira demand to carry part of the responsibility. Being able to communicate – that’s what makes a team leader.
DFB.de: What are other attributes?
Löw: A burning desire to be successful, the will to win. Such players always strive for perfection, they want to become a bit better each practice. Most team players are rather modest and humble. They focus on getting better, on improving, and they manage not to get tied up in irrelevant things. They act modest and respectful when meeting fans.
DFB.de: Pressure was certainly a topic this past Bundesliga season. How do you deal with the special pressure, every German national coach has to endure?
Löw: I enjoy what I’m doing, everything starts here. Playing important games, to me, is more enjoyment than pressure. It’s just a great feeling to square off with Spain. Or to battle England. Or Argentine, Portugal or the Netherlands. Then again, I’d be in denial if I said that I don’t feel any pressure at all. But not during the games, I sort of feel pressure delayed.
DFB.de: What helps you to deal with pressure?
Löw: My private life, which I keep away from my football life. My private life is sort of an oasis, where I find peace and relaxation.
DFB.de: What else is important?
Löw: People that support me, that keep me energetic.
DFB.de: Who belongs to that group?
Löw: The inner-circle of my staff, foremost our coaching staff. We certainly know each other well by now, our strengths and our weaknesses. By now, I’m good at delegating, I can hand-over responsibilities. For too long, I thought that a coach has to do everything on his own. Today, I know that it makes perfect sense to rely on experts for certain tasks.
[bild2]
DFB.de: Gary Speed, former national coach of Wales, committed suicide this year, and Bundesliga-referee Babak Rafati attempted to take his life. How do you feel about these tragic occurrences?
Löw: It makes you stop and think. Especially following a strenuous season, you feel all energy evaporate, you feel drained. The drop-off following such an emotional tournament as 2010 is huge, enormous. You stand the risk to lose your inner balance. I regard it as a sign of strength, when an individual can admit that to the public, that at this point in the career, one has to take a break. Because as a coach, by definition of the role, you carry the torch, you march in front of everybody else.
DFB.de: Let’s close with a question on the upcoming tournament: What will the German team achieve during the tournament? How do you rate your chances?
Löw: Well, I said it before: We have a shot at the title, but so do many other teams. We are one team among a group of favorites. Spain, the Netherlands, France, England, Italy, Portugal and certainly the two host countries should play a positive role at the EURO 2012. I expect an exciting tournament on a high level of play. We’ll bring a young team, very ambitious, very much ready for the challenge. With all our players, I feel a strong desire to win a championship. The window of opportunity will not close in 2012, this team should be contenting for a few more years to come. We’d like to continue our growth. And hopefully, that will translate into a great outcome of the EURO 2012.
