Löw: "I never had any doubt"

Die Mannschaft have almost guaranteed their passage to the Euro 2016 finals after wins against Poland and Scotland. In an interview with DFB.de, manager Joachim Löw explained how he orchestrated last night's win in Glasgow and gave his thoughts on the performances of Thomas Müller, Ilkay Gündogan and recent debutant Emre Can.

Question: Mr Löw, with a 3-2 win in a curious and at times crazy game in Scotland, your team have almost wrapped up qualification to the European Championship. How would you sum that up?

Joachim Löw: Our aim for this week was to win both games, which we managed and in doing so took a huge step towards qualifying, so I'm satisfied.

Question: Do you consider yourselves as already qualified?

Löw: We're in a very, very good position, so even a draw in Ireland would be enough for us, but we never go into a game with that attitude. We want to win in Ireland and qualify in style.

Question: Last week, you weren't in such a strong position. Are you relieved now, or were you never really worried?

Löw: I never had any doubt. I was always convinced we'd be able to qualify, but even I was surprised how quickly the team could take things in when I had a full crop of players. They only needed three or four training sessions to make things work, which is one of this side's key strengths. Last year we rotated the team a lot, so you couldn't demand too much of them. This week, however, I've been convinced that the team is very strong. When we're given time, things work very well.

Question: Are you worried at all about the two goals conceded?

Löw: No, there's no need to overreact to one game. It was hard because we were playing a side who would have eight or nine players behind the ball, but for the most part, we had the game under control. Both goals came from set-pieces, but from open play we didn't allow them any chances.

Question: Like in the reverse fixture, the man of the match was Thomas Müller with two goals. Does he still manage to surprise you?

Löw: Thomas reads situations incredibly well. He ghosts into positions and sets himself up well for rebounds. It's like he can small where the ball is going to go. That's not a skill you can teach, he was just born with it.

Question: You only made one change from the starting line-up against Poland, bringing Ilkay Gündogan into the side, and he duly scored the winner. How do you assess his performance?

Löw: He linked up very well with Özil in the second half against Poland. Ilkay is an excellent player in the middle of the pitch because of his superb touch and control. After a long injury lay-off, he's only played two international matches, but they were both very satisfying performances. I'm delighted to have him back, and in both matches it's been clear to see how valuable he is.

Question: Emre Can also appeared vulnerable in his second international match. Will he get another chance at right back?

Löw: Yes. You can't expect too much from someone after just two games. It was his first time in the squad and he saw how different it is to the U21s. He builds the game from the back well, he makes good challenges, he's physically very strong and he has class on the ball. Of course there are things to improve on and he needs to be guided in the right direction, but he's still very young and I'm pleased with his performances in both games.