The Daily Bee (December 1, 2020): DFB Retain Löw

Good morning, Fear The Wall, and happy December!

Joachim Löw Remains As Die Mannschaft Manager

It was reported yesterday by numerous outlets that the DFB, the governing body of German football, will retain German national team manager Joachim Löw through the end of his contract. His contract runs until the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Former assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann, Löw took over for the national team after the 2010 World Cup and managed the 2014 squad to World Cup glory in Brazil and a semi-final appearance at the 2016 Euros. However, since those highlights, the team’s failure to advance from the group at the 2018 World Cup and to even look good in Nations League matches or against top European competition has been drawing sharp criticism from pundits and fans. Especially following their 6-0 embarrassment at the hands of Spain only two weeks ago.

The DFB made a statement following their decision to retain Löw:

“The DFB board unanimously agreed on the roadmap in order to collect insights and evaluate them and discuss them. It gives the national team coach time and emotional distance in order to process the current situation.

“On a sporting level to analyse the reasons for the clear defeat in Seville and on a personal level to process the big frustration. That is the proper thing to do.”

I’m not a fan of the German national team, but I’ve been fans of teams that retained head coaches/managers far past their expiration date (former New York Giants coaches Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur come to mind) and the feeling is probably a lot like what German fans are feeling: a little disbelief, a lot of frustration, maybe even some anger towards management. All you can do at this point is hope the coach changes things up, calls better plays, and the players begin to perform.

Time will tell if Löw will still be the manager by 2022.

Rául Jiménez Injury Update

Over in England this past weekend, Wolves and Arsenal met in London for a pivotal Premier League match. Early in the match, while going up for a contested header with Arsenal defender David Luiz, their heads violently collided with one another and players from both sides immediately called for medical attention.

Jiménez was taken to a nearby hospital where it was diagnosed that he suffered a fractured skull. He had a successful surgery and is in recovery. A huge sigh of relief for Jiménez and the rest of the soccer-watching community.

It’s too early to tell how and when Jiménez will return to Wolves training or even competitive matches. Injuries like these are never easy to determine their severity, and they are never the same across cases. Everton’s Michael Keane suffered a hairline skull fracture in 2018 and returned a month later, while Ryan Mason of Hull City fractured his skull in 2017 and was eventually forced to retire.

Here’s to hoping he makes a swift and safe recovery.

The Daily Buzz

What are your thoughts on the DFB keeping Löw as national team manager?