Should Germany fail to impress at the 2014 World Cup, there’s a good possibility that manager Joachim Löw could be out of a job. Germany have been drawn alongside Portugal, the United States and Ghana in Group G, which many have labeled this tournament’s “Group of Death.”
But despite being drawn into such a tough group, the Germany coach knows his team’s performances will be heavily scrutinized. And even though he recently signed a contract extension keeping him in place through Euro 2016, Löw knows that’s no guarantee. If Germany don’t live up to expectations, a new manager is likely, acknowledged the coach:
Germany, considered one of the favorites to lift the Cup, has a tough road ahead of them. Not only are the U.S., Portugal and Ghana all dangerous opponents, capable of taking points away from them, but Germany has quite a few injury concerns as well. Central midfielders Ilkay Gündogan and Lars Bender were left out of the squad. Marcel Schmelzer was cut from the roster with a knee injury. Bayern Munich teammates Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Philipp Lahm all came to training camp carrying knocks.
Fortunately for Germany, they have the depth to deal with injuries, particularly in the midfield. Even better news is that Neuer, Schweinsteiger and Lahm are all expected to be fit for the first game of the tournament, against Portugal.
That’s not fantastic news for their opponents, of course. But it’s certainly music to the ears of Joachim Löw.