Germany soccer president gives coach Joachim Loew strong endorsement

Germany chief makes plea for Loew to stay

ERASMIA, South Africa — Germany coach Joachim Loew received a strong endorsement from the soccer federation president on Monday, hours after a sensational start to the World Cup.

Theo Zwanziger wants Loew to stay on after the World Cup regardless of how the team performs in South Africa.

Loew’s contract runs out after the tournament. Talks between him and the soccer federation about an extension broke down unexpectedly in February because of financial disagreements and other issues.

Loew celebrated his 50th game in charge with a 4-0 rout of Australia on Sunday. Loew has a record of 35 wins, seven losses and eight draws.

“It’s a great team with a future,” Zwanziger said Monday after visiting Germany’s base outside Pretoria. “It must be fascinating for a coach to be in charge of such a team.

“It’s a young team that’s grown together under a coach I value a lot. It’s a team that can play both successfully and attractively. I want to thank him for forming such a team and I am very pleased in what we have in him.”

Zwanziger said he was optimistic Loew would stay on. But the coach declined to be drawn into a discussion about his future.

“At the moment, I have very different things on my mind and I don’t want to discuss what may happen,” Loew said. “I have shut this topic out of my mind.

“We want to achieve something big here and I have to focus on this goal 100 percent.”

Zwanziger said in December he and Loew had “shaken hands” on a new contract, but in February their talks broke down even though an extension was considered a formality.

The federation chief said Monday he and Loew have developed a trusting relationship since Loew signed on six years ago, first as Juergen Klinsmann’s assistant and then as head coach after the 2006 World Cup.

“He came to me right away and he stood behind me when things were not going so well with the team. We also spoke openly when we had differences,” Loew said.

Loew is seeking Germany’s fourth World Cup title and to become the first Germany coach to win the tournament in his first attempt.