Joachim Löw Hits Back at Klopp Criticism

Joachim Löw addressed criticism from fellow German manager Jürgen Klopp last week. Klopp echoed a sentiment coming from several corners, which is that he didn’t like the back three formation Löw deployed in the Euro 2020 group stages.

“It’s a bit uncomfortable to judge because every coach has the right to make their own decisions,” Klopp began when asked his opinion on the matter during an interview on Magenta TV. “But I would play a back four with this team. I don’t like the system (back-three) very much. I could imagine a midfield with Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos extremely well. Everyone would be in the position in which they feel comfortable.”

During his pre-match press conference before the last-16 match against England, Löw was asked about the comments.

“Each coach, this is Jürgen Klopp, this is me, this is the England coach as well, they think about what is best for his own team and what is most important in the positioning in defensive work and attacking,” Löw said.

“The coach does what he sees, notices, observes with his team because the coach is next to the team and he decides the team can play differently as the English national team or as Chelsea. Every coach knows what the best is for his team and no coach would force his players to play in a system that they maybe don’t like to or maybe the coach is not convinced of.

“It doesn’t matter what a different coach says. Everybody has his opinion and can of course tell it but a match is decided by other factors. Not because of the system. I think this needs to be said clearly. There are other factors and other things that decide about winning and losing a match and not playing with a back three or a back four.”

Time will tell later today if Löw will be vindicated when Germany take on England at Wembley Stadium.