Loew gets backing of Germany bosses

Germany coach Joachim Loew has received the backing of his superiors in the German Football Federation (DFB). "Joachim Loew is competent, straightforward and serious," DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach told the WAZ newspaper group. "For the DFB he remains the ideal coach." Niersbach added: "You mustn't forget that we are second in the world rankings (behind Spain). And it's not possible that after every Euro, 15 coaches are fired and only the winner remains." Loew, 52, has been the brunt of criticism after a 2-1 defeat against Italy in the Euro 2012 semi-finals and a 3-1 defeat to Argentina in a friendly last August. Since then, the German team have won their first two qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup at home against the Faroe Islands (3-0) and against Austria (2-1) in Vienna. They next play Group C rivals Ireland in Dublin on October 12 before hosting Sweden four days later in Berlin.