Boateng, Hummels and Müller singled out after Germany loss
Joachim Löw is unlikely to be sacked but a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands signalled Germany's worst run of form since 1985 and the national media want heads.
Germany’s slump in 2018 continued on Saturday night as Joachim Löw’s side were defeated 3-0 by the Netherlands in Amsterdam to seal the four-times world champions’ worst run of form since 1985.
Joachim Löw has now overseen five defeats in 2018, including Die Mannschaft’s ignominious exit from the World Cup at the group stage despite Germany going into the tournament as the holders and one of the favourites.
Germany now sit bottom of their Nations League group and face the prospect of relegation to League B with their next game against France – who helped themselves to Germany’s crown in Russia – next up.
Löw came out of the World Cup asking questions of himself but decided to remain at the helm and start a rebuild of the national side. Now, the questions are being posed elsewhere and while the German media have yet to join in unanimity in calling for Löw to go, some of the team’s veterans have come under fire with the manager seen as unwilling to retire many of the side that secured glory in Brazil four years ago.
Schalke's Mark Uth the only new face in Amsterdam
“Some players are being viewed more as a burden than a help,” said Die Welt on Sunday with others calling for immediate change to halt the “jokes and disdain” currently being aimed at the Germany team.
Bayern Munich trio Mats Hummels, Jêrome Boateng and Thomas Müller were all singled out as indicative of Löw’s failure to bring about his quiet revolution with some papers noting that Schalke striker Mark Uth was the only non-veteran in Löw’s starting line-up with Thilo Kehrer, Niklas Süle, Jonathan Tah and Serge Gnabry all confined to the bench.
Löw’s job is not on the line at the moment, but defeat against France will add to the external pressure to tear up a blueprint that isn’t working and start again with a pool of talent that is failing to shift some of Germany’s old hands from their comfort zone.
