Germany banking on victories to regain support

Germany will seek redemption for November’s humiliating thrashing against Spain as Joachim Loew’s squad look to get the fans back behind them by winning their first three World Cup qualifiers.

Germany host Iceland in Duisburg on Thursday before facing Romania away on Sunday, then play North Macedonia three days later back in Duisburg.

“We want to start the European championship year with an exclamation mark and please our fans again,” Loew said after naming teenagers Jamal Musiala, 18, and Florian Wirtz, 17, in his squad.

“Our ambition and goal is to get ourselves into a good starting position with three wins.”

A fortnight ago, Loew announced he will step down, after 15 years in charge, following the European championships, due to take place from June 11-July 11.

He badly needs convincing wins to restore their fans’ faith in the Mannschaft following November’s 6-0 rout by Spain which handed Germany their heaviest defeat since 1931.

In the aftermath, a survey of German fans by magazine Kicker showed 89 percent felt Loew had failed to rebuild the team since crashing out of the 2018 World Cup in the group stages.

As Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff acknowledged Monday, the Mannschaft must “set an example” after the disgrace of the thrashing in Seville.

It is a far cry from July 2014, when Loew could seemingly do no wrong after masterminding Germany’s World Cup triumph in Brazil.

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The 61-year-old is desperate to end on a high at the Euros after three lean years which have badly tarnished his glittering legacy.

The three World Cup qualifiers are his last chance to look at options before naming his squad for the European championships. The odds appear to favour Loew with his inclusion of young players into the squad including Nigeria born Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala who chose Germany over England and Nigeria respectively.