Close friends in crucial face-off
FRIENDS clash on either side of the World Cup divide today when Jurgen Klinsmann's United States meet Joachim Loew's Germany for top spot in Group G.
Having met on a coaching course, Loew became Klinsmann's assistant a decade ago when the pair were brought in following the Euro 2004 debacle as Germany finished the group stages winless.
Under them, Germany became known for fast-paced attacking football as youngsters such as Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger were given their chance.
The pair took Germany to third at the 2006 World Cup before Klinsmann stood down to be replaced by Loew, who has since steered them to at least the semifinals of the last three major tournaments.
Now they face off at Recife's Arena Pernambuco as rivals with both teams on four points.
A mutually beneficial draw would see Germany qualify as winners with the US runners-up, so eliminating Ghana and Portugal.
That scenario has brought back memories of a notorious 1982 group match in Spain – dubbed the "Disgrace of Gijon" -- between West Germany and Austria.
Both qualified at the expense of Algeria after a 1-0 German victory as the teams went through the motions – something both sides insist will not happen in Recife.
"That is only a part of Germany's history and not part of US history. I think if you look at the past of the US team, we always try to make things happen," Klinsmann said.
He insisted the US would go all out for victory while he remained a Germany fan and would sing both national anthems with gusto.
He has four Bundesliga players in his squad, while Jermaine Jones won three caps for Germany before switching allegiances in 2009.
Klinsmann's special adviser is Berti Vogts, who coached Germany at the 1996 European Championship when former striker "Klinsi" captained the side to the title.
"This game is something quite special for me, something like this comes along perhaps once in a lifetime," said Germany's former 1990 World Cup winner, Klinsmann.
Despite having lived on California's Huntington Beach for the last 16 years with his family – his son Jonathan is a goalkeeper for the US Under-18 team – Klinsmann remains loyal to his roots.
While Loew and Klinsmann remain close friends, contact has been kept to a minimum recently.
Klinsmann had the last laugh when the US shocked Loew's Germany 4-3 in a Washington DC friendly last June, when the weakened Germans suffered only their third defeat to the Americans in nine meetings.
Loew said normal contact would be resumed with Klinsmann only after the tournament.
Klinsmann certainly has big plans for his side with his flight from Brazil 2014 booked for July 15 – two days after the final. – AFP
