BERLIN, June 29 -- German fans have to wait until next week for a final decision about Joachim Loew's future as the national football association's president Reinhard Grindel announced that all parties would first analyze the disappointing departure from the World Cup after the group stage.
It is rumored that head coach Loew offered his resignation in Moscow before the disappointed German delegation set off on their trip back home. Reports talk off a controversial discussion in the Lufthansa aircraft and the association urging Loew to reconsider. The officials are said to be confident the coach will fulfil his contract that runs until 2022.
While Loew is trying to make up his mind, several surveys indicate German fans want him to resign. Leading newspapers like the Sueddeutsche and Die Welt assume Loew will quit as the burden of a new start would be too much for him.
First rumors speak about former German international Matthias Sammer as a possible successor as top German coaches like Juergen Klopp (the fans favorite/Liverpool) and Thomas Tuchel (Paris St Germain) are not available. Former German international Horst Hrubesch has been mentioned. The 1980 European Champion recently took over the German women's team because the association couldn't find anybody. Under 21 junior coach Stefan Kuntz is mentioned.
The media assumes Loew will have to abandon working patterns he has used for years in his efforts to develop a new young team and leave most of his 2017 World Cup heroes behind.
Loew said radical changes are inevitable: "We have been the most consistent team over the last ten years, but now we need far-reaching changes." The 58-year old also admitted the bad performance was his responsibility.
Fans accuse Loew of having lost contact with his team. 55 to 68 percent of them were against him continuing while only 33 percent voted for Loew. They felt the coach's tactics and squad selection left a lot to be desired and that he had ignored signs that his squad had split up into groups.
Most supporters also expect several players like Mesut Oezil, Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez will resign.
But not only Loew and the players are under attack, officials like Grindel and the general manager Oliver Bierhoff are also coming in for a lot of criticism.
German media accuse the German association of losing contact with fans due to too much commercialism. The Sueddeutsche said not only the German team (coaches and players) have to solve pressing problems, but the governing body need to rethink the way they promote the national team.
The paper says Bierhoff fueled an arrogant and self-satisfied attitude of the team by choosing a team headquarters near Moscow as it was located near the venue for the semifinal and final. He also opposed Loew's first choice such as Sotschi.
The association is also accused of overpriced tickets, closed training sessions and kick-off-times and treating the football like a business.
But the main topic in Germany remains with Loew's future. The 58-year-old said the country's football must not fear the future as there are many young talented players to count on, but has to intensify youth education especially when it comes to strikers. In Russia German only scored two goals, but fired off 72 shot, more than every other team.
"I remember in 2004 when Juergen Klinsmann and I came, we started several changes that in the end lead to many successful years," Loew commented. The question this time is, who will be the man in charge to help German football to get over a significant depression?