Joachim Low should still remain the coach of Germany beyond this summer's World Cup, according to the man at the centre of a row between the German Football Association and the national team coach.
German FA (DFB) president Dr Theo Zwanziger this week revealed that contract talks with Low and his coaching team had been put on ice until after the World Cup.
Low yesterday hit back at claims he had reneged on a gentleman's agreement made last December, insisting he "never shook hands" on a deal.
But Zwanziger has moved to prevent the row from escalating by claiming it is not as big a deal as it is being made out to be in the German media.
"It is not a question which will alter the nation whether the national team coach goes into a tournament with a new contract or one which is expiring," he told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper today.
It has been reported that Low and his team composed of assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick, general manager Oliver Bierhoff and goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke have made more demands since a preliminary meeting last December appeared to have brought a resolution on a new deal.
Back then, Zwanziger said: "The national team coach and I have had a discussion in confidence and agreed by the shaking of hands on a contract extension until after Euro 2012."
A request for more power to be given to Bierhoff in particular is believed to have led to the DFB's decision this week to call off negotiations.
Although Zwanziger would not confirm what precisely has altered, he did reveal that the new demands were unacceptable.
"It would not be manageable," he said. "I would have three or four requests to change the constitution at our next general meeting.
"It would become a National Team Ltd, with the DFB acting as the advisory board - that would not be on."
Nevertheless, Zwanziger is continuing to back Low to do a good job in South Africa and then sign on the dotted line, ideally on July 12 after victory in the final.
"I want to keep hold of him," he said. "We are friends, not enemies.
"We are working on this project together. We will see each other again at the draw for the European Championship in Warsaw and then we will talk again.
"We will talk after the World Cup if it goes successfully and we will also talk afterwards if it doesn't go so successfully.
"He is always going to be my first contact."
Low was earlier quoted on www.kicker.de as saying: "There was never any handshake agreement.
"We have deliberately avoided saying anything concrete about the contract situation in the last few weeks.
"We are surprised about the way in which the alleged contract details have suddenly come out into the open. A lot of untruthfulness has come into circulation."
Low yesterday hit back at claims he had reneged on a gentleman's agreement made last December, insisting he "never shook hands" on a deal.
But Zwanziger has moved to prevent the row from escalating by claiming it is not as big a deal as it is being made out to be in the German media.
"It is not a question which will alter the nation whether the national team coach goes into a tournament with a new contract or one which is expiring," he told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper today.
It has been reported that Low and his team composed of assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick, general manager Oliver Bierhoff and goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke have made more demands since a preliminary meeting last December appeared to have brought a resolution on a new deal.
Back then, Zwanziger said: "The national team coach and I have had a discussion in confidence and agreed by the shaking of hands on a contract extension until after Euro 2012."
A request for more power to be given to Bierhoff in particular is believed to have led to the DFB's decision this week to call off negotiations.
Although Zwanziger would not confirm what precisely has altered, he did reveal that the new demands were unacceptable.
"It would not be manageable," he said. "I would have three or four requests to change the constitution at our next general meeting.
"It would become a National Team Ltd, with the DFB acting as the advisory board - that would not be on."
Nevertheless, Zwanziger is continuing to back Low to do a good job in South Africa and then sign on the dotted line, ideally on July 12 after victory in the final.
"I want to keep hold of him," he said. "We are friends, not enemies.
"We are working on this project together. We will see each other again at the draw for the European Championship in Warsaw and then we will talk again.
"We will talk after the World Cup if it goes successfully and we will also talk afterwards if it doesn't go so successfully.
"He is always going to be my first contact."
Low was earlier quoted on www.kicker.de as saying: "There was never any handshake agreement.
"We have deliberately avoided saying anything concrete about the contract situation in the last few weeks.
"We are surprised about the way in which the alleged contract details have suddenly come out into the open. A lot of untruthfulness has come into circulation."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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