oachim Low metaphorically
kicked a hornet’s nest with
his bolt-from-the-blue decision
to inform three of his most
experienced players – centre-
backs Jerome Boateng and Mats
Hummels plus attacking-third freewheeler Thomas
Muller – that their services were no longer required.
The Bayern Munich trio, all World Cup winners
in 2014, boast 246 caps between them, and for a
decade they represented the beating heart of Low’s
invariably dominant side, exemplary figures who gave
the Nationalmannschaft an extra dimension.
However, all three have been showing signs of
wear and tear of late. The injury-prone body of
Boateng has taken a battering over the years;
Hummels is increasingly vulnerable to pace; and in
the dual role of space-finder and marksman, Muller
is not quite as effective as he used to be. Such
assessments must have influenced Low’s thinking.
“We look at this year as a new beginning for thenational team,” explained Low in an official
communique. “With the Euro 2020 qualifying
campaign about to start, we wanted to make clear
our desire to embark on a fresh start. We want to
give the team a new look.
“I’m sure it’s the correct move. Young players in
the national team will be given the space to fully
develop. Now it’s up to them to take responsibility.”
Low’s axeman act certainly polarised opinion, with
many believing he simply had to turn the page in the
wake of Germany’s disastrous early exit from Russia- Others see the triple dismissal as a clumsy
exercise in blame-shifting, with Low attempting to
bolster his creaking authority.
Another group of critics are attacking the Germany
boss for not performing the cull sooner, arguing that
any radical personnel makeover should have occurred
back in August. Why put it off for six months? And
why make the announcement at such a crucial stage
of Bayern’s season, with vital Champions League
and Bundesliga fixtures looming?
Low and the German federation also find
to coach Turkey’s national side.
USA: Atlanta United win 4-0
against Costa Rica’s Herediano
to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit
and reach the quarter-finals of the
CONCACAF Champions League.
Friday March 1
CHINA: Defending champions
Shanghai SIPG beat Shanghai
Shenhua 4-0 on the opening
day of the new CSL season.
GERMANY: Bundesliga leaders
Borussia Dortmund are beaten
2-1 at Augsburg.
Saturday March 2
ENGLAND: Arsenal’s Pierre-
Emerick Aubameyang misses a
last-minute penalty in a 1-1 draw
at Tottenham Hotspur.
GABON: Akanda striker Herman
Tsinga collapses and dies during a
top-flight game against Missile.
GERMANY: Bayern Munich win 5-1
at Borussia Monchengladbach to go
joint top of the league.
ITALY: Lazio beat city rivals Roma
3-0 in the Rome derby.
PORTUGAL: Benfica come from
behind to win 2-1 at Porto and
leapfrog their opponents to go top
of the Primeira Liga.
SPAIN: Barcelona win 1-0 at Real
Madrid with an Ivan Rakitic goal.
Sunday March 3
HOLLAND: Robin van Persie scores
a hat-trick to move past 200
career league goals as Feyenoord
beat Emmen 4-0.
ITALY: Juventus win 2-1 at second-
place Napoli and increase their lead
at the top of the table to 16 points.
USA: MLS Cup champions Atlanta
United lose 2-0 at DC United in
their opening league game.
Monday March 4
AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: The
group stage gets underway as
Lokomotiv Tashkent of Uzbekistan
beat UAE’s Al Wahda 2-0.
NIGERIA: Nigeria international
Samuel Kalu’s mother is released
six days after being kidnapped,
although it is unknown whether
a reported ransom was paid.
SPAIN: Gareth Bale’s agent,
Jonathan Barnett calls Real
Madrid’s fans “a disgrace” after they
jeered their Welsh forward when he
was substituted against Barcelona
on Saturday. “Those fans should be
kissing his feet,” says Barnett.
Tuesday March 5
CONCACAF CHAMP LEAGUE:
Mexican sides Santos Laguna
and Tigres both win quarter-
Low axes
Bayern trio
Boateng, Hummels and Muller
dropped by national coach
Big decision...Low substitutes Muller during the World CupOut...(from
right) Thomas
Muller, Mats
Hummels and
Jerome Boateng“We want to give the team a new
look. I’m sure it’s the correct move”
National coach Joachim LowJ
Germany
NICK BIDWELL