Germany coach Loew extends contract until 2018

Joachim Loew has extended his contract as coach of world champions Germany until the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the German football federation (DFB) announced on Friday.
The 55-year-old Loew's previous contract took him through to Euro 2016, but he said the chance to extend the deal was not one he was going to allow to get away.
"I said yes with my heart and my head," Loew said. "We feel incredibly good working together and we have shared goals.
"We were crowned world champions and we want to experience that feeling again."
Federation president Wolfgang Niersbach added that it was evident how much the 'Mannschaft' had benefited from Loew's "expertise, determination and confident manner".
"The shared goal is to stay at the summit of world football, we'll do everything to achieve that," Niersbach said.
Loew, who began as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann in 2004 before taking over the top job after the World Cup in in Germany in 2006, led the Germans to World Cup glory in Brazil last year.
Loew's first tournament in charge was Euro 2008, where his charges made it to the final but lost 1-0 to Spain. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Spain again beat Germany 1-0, this time in the semi-finals.
Before the impressive triumph in Brazil, which included a 7-1 semi-final thrashing of the hosts, Germany fell in the last-four of Euro 2012 in a 2-1 defeat by Italy.
Loew added that the win in Brazil remained key to his staying in the post.
"I have already said several times that proving why we won the title in Brazil remains an incredible challenge and motivation," he said.
"Our young team is not at the end of its development and the same is true for the majority of our players."
"I have accepted this offer because we take great pleasure from working with the players and all the supporting team. We want to continue along this path together and have a lot of plans for the future."
In a further development, former Germany captain Oliver Bierhoff has also signed a new contract through until 2020.
Bierhoff "will take on a new role as project manager of the DFB Academy, in addition to his role as first team caretaker".
The academy project was "an attractive and challenging task for which I have great respect", Bierhoff said.
"We need the resources and the know-how of the entire DFB for this centennial project.
"It's incredibly rewarding to be able to implement new structures. It's pioneering, just like projects involving the national team."
Persident Niersbach added: "All of us at the DFB will do everything we can to give the best footballers in the country the best possible conditions.
"That should also be implemented in the DFB Academy, which will be the future of German football."
Source: AFP