Low wants killer touch v Greek survival artists
Reuters - Thursday 21 June 2012, 16:34
Germany will not get a flurry of
chances against Greece in Friday's Euro 2012 quarter-final and
will need to be lethal with the few that come their way against
a "granite" defence, coach Joachim Low said on Thursday.
The Germans go into the match on the back of 14 consecutive
competitive victories stretching back to the 2010 World Cup.
Low, however, said the odds-on favourites would need to
work hard against a team he called "survival artists" because of
what he said was their never-say-die attitude.
"It will be very important to use the few chances we will
get with a killer instinct," said the 52-year-old. "We will
crash into a granite block with their defence but I am sure we
will get out chances if we work hard."
"It will be a tight game because the Greeks are not easy to
break apart. They have their own style of play. It is in their
blood, a tight defence and strong counter-attacks."
"We keep writing them off but they are always there. They
are... survival artists."
Low, who called his team the "small favourites" for the
title said they were widely expected to reach the last four.
"Yes, it is clear we are the favourites but knockout matches
have a character of their own. Look at what happened to Russia,"
he said of Greece's surprise 1-0 win over the Russians that
eliminated the Group A favourites.
"When the game starts it has absolutely no significance."
Low has a full squad to choose from with midfielder Bastian
Schweinsteiger, who has trained less than the other players for
the past two days due to some pain in his ankle, back fit.
"Bastian will be ready to play. Today he will also complete
the final training."