Euro 2012 Man of the Day: Jogi Loew

Sharply dressed, not afraid to make controversial changes, seems to have a good sense of humour (for a German), what’s not to like about Jogi Loew?

Amid the build-up to the Euro 2012 quarter-final last night, it was speculated that Jogi Loew was going to further express Germany’s superiority over their opponents by dropping the front three of Muller, Podolski and Gomez, a trio (well, duo, Muller hasn’t actually scored yet) that had accounted for four out of Germany’s five goals in the tournament before last night.

As if the fact that the presence of Angela Merkel was going to hammer home the drastic economic plight of the Greeks in the company of their European overlords, Loew was going to smugly rub it in their faces.

‘So confident am I of beating you’, he seemed to suggest, ‘that I can drop my three most potent attackers and still progress with something to spare’.

There were suggestions of a smug and ignorant attitude being adopted by Loew before the game until those in the know pointed out that it was, in fact, not like that at all. The selection of Marco Reus and Andre Schurrle ahead of Muller and Podolski was because of their greater technical qualities and ability to create something in the tight spaces the Greeks were set to impose on Germany.

Klose getting the nod ahead of Gomez was because of his greater aerial threat. Some questioned Loew’s methods, but he knew what he was doing and was proved correct when Klose scored a header, Reus got on the scoresheet and Schurrle impressed from his left-sided attacking berth.

Even if it didn’t go completely right, Loew has earned the right to experiment. They’ve won their last 15 competitive games on the trot and are beginning to look more and more capable of finally toppling the mighty Spaniards.

Besides his willingness to adapt, there is a lot to like about Loew. He is a sharp dresser and judging by his little encounter with a ballboy earlier in the tournament, he’s up for a laugh as well.

The fact that he has a habit of publicly picking his nose and he and Desperate Housewives star Kyle Maclachlan are almost certainly brothers from another mother is regrettable, but we’re sure most Germans will overlook those faults if he can guide them to Euro glory next month.

If he does, greater accolades await, but for now he has richly earned our McCoy’s Man of the Day award.