Loew shrugs off Ballack criticism

Coach Joachim Loew has dismissed harsh criticism from Michael Ballack over the way his national team career ended.

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Berlin – Coach Joachim Loew and the German football federation DFB on Saturday dismissed harsh criticism from Michael Ballack over the way his national team career ended.

Niersbach said on the DFB website that all talks with Ballack, 34, had been “fair” and that Loew told him in March he no longer had a place for Ballack. Niersbach said the player did then not make use of an arrangement to announce his retirement.

Loew said on Thursday that Ballack, 34, was no longer part of the team because young players had taken centre stage.

Loew and the DFB invited Ballack to captain the team one more time in an August 10 friendly with Brazil, but the midfielder declined on Friday and issued sharp criticism on the way Loew announced the end of his Germany career. – Sapa-dpa

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/loew-shrugs-off-ballack-criticism-1.1085035

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