Loew eyes Euro glory

With his side five points clear at the top of their Euro 2008 qualifying group, Germany's head coach Joachim Loew revealed on Wednesday his plans for the assault on the European crown.
Germany face Wales, fifth in Group D, at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday and should have their place at next June's European Championships in Austria and Switzerland confirmed by the end of the autumn.
With 275 days until Euro 2008 starts on June 7 2008, Loew already has his side undergoing regular fitness tests and the hotels are reserved with five qualifying games still remaining.
The work ahead is mapped out for the players with a battery of physical tests planned, a broad review of manpower and a stay in the sun with their families scheduled before next summer's tournament.
"It is very important for the planning of our campaign in the coming months that we have precise data on the physical status of our players," explained Loew.
The head coach put 27 players, including the squad for Saturday's game, through a day of fitness tests in Cologne, something his predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann advocated.
The new data will be compared with the data collected in 2004 and each player will be given a personalised training programme to follow.
But while Loew is using some of the managerial tricks inspired by Klinsmann (holidays with families, stringent fitness tests), Loew has also worked hard to heal the rift between Germany's top clubs and Klinsmann.
Loew called a meeting with the coaches of all the Bundeliga clubs, first and second division, to inform them of his plans for the Euro 2008 campaign ahead as well as commenting on the style of play he wants to see.