But The World Is Looking At Germany Again

93% of the German public wanted him to carry on, and all 23 national players wanted him to carry on, the twisted journalist dogs that spent their precious column inches niggling at his ankles wanted him to carry on, but exuberant, tight-shirted Jürgen will not be staying on as national coach of Germany. He's going back to California with his wife, Yoko. How disappointed everyone is - he did so much more than take this spirited team of young Polish misfits and renegades, make them into a brash, slender whippet-like fighting force that conquered the semi-finals. He turned Germany's image abroad around - he made Germany look young and happy again. In the world's mind, Germany is no longer populated by fat and arrogant businessmen, cumbrously mounting Polish prostitutes and driving too fast.

He was the central, wonderful image of Germany's World Cup campaign - jumping around, losing his mind as if it weren't obvious that Germany would win. Humble, you could say. The staid Joachim Loew just won't be the same.