Loew on the lookout for spy from Germany!

Germany coach Joachim Loew is out to unearth a mole in the camp who has been tipping off German media about his starting lineups at Euro 2012, the players said on Saturday.

 A day after Germany beat Greece 4-2 to book a semifinal spot, attacking midfielders Marco Reus and Andre Schuerrle revealed Loew had been unhappy with the lineups being leaked hours before their group games and again on Friday.  “It is unfortunate that this has happened because at 1400 (local time) all the German media knew. There must be a leak,” said Schuerrle. 

“It is true that the coach talked to us about it and he was not happy. I do not think it is someone from the team because I cannot imagine it being someone from the team,” he said. “There must be a leak and it is very unfortunate.”  Loew made three surprise changes to his forward line against Greece but hours before the game the lid on his secret was blown with several German media outlets running the overhauled lineup. 

Schuerrle and Reus, along with striker Miroslav Klose, were the three players who had slipped into a surprise starting team that took the Greeks by storm. There were similar leaks in Germany’s three group games. “I do not know who the mole is but in the end I don’t think it was a drawback for us,” said Reus, who scored on his Euro debut. 

To add to his agitation, Germans floundered numerous chances in the first half against Greece, and he almost dashed down the tunnel for a shot of caffeine. “I tried to go and get an espresso but then we missed another chance and I got angry,” said the 52-year-old renowned for his love of coffee. 

Loew had replaced the tournament’s joint leading scorer Mario Gomez with Miroslav Klose and left out Thomas Mueller and Lukas Podolski in a bid to confuse the dour Greeks. It was a brave decision but despite taking 39 minutes to make the breakthrough, courtesy of Philipp Lahm’s swerving shot, it ultimately proved a good one.
 “After three matches and three victories it was hard not to be satisfied,” Loew, whose side were congratulated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told reporters when asked about his surprise team selection. 

“But I thought we had to unpredictable. I knew they would be ready for us because they know our players well. I thought I would freshen things up.  “In the end it worked out very well. Our three attackers were great and Klose scored and Reus scored.”