Germany coach Loew extends contract through 2014

German soccer national coach Joachim Loew (R) signs a contract as he sits next to the president of the German Football Association (DFB) Theo Zwanziger, at the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt, March 15, 2011.

BERLIN - Joachim Loew will remain Germany coach until the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the German football federation (DFB) said Tuesday.

Loew's contract was due to expire after next year's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

"The DFB and coach Joachim Loew will continue their successful cooperation beyond the 2012 European Championship," the federation said.

Loew's assistant Hansi Flick, goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke and manager Oliver Bierhoff also will stay on until the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"I am pleased that we could agree early on to continue our cooperation," Loew said.

Loew said the contract talks were concluded in a few days, showing the degree of good faith the two sides had in each other.

The 51-year-old Loew took over from Juergen Klinsmann after the 2006 World Cup. He took Germany to the final of Euro 2008 and a third-place finish at last year's World Cup in South Africa.

"We believe in the quality of our players and we see a good future for our team. That's why we were glad to accept the offer of extending the contracts early," Loew said.

DFB president Theo Zwanziger also stressed the "harmonious contract talks" and "mutual trust" and "respect" both sides had for each other.

That was not always so. Loew and Zwanziger fell out one year ago over a new contract and when details of negotiations were leaked to the media. The talks broke down, among other reasons over Loew's financial demands, and the contract was not extended until after the World Cup.

But Zwanziger had come out with strong support for Loew during Germany's successful World Cup campaign.

(Agencies)