Germany coach Joachim Loew will continue to wear his trademark blue sweater at matches and won't have it cleaned while his team keeps winning.
He claimed on Monday he was not superstitious but admitted that pressure from other coaching staff and players to keep wearing his familiar sweater had paid off ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash against Spain in Durban on Wednesday.
"The thing with the sweater is that I am not driven by superstition," a smiling Loew told reporters. "The other coaching staff said I should be wearing the sweater now because every time I wear it we score four goals."
Germany beat England 4-1 in the second round and reached the semi-finals following a 4-0 demolition of Argentina, with Loew donning the V-necked garment each time.
"I am not even allowed to wash it now and I think I will wear it again (against Spain)," he said.
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger also hoped to see his coach wearing it at Durban Stadium.
"I do not know how many sweaters he has that are blue. But I hope he has the one or two left in his suitcase," he said.
(Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Web site.)
(Agencies)
德国队在本届世界杯上可谓战绩骄人,而在德国队接下来的比赛中,主教练尤阿希姆•勒夫打算继续穿着他的那件标志性的蓝毛衣,暂时不会洗它。 勒夫的蓝色毛衣给德国队带来了连连好运。勒夫于本周一在接受采访时称这并不是因为他迷信,但坦称是迫于教练组其他成员和球员们的要求。德国将于本周三在德班举行的世界杯半决赛中对阵西班牙。 勒夫笑着告诉记者说:"我穿这件毛衣不是因为迷信。教练组的其他成员说现在我应该穿着这件毛衣,因为每次我穿上它,我们都能进四个球。" 在世界杯的第二轮比赛中,德国队以4比1击败英格兰队,又以4比0大胜阿根廷,晋级半决赛,而在每场比赛中勒夫都穿着这件V领毛衣。 他说:"他们现在甚至都不让我洗它,我想(在对西班牙的比赛中)我还会穿着它。" 德国队中场球员巴斯蒂安•施魏因施泰格也希望在德班的球场上看见教练穿着这件蓝毛衣。 他说:"我不知道他有几件蓝毛衣。不过我希望他的行李箱里有一两件备用的。" |