Low lauds Kroos, Ginter

BeSoccer 5 years ago |

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Low was delighted that Ginter scored against Belarus on Saturday. GOAL

Toni Kroos and Matthias Ginter scored against Belarus on Saturday and Germany coach Joachim Low was overjoyed with the pair.

Joachim Low singled out Toni Kroos and Matthias Ginter for praise following Germany's Euro 2020 qualification, highlighting the importance of the midfielder and defender.

Germany crushed Belarus 4-0 on Saturday to secure their place at next year's tournament, with Leon Goretzka, Ginter and two-goal Kroos on the scoresheet. It has been a difficult period for Die Mannschaft following their early World Cup elimination last year, with Low's selection policy in particular resulting in criticism of the coach, with Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng excluded from the squad. A home defeat to Netherlands in September had Germany's automatic qualification hopes looking somewhat precarious given the form of the Oranje and Northern Ireland.

But they have since cruised over the line with minimal fuss and Low applauded Kroos not just for his effective display on Saturday, but for his general attitude.

"Toni Kroos played a great game, not just because he scored twice," Low told the German Football Association's (DFB) official website.

17 November 2019

"You can pass him the ball at any time and he'll find a way to deal with it, even if he's under pressure. He has a great vision and a sense of where he is on the pitch. He's a role model for the rest of the team with the way he approaches his job. He always puts in that extra bit of work before and after training – he's a consummate professional."

Ginter has become a fixture at the heart of the Germany defence in Euro 2020 qualifying, making six starts as Low found his replacement for the banished Hummels. It marks an impressive rise for the centre-back, who just a couple of years ago seemed to be failing to live up to his early potential when Borussia Dortmund allowed him to leave for Borussia Monchengladbach.

"As a coach, you always know what to expect from him [Ginter]," Low added. "You can trust him and he is able to do what we want him to do, which is to help build the play up from defence. He's gotten much better. He has this sense of calmness about him, which is what makes him so solid, serious and reliable. I'm especially happy that he was able to score such a beautiful goal [on Saturday]."