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Germany coach Loew absents pre-match press conference

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-27 15:34

JOHANNESBURG - Germany coach Joachim Loew failed to show up at the pre-match news conference on Saturday ahead of his team's second-round clash with England.

Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger (R) and his coach Joachim Loew attend a training session in Bloemfontein June 26, 2010. [Agencies]?

FIFA officials appeared angry with Loew's absence, as FIFA rules call for the head coach and a player to be present.

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Germany's goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke was the only one to show up with team officials.

German team officials dismissed suggestions that Loew's absence was a protest at not being able to train at the stadium. "It didn't work time-wise," Koepke said.

Team spokesman Harald Stenger said that because the training was not at the stadium, Loew did not have time to come to the news conference punctually and that's why the team decided to bring Koepke, "who has just come from the shower."

Koepke said it would have been good to train at the stadium but that England was in the same situation.

"This is no protest, it just wasn't possible time-wise because we have to be fully prepared for tomorrow's game," Koepke said.