Germany coach Joachim Loew's contract has been extended for another two years keeping him in charge of the team until the end of Euro 2012. “I'm very happy to continue working with the DFB (German federation) and the team,” Loew, who led Germany to third place at the World Cup in South Africa and had been briefly out of contract since then, told reporters. “We had a great time with the team at the World Cup and are looking forward to the next challenges. We have great motivation to lead and develop this team further.” Germany went into the World Cup under a cloud and missing injured captain Michael Ballack. However, it flourished despite Ballack's absence, scoring four goals apiece in wins over old rival England and Argentina on its way to the semifinals where it was beaten 1-0 by Spain. Loew would not be drawn on the captaincy row which has blown up since the World Cup between Ballack and Philipp Lahm, who wore the armband in South Africa. “I have not made up my mind on this, it's important for me to speak to the players and let them know my decision personally,” he said. Lahm said in an interview during the World Cup that he would not give up the captain's armband of his own free will, a comment which has annoyed Ballack. Last week, Ballack hit back, saying he still considered himself to be captain and that Lahm's remarks had irritated him. Loew, 50, was assistant to Juergen Klinsmann for two years and took over as senior coach when Klinsmann decided not to renew his contract after the 2006 World Cup. He led Germany to the final of Euro 2008, where they also lost 1-0 to Spain. Loew had previously failed to renew his contract last February, leading to suggestions of a rift between himself and the DFB. But DFB president Theo Zwanziger said Tuesday: “It has always been my personal goal to extend the contract with Joachim Loew and his team.” Gerrard to stay Steven Gerrard has hinted he will stay at Liverpool after the Reds captain revealed he was delighted by the club's capture of England midfielder Joe Cole. Gerrard had been linked with a move to Real Madrid after Liverpool endured a dismal campaign last season, finishing seventh in the Premier League and failing to advance past the Champions League group stage. It is four years since Liverpool won a trophy and it was suggested Gerrard was keen to move to a team who were regularly in the hunt for silverware. Even the appointment of new manager Roy Hodgson was not expected to convince him to reject Real boss Jose Mourinho, who twice tried to sign Gerrard when he was in charge at Chelsea. But the England international has held talks with Hodgson, who replaced Spaniard Rafael Benitez at Anfield, and he is impressed with the former Fulham manager's plans, as well as the move to sign Cole from Chelsea on a 90,000 pounds-a-week, four-year contract. “I made it clear that I simply needed to concentrate on the World Cup and then have a decent holiday with my family,” Gerrard told Liverpool's website.
