Joachim Löw impressed by Klopp's start as Germany boss but warns of setbacks

Joachim Löw has praised Jürgen Klopp for the start he has made as Germany head coach, having taken over from Julian Nagelsmann last summer following the disappointing World Cup round-of-32 exit against Paraguay.

“He is doing a very, very good job. He gives the players a lot of confidence and is trying to develop a sustainable playing philosophy. You get the feeling that things are heading in a positive direction,” Löw, who led Germany to World Cup glory in 2014, told Bild TV on Sunday.

Löw believes Klopp has already got plenty right, including his decision to name 44 players in his first squad and his handling of the controversy surrounding Felix Nmecha's religious crown celebration.

However, he also urged caution against raising expectations too high, with Germany having struggled to compete with the world's best since their World Cup triumph in 2014.

“His name alone does not always guarantee success. There will still be a few setbacks before we get back to that level,” Löw emphasised.

“The results are not all that important at this stage. We are in the Nations League now, and qualifying begins next year, which we will get through. The important thing will be for the team to spend six months playing together and building an understanding,” he said.

“You cannot expect any coach to get everything working within a few weeks. You have to look at whether there is progress,” Löw added.

Klopp and Germany will be hoping to secure a place in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals with a win over the Netherlands in their final Group A2 fixture on Monday.