Germany coach Loew extends contract to 2018

By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN (Reuters) - Joachim Loew has extended his contract as Germany coach by two years to July 2018 and will oversee the holders' bid for a second consecutive World Cup triumph. "I am delighted that Joachim Loew will stay until the 2018 World Cup as our national team coach," DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach on Friday. "With his competence, his determination and his presence, Joachim does the team and the entire FA a world of good. We want to remain as the world's top team and that is our joint aim." Loew's assistant Thomas Schneider and goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke have also been rewarded with new contracts while national team manager Oliver Bierhoff was given a contract extension to 2020. Loew took over from Juergen Klinsmann after the 2006 World Cup following two years as his assistant and led Germany to one final and two semi-finals in his first three major tournaments in charge. Germany ended an 18-year title drought by beating Argentina 1-0 in last year's World Cup final in Brazil. "I have often said that for all of us it is a great motivation to try and confirm the success of Brazil," Loew said. "Our young team is still not at the end of its development. The same goes for our players." Loew and Germany will attempt to win the 2016 European Championship in France, a title the team has not won under his management.