Feature: "Further training" for Germany's world champions

Winning a World Cup is just moment in time, which is a thought Germany's head coach Joachim Loew must have in his mind in the lead up his team's first matches after a four-month break.

The curtain raiser against Australia, a warm-up, in Kaiserslautern this Wednesday and the Euro qualifier against Georgia in Tiflis next Sunday mark the first two games of the 2015 campaign.

Loew is determined to deliver an innovative new football-product to German fans and for good reason. To make a mark on the era and to, "have that World Cup winning feeling once more," Loew intends to present a "master plan" to update Germany's football in order to challenge the future - meaning the 2016 European Championship in France and - above all - the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"Tactically, we need to become highly flexible," said the 55-year-old and announced a "year of testing" for 2015 - neglecting the fact that the Germans might face a difficult season as Loew's team at present finds itself back in third in their Euro qualifying group behind Poland and Ireland who they face in September 2015. But Loew - as he says - has no doubts of clinching a berth at the finals in France 2016. General manager Oliver Bierhoff demanded convincing performances to they qualify at the top of Group D.

Self-confidence is something the Germans may have preserved their confidence but many other things will have to change revealed Loew - meaning the 2014 world champion needs "further training".

"The team that won the Brazil World Cup does not exist anymore, that means, we have to update and change," said Loew. At the beginning of 2015, the German coach sent his scouts around the world to take a close look at developments in the Asian Cup, in Italy, Chile and other countries.

Above all Chile's modern playing style - as seen in Brazil with a three-man back line and a breathtaking and powerful game going forward - impresses Loew. For his side, he is convinced his World Cup strategy (a back-row of four central defenders) is a story of the past. A Chile-like German team is Loew's new goal: "They operate the system with three men at the back more or less perfectly. As do many clubs in Italy."

Having scored only seven goals in four qualification games, Loew is - two weeks after he extended his contract until 2018 - aware of opponents playing a defensive game to counteract his team. "We have to improve and open up our possibilities. It will take time to invent a new product, it will not work over night," Loew said.

Loew's strategy for the future is built on two teams, his current one and the U-21s who play the U-21 European Championship (17 to 30 June 2015) in the Czech Republic. Many expected Loew to have some newcomers among his first squad in 2015 for the Australia and Georgia games. But he picked 16 of his world champions plus Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munch) and Ilkay Guendogan (Borussia Dortmund) instead as both have recovered from serious injuries and are almost back to their best.

The idea is for the under 21 players to gain experience at a major tournament. Loew sees the youngsters as a future investment and one that is targeted at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

It was a strategy that worked well in 2009 as Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng (both Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke) and Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) plus Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) and Mesut Oezil (FC Arsenal) all won the European title with the German team and then made the move up to his senior side to eventually win football's biggest prize. Loew has thus been able to avoid making radical changes to his squad.

But that is something that only counts for now. In 2016 - the year of the tournament in France - Loew will change his policy and take a closer look at the performance of his current players such as Lukas Podolski (Inter Milan), Roman Weidenfeller and Matthias Ginter (both Borussia Dortmund) as well as others.

At the moment Loew is allowing for a kind of "World Cup bonus" but that will not last for long. Meaning: The 2014 world champions have to prove if they are able to put Loew's plans of an increasing tactical flexibility into practice. If they don't they will find themselves sidelined.

Under-21 coach and former German international striker Horst Hrubesch has Loew's full support to choose his players from the "talents" Loew has an eye on for the future - they include the former Bayern Munich player Emre Can (Liverpool), Kevin Volland (TSG Hoffenheim), Ginter, Erik Durm (Dortmund), Max Meyer (Schalke), Antonio Ruediger (VfB Stuttgart), Davie Selke (Werder Bremen) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona).

Loew and Hrubesch are convinced it is more important for them to play a vital role in the under-21 team rather than be a runner-up in the senior team. Loew wants them to develop in a competitive situation which means the U-21 European Championship is the perfect opportunity.

The German association is aiming high for the tournament - like they did in 2009. A 4-0 win England in the final in Sweden hand them the title and now the Germans are looking to add another one to their collection. Endi