Wolfsburg puts all hopes on Loew's second string

In the German national team Andre Schuerrle (24), Julian Draxler (22) and Max Kruse (27) are regarded as the back-ups when it comes to the plans of head coach Joachim Loew to help shape an era of German dominance on the international football stage.

In their club, VfL Wolfsburg the trio's job is a much more difficult one: In advance of their duel in the Champions League against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven Wednesday evening, the 2009 German champion is pinning its entire hope on the three strikers.

The major crisis, falsifying emissions data, at the club's owner, the German car manufacturer Volkswagen could well lead to a financial crisis at the football club as well.

Plans for a 40-million-euro academy center for Wolfsburg's youngsters have already been put on hold. Expensive transfers also seem to be impossible in the future. Meaning: Schuerrle, Draxler and Kruse are the ones that will have to ensure Wolfsburg remain a top flight club.

After all, Wolfsburg spent approximately 80 million euro on the trio after their only real star Belgian striker Kevin de Bruyne left for Manchester City (75 million euros).

After the shock news that their owners were in trouble, VfL Wolfsburg's fortunes also took a dip so that they seemed to lose contact to the top four of German football in the Bundesliga.

Now things, at least in football, seem to have been turned around.

After a comfortable 4-2 win against TSG Hoffenheim which included impressive performance by Wolfsburg's attacking trio, they will be looking to continue in the same vein at home in the Champions League.

In their first home-game Wolfsburg beat Moscow 1-0 (Draxler). Beating Eindhoven would immensely improve Wolfsburg's chance of advancing to the last 16 as Manchester United has won only three points after two games (like CSKA Moscow, Eindhoven and Wolfsburg). In such a tight group, three points seem to be the key to future success.

Securing success and the club's future is clearly a job for Kruse, Schuerrle and Draxler along with Brazilian international Luis Gustavo behind them. After all, making it to the knock-out phase would increase the club's income by several million euros.

What makes Wolfsburg's coach Dieter Hecking (51) happy is the fact that his trio of hope will also be wanting to perform well in order to impress German coach Joachim Loew. A good performance in international club games is the only way to be included in Loew's squad for the 2016 European Championship in France and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Schuerrle is, like in Wolfsburg, expected to operate down the left flank, Kruse could be an alternative at the centre of Loew's attacking formation as is Draxler. The three players are key figures in Wolfsburg's offense. Champions League games are major tests for the trio in their efforts to be chosen by Loew.

After the recent good performances, hopes are rising that the trio will, after some difficulties, find their way back to top form. Kruse has regained his place in Wolfsburg's attacking formation having struggled initially after his move from Borussia Moenchengladbach. As Wolfsburg's coach Hecking was desperately looking for greater efficiency up front, Kruse was given a role further up the pitch alongside target striker Bas Dost. Since then Kruse's performances have improved.

Draxler had good games down the flanks, as did Schuerrle. However for the time being, Schuerrle's role is that of a substitute that comes on to torment tiring opponents. Currently the provider of the cross that led to Germany's World Cup winning goal, scored by Mario Goetze, is struggling to find his form after moving to the club from Chelsea where he was unable to convince coach Jose Mourinho of his merits.

Most pundits feel Wolfsburg will not play the role in international football that the club and Volkswagen originally planned. It was an open secret that Wolfsburg was aiming for the top. "We have to face reality," says Wolfsburg's General Manager, the former international striker Klaus Allofs. He fears the emissions scandal could well affect his budget in the near future.

But in Germany, Allofs is convinced Wolfsburg is still strong enough to be amongst the league's top dogs. "I am sure the team is strong enough to again make it into next season's Champions League," said Allofs. That at least would mean football in Wolfsburg will have some international face after all.

With that for sure Wolfsburg and its owner would be happy at the moment. Endi