Coach Loew’s jumper is out of stock

Jul 06, 2010

DURBAN - Football-mad Germans have snapped up the “lucky” blue cashmere sweater that German coach Joachim Loew gives partial credit for his side’s World Cup winning streak, a retail chain said Tuesday.

DURBAN - Football-mad Germans have snapped up the “lucky” blue cashmere sweater that German coach Joachim Loew gives partial credit for his side’s World Cup winning streak, a retail chain said Tuesday.

The jumpers have flown off the shelves, upscale clothier Strenesse said, with fans having to travel to the neighbouring Netherlands, home of the Germans’ fellow semi-finalists, to get their hands on the talisman Loew has worn at three German victories. “We’re completely out of stock,” a company spokeswoman told AFP.

The 50-year-old’s backroom staff have demanded Loew wear the cobalt cashmere in the semi-final against Spain Wednesday, as he has every time Germany have scored four goals in a match at the finals in wintry South Africa.

Loew, who replaced Jurgen Klinsmann after the 2006 finals, donned the v-neck in the opening 4-0 humbling of Australia, the 4-1 destruction of old foes England and then the 4-0 humiliation of Argentina Saturday -- the first time that a team has thrice scored four goals in the finals. He told reporters that “Germany’s miraculous sweater” might just have magic powers. “I am not really superstitious but others basically forced me to put it back on,” the dapper trainer said. “There’s no way I’m changing my sweater, or even washing it.”

Despite sweltering temperatures in much of Germany, shoppers cannot get enough of the 199-euro (250-dollar) sweater in “Jogi” blue.

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