Germany coach Joachim Loew can feel that time is running out for him to win a major title after eight years in charge of the much-feared national side.

The 54-year-old, who hails from the Schwarzwald and still German accent, succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach after the 2006 World Cup.

He has steered Germany to the semi-finals of the 2008 European Championship, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, but his resume lacks the major title which would elevate him to Germany's top division of coaches.

Loew's image is a daily occurence in Germany where he fronts an advertising campaign for a leading cosmetics brand, but the head coach rarely appears in the media spotlight.

The German Football Association (DFB) has already told him his job is safe beyond Brazil 2014 and Loew is expected to see out his current contract which expires after Euro 2016.

But Loew has acknowledged that "the clock is ticking".

Having never played senior international football, Loew made four appearances for West Germany's Under-21s and played Bundesliga football as a midfielder for Eintracht Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and VfB Stuttgart.

He won the 1997 German Cup final as VfB Stuttgart coach and after working in Turkey and Austria, Loew joined the Germany set up as assistant coach in 2004.

Loew was responsible for tactics with Klinsmann as the team's motivator and the pair delighted the nation as Germany finished third at the 2006 World Cup on home soil.

His impressive record of 70 wins in 103 internationals, with a goal difference of 253 to just 98 conceded, has earned Loew plenty of respect in Germany.

Under his stewardship, the Germans reached the Euro 2008 final and the semi-finals at both the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 by playing expansive, attack-minded football.

He is not afraid of taking risks.

When striker Mario Gomez struggled in the group stages of Euro 2008, Loew benched the forward and switched to a 4-2-3-1 system which resulted in a 3-1 quarter-final win over Portugal en route to the final.

At the 2010 World Cup, Loew took the youngest German squad since 1934 to South Africa and his side came of age by sweeping aside both England and Argentina before losing their semi-final to eventual winners Spain.

Even last week, Loew started eight debutants in the goalless friendly against Poland.

Loew has issues to solve both in defence and attack before Brazil.

His defence has looked frail on recent occasions, no more so than when Germany threw away a 4-0 lead against Sweden in a World Cup qualifier as they drew 4-4 in Berlin in October 2012.

Only captain and right-back Philipp Lahm is sure of his place in defence and Loew needs strong performances from his back four in the remaining warm-up games against Cameroon and Armenia.

There are also doubts about the attack.

First-choice striker Miroslav Klose, 35, is injury prone and with Mario Gomez having been left out of Loew's extended provisional squad, 21-year-old Kevin Volland of Hoffenheim is the only other out-and-out striker in the squad.