BERLIN: Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann believes it is vital that the hosts do not revel in the glory of Friday's sensational World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win over Argentina, saying they can only be content when the trophy is in the cabinet.
Germany face Italy in Tuesday's semi-final in Dortmund with the country in a state of euphoria after downing mighty Argentina but Klinsmann warned the job was only half done.
"You can never look back after a successful match but look towards the next big challenge," Klinsmann said in an interview with German sports agency SID.
"We can only be content if we are world champions on Sunday. I will give everything to make that happen. There is no time for the word 'content' at the moment. A World Cup like this encourages a permanent hunger from match to match."
Germany appointed 41-year-old Klinsmann as national coach in August 2004 and the 1990 World Cup victor with West Germany immediately said lifting the World Cup was the goal.
The hotel rooms for the Berlin final on July 9 were booked in advance but not everyone was convinced, particularly as Germany had crashed out of Euro 2004 at the first hurdle without winning a single match.
"In the beginning some laughed when we set the World Cup title as our target after we exited the Euro 2004 at the first stage," said Klinsmann, who is bidding to emulate Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as player and coach.
"But fortunately now there is a different way of thinking which we have achieved through two years of hard work."
With an attacking brand of football Germany have surpassed many people's expectations by reaching the last four and are riding on the crest of the World Cup wave.
Italy are up next and Klinsmann admits his time in Serie A - the striker played for Inter Milan between 1989 and 1992 - was a valuable part of his learning curve.
"At the time the switch to Italy was the most important step in my career," he said.
"I learnt a lot. The lifestyle and the mentality is a part of me today."
