Just five weeks ago Germany were celebrating a successful World Cup -- with the hosts finishing a creditable third -- but since then coach Juergen Klinsmann has departed leaving his former assistant Loew to continue his work.

For Loew, a former coach at VfB Stuttgart and Austria Vienna, the Sweden friendly represents the only chance to bed himself into the job before the Euro 2008 qualifiers begin.

The Republic of Ireland are Germany's first Euro 2008 hurdle in Stuttgart on September 2.

Germany failed to win a single match at Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 but that has not stopped Loew thinking positive for the 2008 edition in Austria and Switzerland.

"We failed in our goal to win the World Cup so we want to bring the Euro 2008 title back to Germany," said Low.

"We can't bask in the World Cup euphoria forever but we can take confidence from the fact that we can compete with the top teams.

"This young team is not at the end of its development."

As well as trying to step out of Klinsmann's shadow, Loew must deal with a spate of injuries that have denied him the chance to field a full strength team against Sweden.

Captain Michael Ballack is sidelined with a hip injury sustained in Chelsea's 2-1 Community Shield defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

Loew now just hopes his skipper is back fit in time for the Ireland match, declaring: "We hope Ballack is back as soon as possible and perhaps he can play again at the weekend."

Borussia Dortmund duo Christoph Metzelder and Sebastian Kehl also miss out with knee injuries.

But Loew can call upon the strike partnership of Lukas Podolski and World Cup golden boot winner Miroslav Klose for the Sweden match.

Sweden should need no firing up for the match with their 2-0 defeat to Germany in the last 16 of the World Cup still fresh in their memory.

Like Germany they are also warming up for the Euro 2008 qualifiers with their first match against Latvia on September 2.