The Hindu : Sport / Football : Rehhagel's refusal stuns Germans

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 12, 2004

Sport

Sport - Football

Rehhagel's refusal stuns Germans

FRANKFURT, JULY 11. Otto Rehhagel's decision to decline an offer to become the coach of Germany has left the country's soccer leaders stunned.

"We were so focused on Rehhagel that we had no other thoughts. Now we need time," said Franz Beckenbauer, head of a four-man panel named by the soccer federation (DFB) to find a new coach for the national team.

The panel will now leave itself several days to think about another candidate, he said.

"It's not so simple. The good people are under contract. First we have to see who is willing to take the job and then we have to negotiate with a federation or a club to release him," Beckenbauer said.

Rehhagel, a German who guided Greece to its stunning European championship title one week ago, called Beckenbauer on Saturday to turn down the offer.

"I was surprised. I was expecting to discuss the details of the contract. I think emotional reasons prevailed for Rehhagel," Beckenbauer said.

Rehhagel decided to honour his contract with the Greek federation, which is valid another two years. He was the second coach to refuse the job, which became vacant when Rudi Voeller stepped down following Germany's elimination after the group stage of Euro 2004.

Former Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld also turned down the job. The new coach will have to rebuild the team for the 2006 World Cup at home.

German media speculated that two foreigners were among the candidates - Morten Olsen of Denmark and Guus Hiddink, a Dutchman. Both speak German, one of the conditions set by the German federation.

Olsen, who still has two years on his contract with the Danish federation, told a German newspaper he would be interested in the job provided he could get a release.

"I haven't turned it down. For every coach, this would be an exciting job, after all the next World Cup is in Germany," Olsen told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

As host, Germany doesn't need to qualify. Germany's next match is an August 18 exhibition in Austria, followed by the September 8 match against Brazil in Berlin. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport