Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 631 Wed. March 08, 2006  
   
Sports


FIFA World Cup
Germany 2006

Klinsmann has a plan!


Problems are piling up on Juergen Klinsmann with less than 100 days to go before the World Cup but the Germany coach is not losing his cool.

"I've got my plan with everything necessary for the World Cup preparations," the former Germany striker said after Franz Beckenbauer scolded him for returning home to California instead of attending a World Cup workshop.

"I was in Germany for three of the last five weeks after the Bundesliga started up after the winter break," the 41-year-old told Tuesday's issue of Bild newspaper.

Beckenbauer, Germany's World Cup organising committee president, said on Monday he was angry and disappointed that Klinsmann was not in Duesseldorf for the two-day meetings to discuss technical issues.

It is not the first time Klinsmann has faced criticism for his decision to keep living in the United States. Since taking the top job in August 2004, he has been commuting between his native Germany and his home in southern California.

However, Klinsmann is under fire for more than just being a long-distance commuter. After Germany's shock 4-1 friendly defeat by Italy last week, several deputies said he should be summoned before a parliamentary committee to explain his training methods.

The three-times world champions have not beaten top class international opposition in a 17-match winless streak since a 1-0 win over England in October 2000 and the local media are now predicting a debacle for the host nation at the World Cup starting on June 9.