Loew lays down the law as peace returns to Germany

Hamburg - An apology from Torsten Frings appears to have restored the peace to the German national team set-up after a mini-revolt threatened to upset the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Coach Joachim Loew had found himself having to deal with a number of brush fires in the last few weeks despite Germany's solid start to its World Cup qualifying campaign.

Late Tuesday he met Werder Bremen's Frings in Berlin to tell him in no uncertain terms he would have to prove himself if he wants to win back his place in the team.

Loew had last week summoned his captain, Michael Ballack, for talks after the Chelsea midfielder had made some highly critical comments in a newspaper interview.

The coach this autumn has also had to deal with a dispute involving Ballack and team manager Oliver Bierhoff which had been simmering for some time and came to the fore immediately after the lost Euro 2008 final against Spain in July.

In addition, striker Kevin Kuranyi walked out on the team during last month's World Cup qualifier against Russia in Dortmund, unhappy at not being selected by Loew for the final 18-man squad.

Schalke striker Kuranyi won't be picked again for Germany under Loew - and Ballack and Frings have now both had to apologize to the coach or also risk banishment.

Former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann may also be another disappointed figure after hearing from Loew this week that he would not be selected for this month's friendly international against England.

The former Arsenal goalkeeper, now with Stuttgart, had been hoping the game in Berlin could also double as his official farewell after the keeper decided to retire from international duty after Euro 2008.

German football icon Franz Beckenbauer has not been alone in his surprise at the recent behaviour of players, effectively describing some of today's players as wimps - an "over-sensitive bunch."

After Tuesday's peace talks between Loew and Frings, he told Premiere television: "Let's hope that's enough of all these sensitive feelings. It was getting ridiculous hearing it all."

Not all commentators are convinced the air has been really cleared. And the harmony and team spirit which had been a notable feature of the squad under Juergen Klinsmann at the 2006 World Cup and then initially under Loew has been dealt a blow.

It was a sense of an artificially nurtured harmony around the squad which had begun to irritate Ballack in the first place.

But for Loew, his captain went too far when he complained that senior players were not being shown enough respect following the decision to leave stalwart Frings out of the side for the last two matches.

Ballack apologized in a meeting with Loew last week in Frankfurt, and Frings has now conceded he had also made a mistake in airing his discontent publicly.

"Torsten and I had already had a fair and open discussion last October in Dusseldorf before the Russia and Wales games when I told him he can be an important player for the national team," Loew said in a statement on the German Football Federation website.

"But competition for midfield is intense and he must prove himself. He has accepted this and apologized."

Frings told Premiere that he expected no selection guarantees and would fight for his place in the Germany team.

"The talks were good. Both (myself and Loew) said what we had on our minds. The issue has now been dealt with," he said.

"It is quite clear to me that I can claim no special privileges based on my previous success and achievements."

In similar contrite remarks last week, Ballack, 32, had said: "I apologized to Joachim Loew. He is the coach, he makes the decisions and we have to respect them."

Meanwhile Loew has met Lehmann to inform the 38-year-old keeper that he will not make a hoped-for farewell appearance in the game against England on November 19.

"Our group of young keepers needs the experience of these international matches," the coach said, while thanking Lehmann for his services to the national side.

"Obviously, a final appearance in the England game would have been a nice gesture towards Jens. Even more so, because Jens spent five years at Arsenal, and every fan remembers his heroic deeds in the Berlin Olympiastadion during the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.

"All this considered, our team goals had to be given priority." (dpa)

General: 
Regions: