Germany in Line for Klinsmann
Speculation mounted Wednesday that Juergen Klinsmann will be named national team coach for Germany after he met with the country’s top soccer officials for five hours.
Klinsmann, a retired German star who lives in Newport Beach, agreed to help rebuild the struggling three-time World Cup champions after a meeting in New York with German Soccer Federation (DFB) President Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder and general secretary Horst R. Schmidt.
“Naturally I will help the DFB, regardless of function. In New York, we had a constructive and open talk analyzing the national team,” Klinsmann said.
German daily Sueduetsche Zeitung reported that the DFB plan is to name Klinsmann as coach, with Holger Osieck as his assistant. Osieck was an assistant to Franz Beckenbauer on the 1990 World Cup championship team, of which Klinsmann was a key component.
Rudi Voeller stepped down as national team coach at the end of June after Germany suffered a dismal first-round exit at Euro 2004.
In February, the Galaxy had hired Klinsmann as a technical advisor.
Lavolpe to Stay
Mexico Coach Ricardo Lavolpe backed off a threat to resign after his team was eliminated at Copa America, instead suggesting that he would step down if Mexico did poorly at the Olympics.
During a contentious news conference late Tuesday night at the Mexico City airport, Lavolpe vigorously defended himself against mounting criticism from Mexican media, and later kicked a photographer.
“If we win a medal, the people are going to start to understand that there is a process that I have to keep playing with,” Lavolpe said.
After speaking to reporters, Lavolpe pushed and kicked photographer Christian Palma, then pulled his ear, according to reports.
Quick Passes
McColm Cephas scored two goals to lead the Richmond Kickers of the A-League to a 2-1 upset of D.C. United in a fourth-round game of the U.S. Open Cup at Richmond, Va.... Newcastle United of the English Premier League signed Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert to a three-year contract.... Brazilian World Cup veteran Rivaldo signed with Olympiakos Piraeus of the Greek league, a radio station in Greece reported.... Bayern Munich forward Claudio Pizarro said he would be sidelined until September because of a skull fracture suffered playing for Peru at Copa America.... China beat Indonesia, 5-0, and Bahrain and Qatar tied, 1-1, in group play at the Asian Cup at Beijing.
-- Compiled by Jim Barrero
