Matthaeus calls Klinsmann 'killer' for sacking Maier

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann is a "cold-blooded killer" for sacking goalkeeping coach Sepp Maier, former Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus said yesterday.

Matthaeus, who coaches Hungary and was passed over for the Germany job when the German FA (DFB) appointed Klinsmann, attacked his former team-mate for firing Maier.

Matthaeus and Klinsmann have rarely seen eye to eye.

"Juergen is going his way in a cold-blooded manner," Matthaeus said. "He's a killer - in the past on the pitch and now in the DFB. There's no humanity left."

Maier, who had doubled as goalkeeping coach for Germany and Bayern Munich since 1988, was sacked on Sunday for speaking out against Jens Lehmann before Germany's match against Iran on Saturday. Two months ago Klinsmann rebuked him for similar remarks.

Klinsmann has said Oliver Kahn, hero of Germany's 2002 World Cup team that reached the final against Brazil, and Arsenal goalkeeper Lehmann would have an equal shot at the job for the 2006 World Cup.

After Lehmann said last week Maier was a "lobbyist" for Kahn, the retired West Germany goalkeeper shot back that Lehmann should forget about 2006 because Kahn was the better goalkeeper.

Klinsmann is expected to replace Maier with Andreas Koepke, a team-mate from the 1996 European championship.

Lehmann, 34, has 20 caps compared with 35-year-old Kahn's 74.