FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Germany’s star striker Jurgen Klinsmann is doubtful for Saturday’s international against Colombia in Frankfurt however defender Thomas Helmer will definitely be missing.

Both were flown out of Germany’s pre-World Cup training camp in Helsinki to Munich on Wednesday for medical exmainations and received their bad news on the same day.

Klinsmann has a badly bruised calf muscle, unwillingly inflicted by fellow striker Ulf Kirsten during a training exercise.

“The calf muscle is swollen which is not a problem,” the blonde Tottenham Hotspur player said. “I will be able to start training again on Friday but it’s touch and go whether I will make it in time for Saturday against Colombia. “It will only take a few days to mend. My place for the World Cup is not in danger” That is not the case with Helmer, whose prognosis is somewhat worse. He has a muscle tear in his thigh which could bring with it a compulsory two week rest period, placing his World Cup nomination in jeopardy.

The Bayern Munich captain struggled at the Helsinki training camp, largely because of a knee injury which he brought with him from the final weeks of the Bundesliga. This torn muscle just caps his recent woes.

Germany struggled to a 0-0 draw Wednesday against Finland with the players complaining they could do no better because of tiredness from 10 days of constant, hard training behind them.

Coach Berti Vogts however was critical of this explanation and said his men would be better off shutting their mouths and just running a bit harder.

“I am disappointed,” Vogts said bluntly. “I can’t accept talk that we trained too hard. I expected more desire from the players. I’m tired of looking for excuses like, the pitch was bad and the grass too green.”The only excuse we have is that we weren’t fit enough.” Vogts expressed himself satisfied however with Lothar Matthaeus in his comeback match after three and a half years away. The 37-year-old tried hard Wednesday to drive his side forward from the last line of defence but found the midfield far too crowded as Germany failed to take control of that area.

Wingers Joerg Heinrich and Michael Tarnat, who played poorly against the Finns, are likely to be dropped Saturday in favour of Stefan Reuter and Christian Ziege.

Midfielder Andreas Moeller, who watched the Finnish game from the bench, will also get a recall against Colombia. Vogts has said he expects a definite improvement as there is no time left to radically reorganise his squad.

Germany play their opening World Cup match against the United States in Paris on June 15th.

Finland’s coach Richard Moeller-Nielsen was generous in his appraisal of Wednesday’s match, ackowledging that the visitors were lacking their usual edge after 10 days of hard work. He still rated Germany a favourite though for lifting their fourth world title.

“He is a good friend,” Vogts smiled knowingly. “He has a lot to make good for though after the ’92 European Cup final in Sweden (when Germany lost 2-0 to Denmark, coached by Moeller-Nielsen). I thank him for the compliment. I’ll be able to sleep better now.”