Politicians Call on Klinsi to Explain Italy Debacle to Parliament

Being lambasted by the national press rarely concerns Germany's national soccer coach Jürgen Klinsmann but the prospect of being summoned before a parliamentary committee to explain his training methods before the World Cup should surely ruffle the usually calm Klinsi's feathers.

According to Bild tabloid on Saturday, several members of parliament from the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD) have called on Klinsmann to explain why Germany were so outplayed in the 4-1 defeat by Italy on Wednesday and why his players looked as though they were chasing shadows for much of the game.

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"It would be good if Herr Klinsmann would come before the sport committee and explain what his concept is and how Germany can win the World Cup," said Norbert Barthle, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU. "The match against Italy was gruesome and we wonder that can be fixed by the summer. The federal government is the biggest sponsor of the World Cup. In light of that, I'd like to get a few answers from him."

Reinhold Hemker, a SPD deputy on the sport committee, also had questions about the team's fitness for the World Cup and the future of soccer in Germany under Klinsmann's leadership.

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"I'd like to hear from Jürgen Klinsmann how he plans to create a secure foundation for the team," Hemker said. "Klinsmann has good players but there are too many uncertainties. He should start saying clearly who he is counting on."

Miriam Gruss, a member of the opposition liberal Free Democrats on the panel, also demanded answers.

"The World Cup is of national interest," she said. "He should stop experimenting and inform the sport committee of his plans. It's not just a question of whether a team plays poorly. It's the larger question: How is the team presenting itself?"

But an appearance by Klinsmann before the committee is unlikely as the latter's chairman, Peter Danckert (SPD), rejected the "crazy idea" in an interview with Netzeitung.

Greens parliamentary leader Fritz Kuhn also said he was opposed to the plan.

"Anyone who wants to drag Klinsi before the committee, isn't quite clear in the head," he said, adding that in that case, members of parliament might as well decide on who gets to play in the German team.

DFB and Beckenbauer back Klinsmann

Immediately after the Florence fiasco the German Football Federation (DFB) backed Klinsmann to get it right at the World Cup with DFB president Theo Zwanziger pointing out that there had been setbacks in the build-up to previous World Cups.

"In 1954, 1974 and 1990 there were bad results prior to the tournaments and heated discussions," Zwanziger said. "But we ended up being crowned world champions."

Franz Beckenbauer, head of the 2006 World Cup Organizing Committee, also backed Klinsmann, saying it would be folly to discuss his future just months before the finals.

"A managerial discussion months before the World Cup would be the worst thing that could happen to us," Beckenbauer told Bild. "Jürgen Klinsmann is leading our team at the World Cup."