German Football Association (DFB) co-president Theo Zwanziger told reporters today that his team's goal is to reach the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany Quarter-Finals, surprising many in Germany. With West Germany having won the World Cup 3 times so far, German fans are expecting much more. However the announcement is a reality callback, as many are aware that the West Germany team which won the 1954, 1974 and 1990 World Cup Tournaments has nothing to do with the current German team.

Juergen Klinsmann has already indicated his willingness to stay as Germany's manager even after next summers Football World Cup and the German Football Association has set the targets relatively low.

"I know success is important to Klinsmann and for him the bar will be set higher. For me, a quarter-final place would be a success if we go out to a good opponent and play with zeal." Zwanziger told the Bild newspaper.

"Everyone knows we don't have the sort of team we had in 1974 or 1990 but we do have young players who can improve. If the fans can say after the World Cup that the team really got us going then that will be a success" Zwanziger said.

Juergen Klinsmann has been under heavy criticism in Germany for his tactics and especially for him reshuffling the team a few months away from the 2006 World Cup. Outgoing German Football Association (DFB) president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder told reporters that the reshuffling of the team at this time is "dangerous".

"For this reason it would certainly be better, if the World Cup started two years later," he told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper. The failure to cultivate young talent had been neglected in the past six years, he said, adding "there was no way to compensate for that in six months."

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | google | yahoo | technorati