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Rediff.com  » Sports » Klinsmann happy to wait

Klinsmann happy to wait

By Kevin Fylan
February 09, 2005 11:15 IST
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Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann will let his World Cup goalkeeping dilemma go on unsolved after seeing the first signs that his wait-and-see policy might be working.

Klinsmann said he would play Arsenal's Jens Lehmann from the start against Argentina in Wednesday's friendly international and bring back Bayern Munich's Oliver Kahn for the next game away to Slovenia next month.

"They will continue to alternate this year," Klinsmann confirmed on Tuesday. "I've discussed it with both men and there's absolutely no problem. They'll both get their games."

The coach's decision to open up the goalkeeping position to competition after taking over last year seemed to bring out the worst in the two 35-year-olds.

Kahn made a series of uncharacteristic errors for Bayern over the first half of the season, while Lehmann lost his position in the Arsenal team to Manuel Almunia.

But since the turn of the year, Kahn has been the Bundesliga's outstanding keeper, playing faultlessly in Bayern's three league games -- a 3-0 win over Hamburg SV, a goalless draw with Hertha Berlin and a 2-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen.

Lehmann is also back in favour, after returning to the Arsenal side against Aston Villa at the weekend.

"I have to pay both goalkeepers a huge compliment for the way they have dealt with this situation," Klinsmann said.

"The two provide motivation for each other and they are very important to the squad as role models."

Lehmann, who made his last appearance for Germany in a 3-0 win over Cameroon in November, said his return to the Arsenal side did not mean the pressure was now off him.

"Normally I would hope to be playing again in the next game but at Arsenal you're under question every day," Lehmann said.

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Kevin Fylan
Source: REUTERS
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