By DPA,
Hamburg: Germany coach Joachim Loew will remain silent for the time being on issues such as possibly recalling Kevin Kuranyi for the World Cup, national team general manager Oliver Bierhoff said.
Bierhoff told Wednesday’s edition of the Bild daily that “we can not and don’t want to react on every speculation and player issue.
“The decision who will be in the (preliminary) World Cup squad will be announced on May 6. That’s what we have always said and the coach has time until then to watch developments and to act accordingly.”
Loew has been urged by all but the whole German football community to allow the in-form Schalke 04 striker Kuranyi back into the team. Loew kicked him out two years ago when Kuranyi left an important World Cup qualifier against Russia at halftime in frustration about not being picked.
Loew has declined to comment on Kuranyi and other issues in recent weeks and has come under fire for it.
There were also raised eyebrows when Loew did not attend Saturday’s Bundesliga table topper between Schalke and Bayern Munich, and rather went to see VfB Stuttgart play Borussia Moenchengladbach.
“Joachim Loew has his precise World Cup plan which includes which player he watches when. The work of (assistant coach) Hansi Flick, (goalkeeper coach) Andreas Koepke and (scout) Urs Siegenthaler guarantees as well that Loew knows which player is in what shape,” said Bierhoff.