The manager of the German national football team, Oliver Bierhoff,
answered the questions of Sport Express more than two weeks ahead of the
match Germany vs. Russia in the World championship qualifying round.
"In the first two matches of the World championship
qualifiers [against Lichtenstein and Finland] the squad of the national
team was the same," said Bierhoff. "I cannot say that it will
remain the same in the next match. We still have to time to think. I think
that there will be some changes. By that time there will be a backup ready,
I mean Torsten Frings will be cured. Moreover I assume Michael Ballack
can be ready to play. We have several new interesting players."
"We naturally want to make a strong team that will be able to cope
with the Russian team."
"The head coach Joachim Loew and I try to help Miroslav Klose to
overcome his crisis. We communicate with him much, want him to believe
in himself and begin to score a lot as he used to do earlier."
"You must have noticed that there were results of our work in the
match against Finland. Klose scored again - and not once but three times
in the match. I am sure that in the next match we will see further goals,
that Klose will score against Russia."
"When the results of the draw of the World championship qualifiers
were announced the idea flashed through my mind that it wouldn't be easy.
I remembered the English team who did not get to Euro because of the Russians
with the Croatian assistance. And now when I recall how Zenit won the
UEFA Cup and how the Russians smashed the Dutch on Euro, I have something
more to worry about. I hope that our final match in Moscow won't be decisive."
"The Russian footballers are fast and aggressive. I was mostly impressed
by your strikers, this line is likely the strongest in your team."
