DORTMUND:

Germany’s back-up goalkeeper Oliver Kahn who seems to cut a grim figure at all the Germany matches on the bench has every right to be frustrated by his substitute role at the World Cup says German manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

The 37-year-old Kahn will be on the substitutes bench again for Friday’s quarter-final clash with Argentina and said he was still perplexed at playing second fiddle to Jens Lehmann. “I have told him Klinsmann clearly that I will never comprehend why I am no longer number one,” said Kahn, who was number one choice when Germany made the 2002 WC final losing 2-0 to Brazil.

“I would have expected a full explanation. But as there has not been one yet, there probably never will be.” Kahn was Germany’s first choice goalkeeper for eight years before Klinsmann arrived in August 2004 and stripped him of the captain’s armband.

Kahn, who capped 85 times for his country, was then pitted against Arsenal custodian Lehmann in a battle for the number one jersey, which he lost.

“I can understand Oliver Kahn. He still feels he is the number one and should play at this World Cup,” Klinsmann said at a press conference. “I have no problem with that. It is difficult for him to accept his current role so I understand his comments.”

So far Kahn has cut a grumpy figure on the substitutes bench for Germany’s four World Cup matches, but Klinsmann insists he is still important for the team.

Olli, as he is popularly known in Germany, played a good season for Bayern Munich and was totally shocked when Jens Lehmann was elected to be No 1. Everybody in

Germany expected Olli to announce his retirement, but he felt, that he could be valuable for the team, so he stayed on.

Olli is extremely ambitious, and I’m pretty sure that sitting on the bench and not being part of the game causes him almost physical pain. But still, you can see, that he is an important part of the team, some kind of father figure for the young players. Watch closely to whom Podolski and others run, when there is something to celebrate.

Olli deserves all the respect for being an important part of the team and we should simply overlook the grim look on his face. After all, he probably has one of the hardest jobs in Germany at the moment.