Germany look towards an uncertain future

LYON, July 5: Germany, a global soccer power for more than four decades, may have to lower their international aspirations for a few years a...

LYON, July 5: Germany, a global soccer power for more than four decades, may have to lower their international aspirations for a few years at least after their World Cup quarter-final defeat by Croatia.

Coach Berti Vogts flew back with his players to their training base in Nice in the early hours today, knowing the 3-0 loss marked the end of an era.

With the imminent retirement of captain Juergen Klinsmann, defender Juergen Kohler and libero Lothar Matthaeus, the Germans must now start rebuilding ahead of the qualifying campaign for the European Championship in 2000.But German fans must face reality it will be a struggle to find young players who can rival the feats of Klinsmann and co.

The Germans won the World Cup in 1954, 1974 and 1990 and were runners-up in 1966, 1982 and 1986. Their supporters have been used to seeing their teams qualify for World Cups as a matter of routine and then reach the decisive stages.

In the last few years, Germans have had to face the fact that their economy is not asstrong as it once was. Now they must face the sobering truth their football is no longer as powerful as it was in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and the immediate future does not look bright.

The German coach did what he could with a team that lacked a mid-field creator and inspiration of Euro 8217;96-winning libero Matthias Sammer whose career looks in serious danger of being brought to a premature end by a knee injury.

It is time to find replacements for mid-fielders like Stefan Reuter, Thomas Haessler and Andy Moeller as well as for Kohler, Klinsmann and Matthaeus. Goalkeeper Andy Koepke, lacking his usual consistency here, may have to stand down for Oliver Kahn.

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Woerns is expected to be a major part of the future after his superb performances in France.

There are some other players who have a future mid-fielder Jens Jeremies, striker Oliver Bierhoff and wing backs Joerg en Heinrich and Michael Tarnat.But Vogts has complained for several years that he has been struggling to find young talent.

Vogtshimself may soon come under pressure to step down but he is unlikely to make a decision for several weeks yet.

It would also be a surprise if he were to quit after eight years in charge. As a former national youth team coach, Vogts has more idea how to find and nurture talent.