Hamann (left) paid tribute to his national coach (Allsport)
HAMANN HAILS COACH VOLLER
By David Anderson, PA Sport, in Seoul
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Dietmar Hamann has hailed Rudi Voller's transformation of Germany from
national laughing stock just nine months ago to World Cup finalists.
Germany were savaged mercilessly by their media following the traumatic end to
their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Their 5-1 mauling by England in September and then their failure to beat
Finland at home meant they suffered the ignominy of having to qualify for the
finals via the play-offs.
From this low, Voller has led the team back to the top and now they are just
one game away from being crowned world champions.
Liverpool midfielder Hamann feels Voller's greatest achievement has been to
unite all the players who had split into factions under previous coach Erich
Ribbeck.
"I think the difference from previous teams in past tournaments is for once
we have a coaching staff all the players can get behind," he said.
"Rudi Voller has vast experience. He's seen it and done it on the
international stage and the players respect that.
"He's won the World Cup as a player and he's a strong coach. All that is left
now is for us to go the final mile."
Voller's achievement in leading Germany to their seventh World Cup final is
all the more remarkable given his lack of managerial experience.
The 42-year-old was appointed almost by accident following Germany's
humiliating showing at Euro 2000 and initially he was supposed to take charge
for just one year until first-choice Christoph Daum completed his contract with
Bayer Leverkusen.
Then Daum was disgraced following revelations about drug-taking and Voller was
handed the job of Bundestrainer - as the Germans call it - full-time.
Voller, who won 90 caps for Germany, admits he was something of a rookie, but
claims he learnt a great deal from the various managers he worked under.
"I like to think I've risen to the challenge," he said. "I've been lucky in
that I have an excellent coaching team with Michael Skibbe, Erich Rutemoller and
Sepp Maier.
"But I was not a complete greenhorn as a coach and I was sporting director
for Bayer Leverkusen for the previous four years and I was involved in such
things as players' transfers.
"As a player I was coached by some very good coaches and you learn a trick or
two from them."
He certainly has and now only Brazil stand between Voller and membership of
that highly select band of men, such as Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, who
have won the World Cup as a player and manager.
Voller is well aware of Brazil's forward power and he claims Germany must be
cautious in Sunday's final in Yokohama.
"Obviously we have to be positive, but not too much," he said. "In the
semi-final when Turkey went 1-0 down they went forward leaving gaps at the back
and really they were lucky not to lose by more.
"We must not do that because Brazil have many world-class players who can
punish you."
Apart from the suspended Michael Ballack, Voller boarded the flight to Japan
today with a more or less fully-fit squad.
Striker Carsten Jancker has a temperature, but Voller claims he should be all
right to train on Saturday, while Miroslav Klose is fine after taking a knock on
his hip.
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