Klinsmann to start against Luxembourg

COLOGNE, Germany, June 4 (AFP)

Jurgen Klinsmann will both be in Germanys starting line-up Friday against mini neighbour Luxembourg to get in some shooting practice against part-time opponents. German coach Berti Vogts is relaxed about the way things are going for his teams build up to the World Cup and wants to try out as many players as he can against the minnows. Bayern Munich captain Thomas Helmer will be given a chance to prove his fitness after limping through the last few weeks with a pulled thigh muscle. Skipper Klinsmann, who is struggling to find his best form, will also be granted his first full match in the national colours since late last year after proving his form for Spurs in the final matches of the Premiership season. "Now that Jergen is back again and played 20 minutes against Colombia last week, I want to see him once more over the full 90 minutes," Vogts said. That will most likely cost Bayer Leverkusens Ulf Kirsten his place in the team and leave Oliver Bierhoff as the second designated striker. Bayern Munich defender Thomas Helmer has more to prove Friday than just fitness. He was blasted Thursday by Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer in a newspaper article reflecting on the clubs bumpy 1997-98 Bundesliga season. "As captain he was the one who should have pushed the others on. That didnt happen and we paid bitterly for it," the "Kaiser" complained. He was also angry that Helmer played for Germany in their friendly against Brazil in March in spite a knee injury, hampering him in the final stages of the Bundesliga season which left Bayern as runners-up behind Kaiserslautern. "What should I say," shrugged Helmer. "I will give my answer at a later date-but in my own way. For now though I have the World Cup." Unlike Beckenbauer, Vogts underlined his support for Helmer, saying: "He is a very important player with influence. I expect he will be a very important man for us (in France)."  For tax purposes the German Football Federation (DFB) is not the official organiser of Fridays warm-up match. Instead a special organisation has been founded, allowing the expected three million Marks (1.7 million dollars) in gate receipts to be diverted to charity. Some 250,000 Marks are earmarked for the families of those who suffered in Wednesdays high speed train crash near Hanover which cost the lives of almost 100 people. Mannheim has been chosen as the venue for sentimental reasons. Two years ago, Germany beat the tiny principality of Liechtenstein 9-1 in their final game before winning the European title in the southern city. Luxembourg coach Paul Philipp said he hoped his team would not be such pushovers, but admitted that "its the wrong opponent at the wrong time. The Germans are eager to do well at the World Cup and might think theyre in a shooting gallery," he added pessimistically. "

© - AFP - 1998