Klinsmann future in doubt

The future of Jurgen Klinsmann as coach of Bayern Munich is hanging in the balance after his side was taught a footballing lesson by Barcelona last night.

The Bavarians were practically knocked out of the Champions League after 45 minutes of the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Nou Camp and, although they limited the damage in the second half, the chances of them overturning a four-goal deficit in Munich next week are bleak.

So too is the future of Klinsmann, who was not given his customary backing from the club’s decision makers last night.

“We need to sleep on it first,” said general manager Uli Hoeness after the game.

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added that it would be “better to sleep on it one night and evaluate calmly before making a rational decision”.

“The question is whether we should be angry or sad about what we have done here,” Rummenigge added on the club’s website.

“That was without a doubt a huge embarrassment which hurts us all.

“We have got to digest this, it was a shock. The 4-0 (scoreline) means we are out, that is for sure.

“Now we have got to make sure we reach our goals in the Bundesliga.”

Bayern currently trail Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg and Hamburg by three points, lying in fourth, also behind Hertha Berlin.

Klinsmann has seemingly been on the brink of losing his job for much of his debut season.

The 1990 World Cup winner said last night: “We have been shown our limitations by the side which is currently setting the standards in Europe.

“We were demolished. Everybody is deeply disappointed and it obviously hurts.”

History shows that Hoeness and Rummenigge are not scared of making changes.

They terminated a contract with Ottmar Hitzfeld one year early in 2004 when it looked like they were going to miss out on the Bundesliga title, and shortly after being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.

His successor Felix Magath was dismissed after 18 games of the 2006-07 season despite lying third in the table before, under Hitzfeld once again, they slipped to a final finish of fourth.

And Hitzfeld’s second stint in charge was shortened during the winter break last year, even though they had led since day one of the season.

The arrival of Klinsmann was announced six months before Hitzfeld left having sealed a league and cup double in emphatic style and reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup.

Speculation is now bound to link Hitzfeld with a third stint at the club. The current Switzerland coach built up a respectful and, more importantly, successful relationship with largely the same crop of players Klinsmann currently has at his disposal.

It remains to be seen whether the Swiss football association would allow him to return to Bayern until the end of the season, considering there are no more internationals between now and June, but Hoeness and Rummenigge are likely to now explore that avenue.

Having conceded nine goals in five days, it is hard for any Bayern coach to keep hold of his job.

“We have to put our helmets on and get through this,” quipped Klinsmann, who is refusing to jump before he is pushed.