Bayern Munich's superstars Franck Ribery and Luca Toni can expect to sleep on the job next season as new coach Jurgen Klinsmann introduces radical changes -- including beds in the team room.
Klinsmann is set to replace Ottmar Hitzfeld as Bayern coach on July 1 and has already given instructions for a number of bold changes, including an eight-hour working day for the players and a luxury team room with beds.
"It's a new culture for the Bundesliga," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told German magazine Stern.
"The players will be able to get some rest between training. Jurgen simply wants to make everything professional. He wants to give his players the chance to rest," he said.
"An eight-hour day has been typical in Italian football for a long time. We will have them here from breakfast through to afternoon coffee. And there will be the possibility to sleep now," Rummenigge said.
But Bayern fans face a shut out as the Saebener Road training ground -- which has up to 5,000 fans watching during the summer -- which will have its end closed off to deny onlookers a chance to watch their heros play.
And the restaurant, which has views of the training pitch, will be closed down to make way for the luxury team room.
"We are going to carry out a few calculated changes," Rummenigge said. "The stadium is for the fans, the training place for the team."
But to compensate for the lack of regular access, fans may well get the chance to see occasional public training sessions at the Allianz Arena.
"We know that we can not neglect the fans, Bayern Munich is and will always be a family Club," Rummenigge said.
Meanwhile, Brazilian defender Lucio is going nowhere insists Rummenigge.
The 29-year-old had hinted he wanted a transfer to another big-name European club, but Rummenigge poured cold water on the idea.
"He is a very good player and we are not going to let him go," Rummenigge said. "The fact is he has a contract until 2010 and we won't let him go."
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with