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Germany's Joachim Low Regrets Falling Out With Michael Ballack
The national team boss allegedly angered his former skipper by never recalling him after missing last year's World Cup in South Africa through injury
19-Dec-2011 11:43:00 AM
By Mark Doyle
Getty Images
Germany coach Joachim Low has admitted that the process which led to the end of Michael Ballack’s international career could have been handled better by all involved.
Ballack was all set to lead his country at last year’s World Cup finals when he suffered an injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final clash with Portsmouth which ruled him out of the tournament.
The midfielder was not recalled to the squad for the Euro 2012 qualification campaign and Low announced in June that he would not be selecting Ballack again as he wished to focus on developing younger players.
The German Football Association (DFB) offered Ballack a farewell friendly against Brazil in June but the player angrily declined, lashing out at Low for treating him disrespectfully and labelling the suggestion that a game which had been planned months in advance was arranged in his honour “a farce”.
Low now confesses that the whole affair was poorly managed.
"All of us who were involved in this thing should have found a better solution,” he told Sky Bundesliga. “All of the parties involved.
“Just as it was then, and how it is currently, it is not satisfactory.”
Low added that he still believes that he could yet patch up the relationship with his form skipper, saying, "I hope we can resolve things someday.”
Ballack’s future in the game is currently the subject of much debate, with the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder reportedly considering moving abroad again at the end of the season.
Ballack was all set to lead his country at last year’s World Cup finals when he suffered an injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final clash with Portsmouth which ruled him out of the tournament.
The midfielder was not recalled to the squad for the Euro 2012 qualification campaign and Low announced in June that he would not be selecting Ballack again as he wished to focus on developing younger players.
The German Football Association (DFB) offered Ballack a farewell friendly against Brazil in June but the player angrily declined, lashing out at Low for treating him disrespectfully and labelling the suggestion that a game which had been planned months in advance was arranged in his honour “a farce”.
Low now confesses that the whole affair was poorly managed.
"All of us who were involved in this thing should have found a better solution,” he told Sky Bundesliga. “All of the parties involved.
“Just as it was then, and how it is currently, it is not satisfactory.”
Low added that he still believes that he could yet patch up the relationship with his form skipper, saying, "I hope we can resolve things someday.”
Ballack’s future in the game is currently the subject of much debate, with the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder reportedly considering moving abroad again at the end of the season.
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