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Bayern in hot water over Klose approach
BERLIN (AFP) - Bayern Munich must explain their actions to the German Fooball Federation (DFB) over allegations they made an illegal approach to Werder Bremen striker Miroslav Klose, it was revealed on Sunday.
Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and general manager Uli Hoeness met with Klose, top-scorer at last year's World Cup, and his agent in a Hanover hotel last week without Bremen's permission.
Klose, 28, is under contract until June 2008, but, according to DFB regulations, a player can only be approached in the last six months of his contract if his employer is informed.
"We are going to ask both clubs to exchange their versions of events before we discuss the matter with them," said former German international and DFB managing director Holger Hieronymus.
The meeting between Klose and Bayern only came to light after it was exposed in the German press, forcing the 67-times capped Klose to aplogise to Bremen officials.
The player insists the meeting was "purely informal", but has strained both relations with his current employers and those between Bremen and Bayern.
Bayern are likely to be disciplined if found guilty of improper behaviour.
Klose, who scored five goals last summer to claim the World Cup's golden boot, has been the target for several big European clubs including Juventus and Barcelona.
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