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'Cleared up' Matthaeus will honor agreement with MetroStars
Posted: Wednesday January 19, 2000 11:37 AM
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- After meeting with the new coach and general manager of the New York-New Jersey MetroStars, Lothar Matthaeus has confirmed that he intends to honor his contract with the Major League Soccer club. "All misunderstandings have been cleared up. I've always been looking forward to New York," Matthaeus told the German media after meeting the MetroStars officials late Tuesday in La Manga, Spain, where his current club, Bayern Munich, is preparing for the resumption of the Bundesliga season next month. MetroStars coach Octavio Zambrano and General Manager Nick Sakiewicz flew to Spain to talk to Matthaeus, who is scheduled to join his new club March 10. Matthaeus, 38, flew into a rage last week and accused the MetroStars of breach of contract because they had failed to consult him on the appointments of Zambrano and Sakiewicz. He indicated strongly that he wanted to rescind on his agreements to join the MetroStars. But facing a long, uphill legal battle to get out of his contract, Matthaeus quickly toned down his remarks and said over the weekend that he expected to show up in New York on time. Zambrano took over from Bora Milutinovic in October and Sakiewicz replaced Charlie Stillitano last week. Milutinovic and Stillitano had been instrumental in persuading Matthaeus to continue his career in MLS. "I think that I'll get along with them very well," Matthaeus said. "The new people made a very good impression." "They want to move things forward with the MetroStars and that's exactly what I have in mind. I don't want only to see the Broadway, I also want to play successful soccer," he said. Matthaeus will travel to New York after playing two more Champions League games for Bayern Munich, his longtime club. Matthaeus captained Germany to the 1990 World Cup title. Meanwhile, another Bayern Munich star, midfielder Stefan Effenberg, said he could see himself ending his career in the United States. "That's something to think about, it's something that's exciting," he said.
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