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New charge emerges Beckenbauer, Voeller back Daum as Germany coach
BERLIN (AP) -- Franz Beckenbauer and Rudi Voeller on Saturday threw their support behind embattled Christoph Daum taking over the German national team as planned. Minutes after the squad's 1-0 victory Saturday against England, Voeller, the interim coach who has now led a revived Germany to three straight victories, said he still plans to step down for Daum on June 30, despite charges of drug use and going to prostitutes leveled by Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeness. "There have been a lot of things said about Daum that aren't true," said Voeller. "I hope he takes over as planned, not only because he deserves it, but because he can add something to German soccer." Beckenbauer, Bayern Munich's president and the most influential figure in German soccer, said he thinks the agreement for Daum -- currently coach of Bayer Leverkusen -- to take over the national coaching job should be kept. "Just two months ago, we were all going hurrah, Daum is going to be coach. I think the decision is made and it's right," Beckenbauer said. The most spectacular feud in German soccer history continued Saturday. Several magazines reported that broker Jaime Fernandez has filed a claim in Spain against Daum. He claims the coach owes him 380,000 marks (US$170,000) in connection with a 77-apartment complex real estate deal on Mallorca. Two other claims have already been made over the same deal. Daum's former business partner, Jochem Kress, in jail on tax evasion charges, is demanding 4 million marks (US$1.8 million) in unpaid commission fees. An unnamed individual in Munich has also filed a separate claim. Also Saturday a magazine reported that Daum has agreed to take a hair analysis test to prove he isn't using cocaine. Daum originally balked at demands by Bayern Munich officials to prove his innocence. Der Spiegel magazine reported he has now changed his mind under the prodding of energy company RWE, with whom he has an endorsement deal. Beckenbauer agreed Daum should take the test. "Those rumors have been around for years. I don't care; it's his private life, but it would be a good idea," said Beckenbauer. Hoeness, who has been accused by other German soccer figures of pursuing a personal vendetta, says Daum is unfit to take over the national team because of his private life. He moved the campaign to block Daum, who has yet to sign a contract, into an unprecedented attack on the Leverkusen coach's private life last week with the accusation of prostitute and drug use. Hoeness has also been criticized for failing to provide proof for his charges, but the Munich manager has refused to back down. "In the next few days a lot of people are going to have to apologize to me," said Hoeness from London before the England match. Daum's attorney Matthias Prinz, who plans to file a slander suit against Hoeness, said the release of medical records from his client's nose operations will prove he never has used cocaine. Those operations at a clinic in Innsbruck, Austria, involved the mucous membrane, which Prinz says would show signs of snorting cocaine. But since the operations took place in 1994, that may not settle questions of later drug use. Bayer Leverkusen manager Reiner Calmund also said Daum had undergone several blood tests at the team's training camps and emerged clean, while adding his coach was likely to launch a counterattack. "I think its very likely Christoph will strike back next week and clear himself, but how that will take place, I'm not saying," said Calmund.
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