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Hitzfeld knows how to win
MILAN, Italy (AP) -- Carrying the weight of the team's 25-year Champions League drought, Bayern Munich players might look to club president Franz Beckenbauer for inspiration. A legendary midfielder and defender, Beckenbauer was the on-field motor for the 1970s-version of the German team that won three straight European titles. But Bayern players -- set to face Valencia in the final in Milan on Wednesday -- have another, much more recent example of someone who knows how to get his hands on a Champions Cup. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was at the helm of Borussia Dortmund when it won Europe's top competition in 1997. The 3-1 victory in the final over Turin powerhouse Juventus was the most recent German claim to soccer club superiority. Hitzfeld rode his success at Dortmund to the coaching job under Beckenbauer in Munich. There he led Bayern to three straight Bundesliga titles, the latest coming Saturday with a heart-stopping goal in the fourth minute of injury time to assure a draw and clinch the league crown. But the elusive Champions League crown slipped away two years ago when Manchester United scored twice in injury time to come back for a 2-1 win. "A quarter of a century is a long time," Hitzfeld said of Bayern's drought. "But I am an optimist." The 52-year-old, who will be looking for his 19th overall title in Wednesday's match at San Siro stadium, has melded unmatched tactical prowess with an ability to manage high-profile talent. "You can't be too strict," he explained Tuesday in a final pre-game press conference. "Some players need more freedom, others need to be reminded what's going to be happening." "Treat them as individuals," he concluded. "You watch them and lead them." Asked to rate Hitzfeld, Bayern captain Stefan Effenberg didn't hesitate. "He's the best coach in the world," said the 32-year-old midfielder. "We owe it to him that this team has gone the way it has." Hitzfeld will battle wits with Valencia coach Hector Raul Cuper, as both are expected to tighten their defensive schemes and look for that rare opportunity to strike. The reserved German was asked to describe his rival, an Argentine, also looking to avenge Valencia's defeat last year, it sounded as if he was talking about his alter ego. "He's a madman, in a positive sense," Hitzfeld said. "He's crazy about soccer."
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