Ottmar
Posted by Pete in Bundesliga | 12 February 2006
With Graeme having been handed his P45, it provides one individual with his annual opportunity to reassure the world that he's still alive and available. Yes, it's time for a quick hello from Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Once again, it seems that whenever a managerial position at a big(ish) European club becomes vacant, Hitzfeld is always up there with the rest of any potential candidates. A respected manager (or Trainer as they like to be called in Germany) with tactical nous and the ability to get the most out of his players; his pedigree of European Cup and German league titles with both Dortmund and Bayern is notable, so quite why he's remained unemployed for two years is puzzling.
The list of previous potential employers in the UK alone is lengthy. Since leaving Bayern in the capable hands of Penfold-lookalike Felix Magath, he's been linked with Man Utd, Spurs, Liverpool, Celtic, as well as Real Madrid
the German national team and a host of other teams (that I'm too lazy to look up). At the same time, he's turned down Hearts and Kiev within the last year, maintaining that he's happy to perform his role as panellist for Premiere's (Germany's equivalent of Sky) football coverage. Nevertheless, while you get the feeling he's holding out for some lucky team somewhere, I'd be truly surprised if it were to be the Magpies.Still, I said that about Michael Owen too.
