Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has responded to the criticism of Phillip Lahm, who claimed the 'Kaiser' was two-faced.

Beckenbauer originally criticised Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski in Bild for not trying hard enough since the 2006 World Cup.

Bayern ended last season in only the UEFA Cup qualifying positions and have struggled to pull away at the top of the Bundesliga despite massive investment in the summer.

Lahm said the former Germany captain showed one façade at the helm of the Bavarian giants with another evident via his media outlet.

"As Bayern president I have very little direct contact with the team," Beckenbauer claimed. "What I write and say publicly is what I see.

"Whether I do it in the context of a column or in answer to questions in an interview does not make a difference. I can tell a bad game from a good one.

"I can only say and write what I see. This will not change under Juergen Klinsmann."

Klinsmann, who oversaw that run to the World Cup semi-finals, will take over the club in the summer from incumbent Ottmar Hitzfeld, a decision that surprised many given the history of animosity between the club and its former striking star.

"Klinsmann is dynamic, he is young, and of course he will do things differently to at the World Cup," Beckenbauer insisted.

"There is a big difference between a five-week tournament and over a year.

"Ottmar Hitzfeld has already benefited from Juergen's methods: for example forcing the players after a game to get into a cold bath, not a hot one."

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport