International Football - Matthaeus snubs Racing by text

Eurosport - Wed, 28 Oct 14:41:00 2009

Lothar Matthaeus rejected the chance to coach Argentina's club Racing Club by text message, according to reports in Germany.

FOOTBALL Lothar Matthaeus - 0

The former Bayern Munich and Germany captain, 48, was expected to take the vacant job at the struggling 'big five' club, who lie joint-bottom of the Apertura standings.

The Cologne Express quoted Matthaeus as saying: "I was thinking about the offer but the whole concept was not clear."

The newspaper also reported that Racing were furious at being informed by text message.

Racing, based in the Buenos Aires suburb of Avellaneda, had announced the deal before their weekend loss to Newell's Old Boys, but Matthaeus insisted that the final details had not been ironed out.

He also hinted that his wife, 21-year-old Ukrainian-born model Kristina Liliana, may have a say.

Matthaeus has had a chequered coaching career, with one-season stints at Rapid Vienna, Partizan Belgrade, Salzburg and Maccabi Netanya and two years with the Hungarian national team.

The ex-Internazionale midfielder was also fired by Brazilian club Atletico Parenense after just 33 days.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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