Deisler injury adds to Klinsmann's woes

BERLIN, Mar 19 (Reuters) The last thing hosts Germany needed in a turbulent build-up to the World Cup was to lose one of their most gifted players through injury.

Bayern Munich midfielder Sebastian Deisler requires knee surgery and it was announced on Saturday that he would miss the tournament which starts on June 9.

''We feel extremely sorry for him,'' said Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann in a statement as he began the countdown to Wednesday's friendly against the US in Dortmund.

''It's a big loss for the team. He would have played an important role in our World Cup plans.'' The 26-year-old Deisler, plagued by injury throughout his career, also missed the 2002 World Cup due to a knee problem.

Deisler hurt his troublesome right knee again in training on Tuesday and an arthroscopy performed in the US showed he required knee surgery that is expected to keep him out for six months.

Klinsmann already had enough worries.

The former Germany striker, under scrutiny since a 4-1 friendly defeat by Italy at the start of the month, has been scolded by Franz Beckenbauer for returning to his US home instead of attending a World Cup workshop in Duesseldorf.

Klinsmann also had to defend Bayern and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose name was mentioned in media reports over an investigation into alleged match-rigging.

''We are all deeply disappointed to see people can make things up and start a rumour about a Germany player three months before our World Cup,'' Klinsmann told the German television channel RTL.

TOTALLY CRAZY Munich prosecutors studying a media report that several Bundesliga players, including a German international, might be involved in the scandal said they had not listed anybody as accused and had not invited anybody for questioning.

''This is totally crazy. All this razzmatazz can destroy somebody,'' said Bayern commercial manager Uli Hoeness.

''We are before a World Cup, at a moment when Germany should send out a positive image, but exactly the contrary is being done.'' Preparations on the pitch are no smoother, Germany having failed to beat top-class international opposition since a 1-0 win over England at Wembley more than five years ago.

Germany looked nervous in defence against Italy, short of ideas in midfield and toothless in attack.

A recent opinion poll showed only three percent of Germans believed the team would win the World Cup.

But Klinsmann is not losing his cool and is expecting a reaction against the US.

''Believing we can win the title is no illusion, otherwise Greece winning the European title (in 2004) would have been an illusion as well,'' Klinsmann told Sunday's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

REUTERS DH PM1703