1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Heading to Iran?

DPA news agency (win)August 16, 2008

German soccer coach Erich Rutemoeller denied Saturday he had been appointed to Iran's national soccer team.

https://p.dw.com/p/EyRt
Erich Rutemoeller
Erich Rutemoeller has coached the junior German national team in the pastImage: picture-alliance/Rolf Kosecki

Rutemoeller said he had been in Iran last month for the German Football Federation (DFB) and had held talks there with the Iranian Football Federation. However there had been "no definite agreements," he said.

Iran head coach Ali Daei had been quoted by Iran's ISNA news agency as saying 63-year-old Rutemoeller would be starting a coaching appointment in about three weeks.

The Iranian national team is preparing for qualification games for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The next game will be next month against Saudi Arabia.

Rutemoeller, a former coach of Cologne and Hansa Rostock, is a member of the DFB training staff. DFB media director Harald Stenger said although Rutemoeller was under consideration for an appointment in a supporting role with Iran he would fulfil his contract with the German federation until the end of the year.

He was also in negotiations with the DFB over a possible extension of his contract, he said.