Hrubesch agrees new deal with Germany

Caretaker Germany Under-21 coach Horst Hrubesch has signed a new contract with the German Football Association (DFB), prolonging his involvement with the nation's youth set-up until 30 June 2012.

New deal
The 57-year-old, who was coach of the Germany side that won the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, has taken temporary charge of the U21s until the end of the 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship in Sweden this June, when he will be replaced by Rainer Adrion. He will then concentrate on guiding the U-20 team, their first challenge being the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt in the autumn. Hrubesch has been a youth coach with the DFB since 2000 and is delighted to continue his involvement.

'Big year'
"We had some positive discussions last year and I'm happy we found an agreement so quickly," Hrubesch said. "I'm happy to continue with this job, because I'm convinced that with my experience I can help our talented players. We are looking forward to a year of big challenges with the U21 EURO and the U-20 World Cup. We will focus on professional preparation and success at these tournaments."

Sammer praise
DFB sporting director Matthias Sammer added: "Horst Hrubesch is a strong personality and an idol for our junior internationals. It was great to see how he won Germany's first youth title for 16 years last year. He is a worthy representative for the DFB and a qualified instructor. I'm looking forward to working with him and I wish him all the best for the tasks this year."

Big test
Hrubesch, a former German international and European Champion Clubs' Cup winner with Hamburger SV, replaced Dieter Eilts in November after qualification for the U21 finals had already been achieved with a 2-1 aggregate victory against France in the play-offs. Hrubesch won his first match in charge, a friendly against Italy on 18 November, and he is looking forward to the challenge this summer after Germany were drawn against England, Spain and Finland in Group B.

Aiming high
"In our last match against France and in the 1-0 win against Italy, everyone could see the huge potential in this U21 squad. When we play like that, we can beat everyone. Our goal is to win the title and not just be a selection of players, but a team and a strong unit. With skilled individuals alone, you won't win any title."

Friendly schedule
Meanwhile, the DFB have announced that they have set up two friendly games to keep the U21s sharp as they gear up for the finals in Sweden. They will face the Netherlands in Ahlen on 27 March before meeting Belarus in Paderborn four days later. Hrubesch and his team will play against the Republic of Ireland in Cork in their next friendly fixture on 10 February.