FRANKFURT: Horst Hrubesch has been recalled from retirement by the German DFB after the sudden departure of Hans Flick from the role of sports director writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Hrubesch, who led Germany to the Olympic football final in Rio de Janeiro in August, will serve on an interim basis while DFB president Reinhard Grindel searchs for a long-time replacement.

Flick, 51, insisted that he was leaving only “to spend more time with my family”. He said: “I am grateful for the understanding and the support of the DFB at an exciting, successful but also busy time.

“I have no other sporting ambitions nor were there any problems between us.”

Before stepping up Flick worked for eight years as assistant to national coach Joachim Löw including the World Cup triumph in Brazil in 2014.

Hrubesch praised Flick’s work and said his focus would be “for us all to create good conditions for the upcoming U21 European Championships and the Confederations Cup.”

The former Hamburg centre-forward and European champion added: “I will also focus on a successful participation in the U19 European Championship Georgia and the U20 World Cup in South Korea. ”

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