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The new head coach of the German national team, Jurgen Klinsmann, has started a new era in the country's team and appointed his teammate Michael Ballack as captain, replacing veteran goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
At 40 years old, Klinsmann, who took over as head coach of the team after the unsuccessful 2004 European Championship, replacing Rudi Voller, is preparing to make his debut in friendly matches tomorrow against Austria.
His first change was to appoint a new captain for the team, and he says Kahn did not object: "I wanted the captain to be a player who was closer to different areas of the field. I talked to both players, and they agreed with my decision."
Meanwhile, Ballack was pleased with this decision and stated he was ready to take on a new challenge: "I am happy with J. Klinsmann's trust and look forward to taking on this responsibility. I am often criticized for not talking enough on the field, but I play in the center of the field and can be influential there."
