Stuttgart deny Schuster link

VfB Stuttgart have dismissed reports that former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is in line to become their new boss.

Schuster, who was sacked by the Spanish champions last week after an inconsistent first half of the season, was reported to be the number one target for the hierarchy at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Stuttgart have been told that current coach Markus Babbel cannot continue in the hot-seat beyond the end of the season. The club's sporting director was handed the coaching reins in November following the sacking of Armin Veh.

But an unnamed executive of Die Schwaben has dismissed reports that Schuster has been lined up to replace Babbel in the summer.

Schuster has not coached in his homeland since leaving Koln in 1999.

*******

At Bayern Munich, Jurgen Klinsmann has admitted the Bundesliga's winter break will be more of a hindrance than a help to his squad.

Klinsmann has given an assessment of his first six months at the Allianz Arena helm in which he admitted his side got off to a slow start before finding their groove midway through the first half of the campaign.

Bayern are now level on points at the top of the table with Hoffenheim ahead of the month-long break, but Klinsmann would have preferred to have played on into January.

He said: "We're exactly where we wanted to be. Our goals were to play with more pace, focus on attack and dominate matches. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.

"We've established a platform from which we can approach the new year with confidence. We needn't fear any other team in Europe now. It's a shame we have the winter break just now."