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Miroslav Klose pointed to the influence of Hansi Flick on his fledgling touchline career as the World Cup record-breaker began his first job as a head coach.
Germany great Klose has taken over as boss of Austrian Bundesliga team SCR Altach. The player whose career haul of 16 World Cup goals remains unmatched was presented to the media on Monday.
The 44-year-old Klose had a spell as an assistant with the Germany national team during Joachim Low’s tenure, and worked at Bayern Munich under Flick in the 2020-21 campaign, having previously spent two years with the Bavarians’ under-17 team.
Bayern won the Bundesliga, DFL-Supercup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies in the season when Klose was involved in the first-team squad. Flick then departed to become Germany boss, and Klose also left.
“I learned a lot from Flick, he’s fantastic in every respect,” Klose said.
Altach narrowly avoided relegation in the 2021-22 season, and Klose’s impact will be closely watched.
He said: “I’m incredibly happy. I am full of anticipation and have been received in a very friendly manner. I’m able to work where others go on holiday.
“I have a lot of hard work ahead of me. It is important the team shows heart and passion. We have to work out everything step by step, so it’s also important that the team communicates with me.”
Klose said he would allow himself “time to develop” as a coach, declaring the team must have targets without yet identifying those.
“I don’t know how fast that will go. But I think it’s incredibly important to have goals,” Klose said. “I put myself under a lot of pressure. I have clear ideas. It will be a tough road. I probably need to lower my expectations.”
Klose won 137 caps and scored a record 71 goals in a distinguished Germany career, in which he reached the finals of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008, before helping Die Mannschaft win the World Cup in 2014.
The winner of the Golden Shoe at the 2006 tournament on home soil also played elite club football with Bayern, Lazio, Kaiserslautern and Werder Bremen.
