Ribbeck hints he might step down

Beleaguered: German coach Erich Ribbeck is under fire

German coach Erich Ribbeck has hinted he might step down after the defending champions' 1-0 Euro 2000 defeat by England.

"We still have one game to play," he said - an admission that his team only have a slim chance of making the quarter-finals after losing to their arch-rivals in Charleroi.

"Then I will meet with German Football Federation officials and we will see what has to be done."

Meanwhile, former Bayern Munich coach Giovanni Trapattoni has expressed an interest in taking over from the 63-year-old, saying: "I would seriously consider such an offer."

Under fire

Ribbeck has been under fire ever since he took over from Berti Vogts in the wake of Germany's shock quarter-final defeat to Croatia at the 1998 World Cup Finals.

We still have one game to play, then I will meet with the German Football Federation officials and we will see what has to be done.

Erich Ribbeck

Germany can still theoretically reach the last eight if they beat Portugal and Romania defeat England by a lesser margin.

But it is now very likely that they will drop out in the group stage of a major tournament for the first time since the 1984 European Championship Finals.

Pedigree

Ribbeck has plenty experience but not the pedigree of his predecessors, and was handed the top job only after several more glamorous candidates turned it down.

His contract runs until after Euro 2000, and the German coach has repeatedly said that he would have to be judged on the performance of his team at the tournament.

Trapattoni: interested in German job

So far Germany have looked unimpressive, confirming they are no longer a dominant force in European football.

Trapattoni has been quoted as saying he would be interested in replacing Ribbeck.

"It would be a great honour for me if the German Football Federation were to contact me," the 61-year-old Italian told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

Jupp Heynckes, who was offered the post after Vogts quit but refused because his wife was ill, says he was still under contract with Benfica until 2001 and was therefore unavailable.

Current Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, Bayern Leverkusen's Christoph Daum and Kaiserslautern's Otto Rehhagel have all been mentioned as possible replacements for Ribbeck.