Kuranyi’s disappearing act given mixed reception

October 13, 2008

The great and the good of German soccer have been quick to condemn Kevin Kuranyi after the Schalke 04 striker walked away from the national team at the weekend.

Former Germany coach Franz Beckenbauer said Kuranyi’s behaviour was “ridiculous” and had overshadowed the good impression Germany made in their 2-1 win over Russia.

“He not only let the coach down but also his teammates,” the Kaiser wrote in his column for Bild newspaper on Monday.

“I can’t imagine he’ll ever play again for Germany,” he added. “He’d have to go down on his knees to (coach) Jogi Loew.”

But not all reactions were negative.

Christian Witt, a commentator for weekly magazine Focus, noted that the perennially undervalued Kuranyi had never complained about his treatment before, even when Juergen Klinsmann left him out of the squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Despite hitting a rich vein of form, Loew had only used him for 41 minutes during Euro 2008 and still Kuranyi did not speak out, Witt said.

“The fact that the DFB and Loew have now thrown him out shows a lack of the respect that Kuranyi has deservedly earned in recent years,” he wrote.

What do you think? Was Kuranyi right to walk away? Or has he let his teammates and his country down and deserves his punlishment?

PHOTO: Former Germany player Kevin Kuranyi arrives to explain his walk out to a news conference in Gelsenkirchen, Oct 13. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

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