GERMANY coach Berti Vogts fears tough new rules on the tackle from behind could wreck this summer's World Cup. The former defensive terrier believes the FIFA crackdown will remove an important skill from the game and tip the balance too far in favour of forwards.
Vogts has already seen the dramatic effect the new interpretation could have. He had veteran defender Jurgen Kohler sent off and saw Brazilian midfielder Dunga given the red card and a host of players booked in a recent friendly against the world champions.
The German coach, under pressure because of his team's poor run of form, including a drab 0-0 draw with Finland on Wednesday, insisted: "Tackling is a skill and should not be underestimated. I will be watching the referee's handling of the opening match to see how severe the ban will be.
There is some good news, though. Veteran striker Jurgen Klinsmann, who missed that match with a bruised shin, is winning his fitness battle. The 33-year-old German captain said: It's absolutely no problem and it's just a matter of a few days before I am ready, and even claimed he could figure in tomorrow's friendly match against Columbia.

DANES IN PAIN DENMARK'S World Cup preparations are in crisis after they were thrashed 3-0 on Thursday night by neighbours Sweden, who didn't manage to qualify for the finals. Danish coach Bo Johansson, a Swede, made no effort to hide his disappointment with his team's abject performance, which came just days before he has to announce the 22 men who will represent the 1992 European Champions in France. "It was an extremely bad match for us, the coach said. We couldn't pass the ball twice without losing it, and it's impossible to play football that way." Johansson rounded on his players after the match, singling out Bolton's Per Frandsen, Michael Schjonberg and Thomas Helveg as the worst offenders, but even Michael and Brian Laudrup showed none of their usual magic. Sweden opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through Fredrik Ljungberg's close-range header and worse was to come for the Danes. Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel conceded a penalty that was converted by Jorgen Pettersson, and Pettersson made it three after running onto a defence-splitting pass from Celtic's Henrik Larsson. Denmark now have just one game, a friendly against Cameroon on Friday, to put things right before the start of their World Cup campaign against France, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

NORWAY SQUAD LOOKS FAMILIAR NORWAY coach Egil Olsen has named 11 players who earn their wages in the Premiership in his World Cup 22. And English-based players will form the heart of a side that is unbeaten in its last 14 matches including Wednesday's 6-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia and a 4-2 victory over Brazil. The Premiership made a clean sweep of goalkeepers, four of the six defenders play in England and the midfield includes Liverpool's Oyvind Leonhardsen and Staale Solbakken, who joined Wimbledon early last season but never settled and was now returned to his homeland. Olsen will look for the goals to come from two players who have struggled to command a regular first team place in the Premiership. Chelsea's Tore Andre Flo is a huge hero in his native land but his chances have been few and far between this season while Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been plagued by injury. Southampton's Egil Ostenstad will be on the bench. The Squad - Goalkeepers: Frode Grodas, Thomas Myhre, Espen Baardsen. Defenders: Henning Berg, Stig Inge Bjoernebye, Dan Eggen, Gunnar Halle, Vegard Heggem, Erik Hoftun, Ronny Johnsen. Midfielders: Josten Flo, Haavard Flo, Kjetil Rekdal, Erik Mykland, Oyvind Leonhardsen, Staale Solbakken. Strikers: Jahn Ivar Jakobsen, Egil Ostenstad, Ole Gunnar Solkjaer, Vidar Riseth, Roar Strand, Tore Andre Flo.

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