While Beckenbauer, nicknamed 'The Kaiser', is every inch a German patriot, he could be forgiven for feeling that his role as head of the organising committee is being steamrollered by the Klinsmann express after the German team reached the second round.

There is also a freedom and freshness in the German side for the first time in many years, even more so than the one that Beckenbauer coached to the 1990 World Cup title - a team that featured Klinsmann.

Many people put this down to the free spirit which the 41-year-old Klinsmann has developed since he made the United States his home - a reason for some dissent from within German football circles and from Beckenbauer himself.

"Jurgen Klinsmann should have been here (for a football workshop in March). This is a meeting he had to make and there are not too many of them," said Beckenbauer.

Klinsmann, who was also called to account over that by several other notable figures and had to hold emergency talks over the issue of his absences, took note and announced shortly afterwards he would be spending more time in his homeland before the finals.

It was not the first time that the two had clashed and ironically it was when he was at Bayern Munich as a player that the two had a difference of opinion.

Though Beckenbauer did not name him specifically, he cited several players behaving as if they were playing for 'FC Hollywood'.

Klinsmann, 108-times capped and scorer of 47 goals for Germany, lives in California and defends his trips there on the basis that he is always in touch through e-mail.

The Berliner Zeitung dubbed him 'The California internet coach'.

Klinsmann knows the best way to answer the critics is by lifting the World Cup on July 9 and achieving his goal of emulating Beckenbauer by winning the World Cup as a player and manager.

Only three men have done that; Brazil's Mario Zagallo is the other.

Klinsmann doesn't lack confidence.

He said he had already booked hotel rooms for Berlin on July 9 (the day of the final); Beckenbauer has played a more cautious game and said a quarter-final spot is the very least they should achieve.

Since the tournament started, 60-year-old Beckenbauer's only criticism publicly expressed is his concern about the defence.

"We have been trying for several months to stiffen up the defence but it isn't really working," he said.

Beckenbauer has gone on the record to state that his greatest achievement was winning the bid race to host the World Cup - it would be the ultimate reward for him were Klinsmann to frank that by landing the trophy itself.