Bierhoff:Germany should have dropped Ozil from the team 

In the wake of their stun World Cup leave, Germany group manager Oliver Bierhoff has said Mesut Ozil ought to have been dropped over a pre-competition outrage including Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ozil 29, is one of a gathering of senior players hammered for woeful exhibitions in Russia as Germany completed bottom of their group to endure a stun early exit. Get latest Predictions and bet with Novibet.

At the World Cup, the Arsenal midfielder declined to remark about a dubious gathering on the eve of the finals with Erdogan which started inquiries regarding his faithfulness to Germany. Bierhoff lets it out was a misstep to enable Ozil to remain quiet as the debate cast a shadow over the German camp.

“we have never compelled players in the German national team to do something, but always tried to convince them when it comes to certain things,” Bierhoff, Germany’s team director.

“We did not succeed with Mesut. And in that respect one would have had to consider whether to refrain from playing him.”

Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, who both have Turkish roots, were booed by German fans in pre-World Cup friendlies in the wake of posturing for pictures with Erdogan. Man city striker Gundogan gave him a marked club shirt on which he had expressed “to my president”.

Gundogan denied the gathering was politically persuaded, yet Ozil declined to remark and was the main individual from the 23 man squad permitted to miss a media day at Germany’s pre-World Cup camp.

Bierhoff says he and head coach Joachim loew should have seriously considered leaving Ozil out of the final squad for Russia.” The facts that Mesut and Ilkay took the pictures did not bother the team so much, but the debate went on and, in retrospect, I would have tried to deal with his issue more decisively,” Bierhoff.