Podolski cool over Schalke, taunts Dortmund

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    Lukas Podolski

    Germany striker Lukas Podolski is keeping his options open over his future with his club Cologne eager for him to extend his contract and Bundesliga title contenders Schalke wanting to sign him.

    The 26-year-old, who has won 95 caps for Germany, is under contract in Cologne until 2013 and dazzled on Saturday with two goals in his side’s 4-0 romp against bottom side Freiburg which left his team 10th in the table.

    It was the fifth time this season he has scored two goals, having also netted twice the weekend before in the 2-2 draw with Stuttgart, and he has a market value of around 25 million euros, according to German daily Bild.

    On Sunday night, Podolski hit back at criticism from Jurgen Klopp, coach of Schalke’s arch-rivals Dortmund, who said the Germany star is too inconsistent and only plays well “every couple of weeks”, which makes him too expensive.

    “Those are lovely comments from Mr Klopp, maybe he is a little sad because I turned him down twice already,” Podolski told Cologne newspaper Express.

    “On the other hand, he is right, because I am too expensive for Dortmund after they missed out on Champions League revenue having finished last in their group.”

    Last week, both Schalke’s director of sport Horst Heldt and chairman Clemens Toennie expressed interest in Podolski.

    Cologne’s director of sport Volker Finke has said the club will “not under any circumstances, go into next season with him unless he has signed an extension”, but Podolski refused to be pressured into any rash decisions.

    “Then I’d have to play in the second team or sit me in the stands,” said the Germany star, who has scored 13 goals in 14 league games. “I haven’t made any decisions yet.”

    Cologne’s Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken could not resist a dig at the Royal Blues.

    “If Lukas should leave, he can certainly go to a better club than Schalke,” he said with the Gelsenkirchen-based club third in the Bundesliga.

    Finke also took a dig at Schalke’s tactics with the Royal Blues yet to talk directly with Podolski.

    “The main thing is the conversation,” said Finke.

    “If (Horst) Heldt says there has been neither contact with the club (Cologne) nor the player, that shows how great the interest really is.”

    With Spain striker Raul out of contract at Schalke in June, Podolski would make an ideal replacement alongside Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, but he refused to comment on any interest.

    “There will always be clubs that are at the front of the crowd, I can’t let this affect me and I don’t need to constantly comment on them,” said Podolski.

    With Podolski having spent the bulk of his career at Cologne, to whom he returned in July 2009 after three unhappy seasons at Bayern Munich, Solbakken says the players’ love for the club and fans will be a factor.

    “Lukas said that he will lead the first meeting with us, he has a heartfelt love for FC Cologne and therefore I think we can keep him,” said the Norwegian.

    ©2011 AFP