Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been urged by predecessor Toni Schumacher to retire from internationals for the good of his Bayern Munich club career.
Neuer has been the focus of attention in Germany since breaking his leg while skiing following the Qatar World Cup in December.
He is out for the season and has apologised to the club for his decision to ski.
Bayern Munich were forced to buy Yann Sommer from Borussia Mönchengladbach to fill the gap.
Now, they have surprisingly sacked goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic, a close friend of 36-year-old Neuer.
“Given the stress and strain, (if I were Neuer) I would quit the national team and concentrate fully on Bayern Munich,” Schumacher, notorious for a horror challenge in the 1982 World Cup semi-final, said on Tuesday.
“Then he can play for his club until he’s 40.”
Neuer, a World Cup winner in 2014, was helpless as Germany crashed out in the group stage in Qatar in December for a second straight edition.
