Big-spending Munich lick their wounds after Stuttgart setback

 But little more than six months later the 70-million-euro investment was worth nothing as Munich lost for the first time since that day - again in Stuttgart, this time 3-1.

 Neither Franck Ribery nor Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose could avoid the painful defeat on Saturday. Munich are winless in three games, blowing a six-point league lead for what is now a slim one-point margin over Werder Bremen and SV Hamburg.

 "This was a return to the old days," fumed club president Franz Beckenbauer.

 Hoeness had nothing to say this time around and chairman Karl-heinz Rummenigge was also not available for a public comment less than 48 hours after criticising the rotation scheme of coach Ottmar Hitzfeld in the wake of a 2-2 UEFA Cup draw Thursday with England's Bolton Wanderers.

 "Hitzfeld rotates into a crisis," said the Bild am Sonntag Sunday paper after the Stuttgart disaster.

 Munich started strongly into the season and topped the table since day one in what appeared to be an unrivalled run to another Bundesliga crown, with Ribery dazzling the crowds and Klose and Toni scoring almost at will.

 But the Munich machine suddenly started to stutter. The team escaped with a lucky 0-0 draw in Dortmund a fortnight ago, they were then held to the same scoreless draw at home by mid-table Frankfurt and the desired win did also not come against Bolton on Thursday.

 Rummenigge insisted after that game that "the best 11 must play," but Hitzfeld insisted that matters weren't so easy. 

   "I have a fantastic team and a fantastic bench. Everyone deserves to be a starter. You are criticised if you rotate and lose. If you rotate and win its just considered normal," said Hitzfeld.

 But former Germany darlings Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski are yet to peak while 17-year-old talent Toni Kroos and Christian Lell were not good enough to stop Stuttgart from winning on Saturday.

 Veteran captain Oliver Kahn sprung to his coach's defence, saying "it's only natural if you make a tactical approach and rest players when you have two games within two days."

   "This is not an easy task for a coach," Kahn said.

 The debate in Munich will now rage on longer than players and officials desire as the next match is not until November 24, at home against VfL Wolfsburg - who are coached by Felix Magath who was sacked in Munich in February and replaced by Hitzfeld.  

   Hitzfeld's deal runs until the end of the season and it remains uncertain whether he will stay beyond 2008.

 Munich now feel the heat from Bremen and Hamburg, with especially the 2004 champions Bremen ready to take advantage of any more Munich hiccups.

 "We are not yet there where we belong. I will not be satisfied until we are at the top. This team is too strong for second, third our fourth place," said Bremen playmaker Diego after a 4-0 triumph over Karlsruhe.

 Hamburg, whose last title dates back to 1983 and who have not led the standings in eight years, remained modest after missing first place in a 1-1 draw at Schalke. Coach Huub Stevens said that only the final standings count and expressed some sympathy for Munich.

 "Munich only experienced what we have had twice recently, two matches in 44 hours. Even Munich's players are human and not machines," Stevens said.

DPA