Klinsmann rules out Bundesliga return

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BERLIN, Dec 2, 2009 (AFP) - Former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has ruled out coaching a Bundesliga side again and has brushed off reports that linked him to Rafael Benitez's job at Premier League side Liverpool.

Klinsmann was sacked as coach of Bayern Munich earlier this year after just ten months in charge of the Bundesliga giants.

And while his name is often cited in the German press whenever a coach comes under pressure, the 45-year-old has made it clear he has no interest in coaching a Bundesliga club - now or in the future.

"No, I will not take on a coaching role here," Klinsmann, whose name has been linked to Liverpool in the British media, told German daily Bild.

"And I can't imagine that changing.

"For us it is relatively clear.

"We will not embark on another adventure in the Bundesliga."

Liverpool have admitted that their American owners made an approach to Klinsmann behind Benitez's back last year, but the German dismissed any talk of a role on Merseyside by adding: "There are always rumours".

Klinsmann will be a pundit for German television channel RTL during next summer's World Cup, but has said he has little interest in returning to domestic football after his dismissal from Bayern Munich last April.

A poor string of results saw him dismissed from his first domestic coaching role having guided Germany to third at the 2006 World Cup, but his replacement in Munich, Louis van Gaal, is faring little better.

Klinsmann said he has spent time thinking about his time in charge of Bayern.

"I learnt a lot, I have thought about my time at Bayern and worked out what happened there," said the former striker.

Klinsmann took over at Munich in the sumer of 2008, but was sacked as his side lay three points off the league lead, while van Gaal's Bayern are currently six points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Munich must win at Juventus next Tuesday to guarantee their place in the Champions League's knock-out stages.