Bayern Coach reluctant to welcome Ghana outcast

Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld has mixed feelings about Ghana star Sammy Kuffour returning from the Africa Nations Cup prematurely.

Kuffour was ordered to return home by Ghana coach Fred Osam Duodu on Tuesday just one match into the tournament, and while Hitzfeld is pleased to have the central defender back, he acknowledged that the circumstances were far from ideal.

"We do need him right now because we are pretty short at the back," explained the Bayern coach, "but I'm not happy that he's coming back early because of a breach of discipline."

Kuffour is expected to arrive back in Munich on Wednesday, but will almost certainly miss the German Cup match against Wolfsburg.

However, with defensive duo Bixente Lizerazu and Hasan Salihamidzic both sidelined through injury, the 25-year-old is likely to come back into the side against Schalke 04 on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the Ghana coach was reluctant to reveal the precise reason why Kuffour was sent home just hours after Ghana's 0-0 draw with Tunisia.

"I took the decision personally to send him home," said Duodu. "He has shown he is not a changed man by coming here to destabilise my team. This is a boy who calls me 'father'. I raised him up to be what he is today only for him to want to destroy what I have worked hard to build."

There was considerable doubt over whether Kuffour would be included in the Black Stars' squad in the first place after he criticised the coach's decision to axe former captain Charles Akonnor last month.