Franz Beckenbauer feels Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath "should be knighted" for winning the Bundesliga title this year.
Wolfsburg beat Bayern Munich to the title by two points to be crowned German champions for the first time in their history.
"Felix Magath has managed to make an average team into German champions," he said. "Such a success is worth more than winning the title in consecutive years with FC Bayern. He should be knighted for it."
Magath led Bayern Munich to back-to-back league and cup doubles, but was sacked one game into the second half of the 2006/07 season with the record champions lying in third place.
They went on to end the season fourth and missed out on a place in the Champions League.
Seeing Magath win the title with a rank outsider will surely hurt Bayern, but Beckenbauer insists Wolfsburg are worthy champions.
"When you play as impressively as Wolfsburg have done in the second half of the season, when they took Bayern and Werder Bremen apart 5-1, and play with such consistency and proven their strength at home, then it is fine," he told Premiere television.
"They have won 16 from 17 home matches. They have become German champions at home and that is honourable."
Magath was humble in accepting his third Bundesliga title before he moves to his eighth managerial position next season with the aim of making Schalke his third title winners, although he had tears in his eyes as he looked back on a successful two years with the Wolves.
"We maybe did not have the best team, but we played the best football," he said. "We deserved to be champions. Leaving this club is very hard.
"The expectations at Schalke are always high and when you go there as the manager who has just won the title then there will be people who think that just that alone will be enough (to win the league).
"I can only guarantee that I will give 100% of my abilities to take Schalke forward, but we still have to work sufficiently."
[Soccernet]
Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath has revealed his impending switch to Bundesliga rivals Schalke was motivated by money.
Magath confirmed he would walk away from the Wolves at the end of the season having "reached all the goals" he set when he took over nearly two years ago.
The 55-year-old reached an agreement with Wolfsburg to terminate his contract a year early and has signed a four-year deal with Schalke from July 1.
Wolfsburg lead the Bundesliga by three points from Bayern Munich with four games remaining, but Magath happily concedes his head was turned by the approach from Schalke, a club with more tradition, ambition and, crucially, financial clout.
"We are in professional sport and it is all about money," Magath admitted. "Everything else is a load of tosh."
Magath is braced for a backlash over his decision from Wolfsburg fans, many of whom have expressed their disapproval on Internet forums.
The mood of the supporters may improve if Magath leaves the club as champions for the first time in their history, but even that prospect was not enough to make him stay, the coach admitting success would not have guaranteed his future at the club.
"Wolfsburg is not the first club I have taken forwards," he said. "But in the past, I have often been shoved out of the door after a successful start.
"From this experience, I no longer believe in promises that you can work long-term in football."
The Wolves travel to Stuttgart this weekend before facing Borussia Dortmund, Hannover and Werder Bremen in their remaining fixtures.
[Soccernet]
