Rummenigge urges Kahn to stay on

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MUNICH, Germany -- Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn has been urged to extend his career with the Bundesliga giants and shelve plans for retirement.

Kahn, 37, announced in January that he will finish his career after Euro 2008 next June, but Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge wants him to change his mind.

"He is contracted until 2008, but I think he has a lot more left in him," Rummenigge told German paper Bild.

"But I think it's a decision Oliver will have to make for himself, perhaps he will come and see us to discuss the matter next December when we look at contracts, but we are ready to talk any time he wants to."

Kahn, capped 86 times by Germany, lost his international place for the 2006 World Cup to Jens Lehmann of Arsenal and spent most of the tournament on the bench.

After Bayern knocked Spanish giants Real Madrid out of the Champions League last week, club president Franz Beckenbauer says his side have a better chance of winning Europe's most prestigious club competition than the German title.

Bayern are six points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Schalke 04 and will face AC Milan in the Champions League quarter-final in April.

"For me, winning the Champions League is a more realistic goal than the Bundesliga title," the German football legend told Bild on Tuesday.

"Although we respect AC Milan, there is no need to fear them. We have wasted too many chances in the Bundesliga and left too many gaps in the defense which we can't allow ourselves to do against Milan."

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