Defoe trashes Beckenbauer’s “stupid” England taunt

RUSTENBURG - England striker Jermain Defoe has dismissed German legend Franz Beckenbauer’s taunts where he branded the Three Lions “stupid” for finishing second in Group C to set up a clash with Germany in the last 16.

Beckenbauer also claimed that Fabio Capello’s men looked “burnt out” after a long domestic campaign.

“You’re never going to get into a position where everyone says nice things about you all the time. We can’t get side-tracked, we have to concentrate on ourselves,” The Sun quoted Defoe, as saying.

“I don’t feel tired. The Premier League is one of the toughest leagues to play in but, if you look after your body and prepare right, you shouldn’t have a problem,” he added.

Defoe also admitted that he would have preferred to face Ghana rather than Germany in the round of 16.

Earlier, Beckenbauer had said: “A game like this should be a semi-final, not a last-16 game. Stupidly, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in their group.”

“The English look a little tired. There is a good reason for that. The Premier League players have to play far more games than their Bundesliga colleagues. When it comes to a World Cup, they are burnt out,” he added.

Beckenbauer captained Germany to the 1974 title, and then coached the team that won the title in 1990.

At the beginning of the tournament, Beckenbauer rekindled the rivalry between the two European giants by criticizing England’s style of play under Capello. (ANI)