Lukas Podolski hits back after dig from Oliver Bierhoff

Lukas Podolski is angry that Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff says he does not deserve to be in the national team.

The Arsenal forward was hurt that Bierhoff told Kicker magazine that Podolski’s progress over the last year with Germany was “unsatisfactory”.

“If it seems that way to Mr Bierhoff, then that’s his opinion; you don’t have discuss it,” Podolski (above) told reporters. “I do not care. I know what I have in me.”

Despite Bierhoff’s attack, Podolski is in the squad for this week’s friendlies against Ecuador and the United States.