Kahn thinks Lehmann should retire

Dec 15, 2009, 12:23 GMT

Munich - Former Germany and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has urged Jens Lehmann to retire in the wake of a turbulent week for the Stuttgart number one.

Lehmann first criticised his club for the way it sacked coach Markus Babbel and replaced him with Christian Gross before costing his side a victory in the weekend 1-1 draw with Mainz 05.

The 40-year-old received a straight red card and conceded a late penalty when he stood on the foot of Mainz striker Aristide Bance and will now definitely miss Stuttgart's final Bundesliga fixture before the winter break against Hoffenheim due to suspension.

'Perhaps it would be better if he called it a day now. Who knows where this will all lead,' Kahn told Munich's Abendzeitung Tuesday.

'Of course Jens is a good goalkeeper but what are the management (of Stuttgart) supposed to think now?'

Kahn and Lehmann had a cool relationship for several years when the pair battled for the German goalkeeping position but appeared to have put the past behind them at the 2006 World Cup on German soil when Kahn retired from international football.