Allofs: Kruse needs our help

Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs has issued a statement of support to under-fire striker Max Kruse, following a series of accusations made about the player's private life.

"In processing the recent developments, we came to the conclusion that Max Kruse now very much needs our help,” Allofs said in a statement on the club website. “The events and problems – some of which from his past – have caught up with him and there is nothing neither he nor we can do to control that.”

Allofs added: “My colleagues on the board and I apologize in the name of VfL Wolfsburg to anyone who has unwillingly been confronted by these events.

“Max Kruse has also sincerely apologized and acknowledged the fact that his behaviour was completely unacceptable, both on a personal level and in respect to the club."

The 28-year-old has recently been the constant subject of reports in the German media regarding incidents that happened on Saturday night when Kruse was celebrating his 28th birthday in Berlin.

Newspaper "Bild" reported that the forward had snatched a mobile phone from one of its female reporters on the night, just one week after the publication had published a story stating that Kruse had left 75,000 euros (roughly $84,000) in the back of a Berlin taxi late last year.

The German daily later reported that Kruse had been reprimanded by Wolfsburg for Saturday's behavior with a 25,000-euro fine to match a similar one he had received for leaving his money in the back of the taxi.

On Monday, German national team coach, Joachim Löw, announced that he would drop the forward from the upcoming friendly matches against England and Italy, stating that Kruse had "acted in an unprofessional manner."

He added: "We need players who are focused and concentrated and aware fo the fact that they are role models."

Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking confirmed that the player would not be dropped by his club side and would return to team training on Wednesday. When asked if the club would plan to release or sell Kruse, Hecking said: "Right now I don't expect that to be the case."

sb/msh (dpa, AP)