Juergen Klinsmann has ruled Christian Woerns out of contention for a spot in Germany's World Cup squad after the defender publicly  criticised the coach for leaving him out of next month’s two friendlies.

"We were thoroughly surprised by his critical comments and we can't accept this kind of conduct," Klinsmann said in a statement.

Woerns, the 33-year-old Borussia Dortmund centre back, has been capped 66 times since making his Germany debut  n 1992. His last match was a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in September.

On Thursday he was left out of Klinsmann's 20-man squad for two friendlies against Italy on March 1st and the US on  March 22nd.

"I'm extremely disappointed, especially about the way this was done," Woerns told reporters yesterday after the  squad was unveiled. "A journalist informed me about the decision. Klinsmann just left a message on my answering machine. That's not the  fair English gentlemanly way to do it.

"It's been said that nominations are based on performance. But if I'm not on the team now then that's not apparently  he case," Woerns added. "They should openly tell me that it's not performance but rather that someone can't stand  my face."

It is not the first time Woerns has clashed with Klinsmann. Back in October, they had a 30-minute chat to defuse a  row over his omission from the squad.

Woerns had complained to the media about losing his place for matches against Turkey and China. According to  reports at the time, he also complained directly in an angry telephone call to Klinsmann in California.

Klinsmann said in today’s statement: "The suggestion that performance is not a criterion for making the national team shows an utter lack of respect.

"Performance is and remains our most important criterion," he added.