Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has named Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink as the man he would most like to see in charge of his club next season. The Bavarians are searching for a new coach after sacking Jurgen Klinsmann yesterday.

Jupp Heynckes was appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season, but a new man must be found who “earns the respect of the players,” according to chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

That man, according to Beckenbauer, would be Hiddink, although the Kaiser knows he is unavailable.

“I hope we can get a coach who is somewhere in the class of Guus Hiddink,” he said.

Candidates are already emerging with former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini, ex-Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and the out-of-work Frank Rijkaard and Bernd Schuster believed to be in the frame.

Armin Veh and Mirko Slomka are options from within Germany while a return of Felix Magath, who could lead Wolfsburg to the title this season, is not out of the question.

However, since Klinsmann and his coaching team can expect a large pay-off following their dismissal yesterday, Bayern are unlikely to go for a coach who is already employed elsewhere.

Therefore, the internal option of former Bayern favourite Mehmet Scholl together with the club’s reserve team coach Hermann Gerland could be preferred, and this has already been given the fans’ seal of approval.

The Bayern fans called for the pair during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Schalke and that duo would present the cheapest, and perhaps most respected option, which Beckenbauer claims is crucial.

“We thought he (Klinsmann) would have a bonus thanks to what he did at the World Cup, but there were many fans who were against him from the very first day,” said Beckenbauer. “We under-estimated the effect of this atmosphere against him.”