BOSS YESTERDAY'S MAN IF HE FAILS WARNS MATTHAUS

JULIAN NAGELSMANN has been told failure is not an option when he leads Germany into the World Cup.

- FROM JEREMY CROSS IN HOUSTON

They will be on a hiding to nothing when they take on ultimate minnows Curacao in the Group E opener in Houston today.

Nothing but a convincing win will do for Nagelsmann (above) and his red-hot favourites.

While beating Curacao has to be just the start of a campaign that needs to see Germany challenged for a fifth World Cup crown.

German legend Lothar Matthaus (right), who won the trophy in 1990, said: "If he fails to get out of the preliminary rounds, he would have to go.

"Then there could be no arguments for him to continue. But I don't even want to think about that scenario."

Matthaus also believes Nagelsmann, 38, should resign if he goes on to win the biggest prize.