Solbakken expects Podolski to stay

Cologne coach Stale Solbakken is confident striker Lukas Podolski will not ask for a transfer following the shock resignation of club president Wolfgang Overath last night. Overath's decision to stand down along with his two vice-presidents has sent a shockwave through the club, with speculation growing that Podolski may feel enough is enough after recently voicing his unhappiness about the unsettling off-field problems. But Solbakken is convinced Podolski will see out the remainder of his contract and even sign a new one. "He still has 18 months to go on his current deal and that is enough time for us to prove to him that we can build a good team and he can be the big match-winner in it, even after these 18 months," the Norwegian coach told the SID news agency. "The media like to speculate a lot about Lukas, particularly when he is playing well." The first rumours Podolski was not happy surfaced when Solbakken scrapped him of the club's captaincy shortly after taking over as coach in the summer. However, the Germany international has been in some of his best ever form recently and, despite admitting his disappointment at no longer leading his home-town club out on to the field, he has stressed his relationship with Solbakken is good. The Germany international has questioned his club's ambition, though, while suggesting he would not be out of place at his former club Bayern Munich.