Greeks call for Otto Olympic honour

Greece's shock Euro 2004 victors believe that their German coach Otto Rehhagel deserves the ultimate Olympic honour for leading them to one of football's most unlikely triumphs.

Following their 1-0 victory against hosts Portugal, his players reckoned it would be wonderful if Rehhagel was asked to light the flame in Athens' Olympic Stadium at the opening of the Games next month.

"It's a great idea. Why not?" defender Michalis Kapsis said. "They say it will be a Greek person who does the lighting of the flame in the stadium but the Greek government has already asked for him to become a Greek citizen." There is no chance a foreigner would be given that ceremonial role when the Games open in just under six weeks time but only last week, Greece's public order minister said he was recommending that Rehhagel should be granted Greek citizenship "because he has proven to have a Greek soul".

After yesterday's triumph, the clamour for the man they call "King Otto" to gain some official honour will only grow but some in Greece fear he may not take them on to the 2006 World Cup.

Today he refused to comment on speculation that, following Rudi Voller's departure, he could be offered the vacant Germany job and break his contract with the Greek federation.

"At this moment, is a time only to talk about what the boys did. It would be fatal to waste a single word on anything else," he said.