Second Chance

The Schalke 04 player was kicked out of the German team by coach Joachim Loew last month after leaving the stadium at half time without permission during a World Cup qualifier against Russia for which he had not been nominated as a substitute.

Kuranyi was quoted in the weekly Welt am Sonntag as having said that he is hoping for another chance.

"I hope that I have not closed all doors because of one mistake," he said. "Some time in the future it will be my goal again to play for Germany. But at the moment everything is fine the way it is."

Kuranyi, who has since had a telephone conversation with Loew and apologized for his actions, said that he tried to explain why he left the stadium.

Kuranyi feels misunderstood

"I told Loew that the manner in which I departed was wrong. I tried to explain why I undertook a step that nobody expected me to do, not even my father.

"The problem, however, is that it is very difficult to understand for others. Nobody felt at the time how I felt."

Kuranyi admitted that he would act differently in a similar situation. "I think I would go to him and say: I am leaving. I did not do that a month ago and that was wrong."

He added, however, that in principle he did not regret his actions. "If I had not gone, I would not have learned many things that are important for my future. Sometimes a person has to do something, even if nobody else understands it."