Arsenal, Liverpool target Podolski clashes with Cologne management

Arsenal and Liverpool target Lukas Podolski has clashed with FC Cologne management.

Speaking to the Bild am Sonntag, Podolski criticised his home-town club for their perceived failure to deliver on promises made when joined from Bayern Munich two and a half years ago.

Cologne general manager Claus Horstmann says Podolski will be fined for his unauthorised comments, which were published prior to yesterday's 1-0 defeat to Hamburg.

"Of course such a high-profile player has every right to speak out publicly, but we are surprised about the timing and the content of an interview on the day in which we had a very important game against Hamburg," he said.

"The interview had not been agreed with us, nor had we authorised its publication.

"It has been released by Lukas' personal management and our recommendations have not been followed. He has therefore knowingly broken rules set down in his contract.

"Remarks about the club must always be authorised by the club. There is no place in the world for a player, who is injured, who is not in the squad and who is always demanding calm, to give such an interview."