Former German international star and current Bulgarian team coach Lothar Matthaeus will be given the chance to extend his contract and negotiate new terms, officials have said, confirming earlier media reports.

"I want to know what Matthaeus plans to do during the matches until the end of this qualifying cycle, and how he sees things in Brazil in 2014," the president of the country's Football Union Borislav Mihaylov said on Tuesday.

Mihaylov and Matthaeus have already discussed the possibility of renewing the contract in a conversation over the phone.  They are due to meet and discuss the issue once again this week.

The much-traveled Matthaeus replaced in September 2010 Stanimar Stoilov, who quit after Euro 2012 qualifying defeats to England, and more damagingly, Montenegro.

Lothar Matthaeus signed a one-year deal with an option for two more years at the helm.

So far, though, Matthaeus' coaching career hasn't come close to emulating his glory days on the pitch.

His biggest challenge was to try to salvage Bulgaria's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 and though this has proved to be mission impossible, reports say the country wants to keep the German coach after that too.

Bulgaria was handed a tricky test in the World Cup draw at the end of July and will face four-time champions Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Armenia and Malta.

"It's an extremely difficult group," Lothar Matthaeus commented a day after the draw for the 2014 World Cup was made in Rio de Janeiro on July 30.

"Maybe ever since I have been involved in the football world - as a goalkeeper and as a manager - this is the worst group we have seen. These are really serious rivals and it will be difficult against everyone of them. But as Lothar Matthaeus once said in the football game anything is possible and we will do our best," Mihailov commented on Tuesday.

With Brazil automatically qualified as hosts, much of the interest focused on the nine European qualifying groups where the winners will automatically qualify.

The eight best-placed runners-up will then contest four remaining spots in playoff ties.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!