Journalists throw toilet roll at Berti Vogts in press conference protest

FORMER Scotland manager Berti Vogts, now in charge of Azerbaijan, said he was attacked by three men during a news conference in Baku yesterday ahead of tomorrow's Euro 2012 qualifier against Germany. A spokesman for the Azerbaijan Football Federation later revealed that journalists threw a roll of toilet paper at Vogts to express their displeasure with the national team's performance.

Vogts, under fire in the Azeri media following his team's disappointing run, insists that he will still sit on the bench tomorrow but he told German reporters in Baku that he had filed a report with police and would "discuss his next steps with my lawyers".

He said three men attacked him before being stopped by security guards in the room. Vogts said he was unhurt. Vogts, who coached Germany to the 1996 European title and had an ill-fated spell as Scotland manager between 2002 and 2004, confirmed he would coach the side again today and take charge for the qualifier tomorrow.

He added: "I would have long ago left if it were not for my friendship with the federation president. I have experienced many things but nothing like that. I do not have the words to describe this." Vogts, 64, took the Azerbaijan job in April 2008. But pressure has been mounting since his team's 2-1 defeat to bottom-placed Kazakhstan on Friday that left them with three points from five matches in qualifying Group A.

Azerbaijan finished second last in their qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup and have lost four of five Euro 2012 qualifiers.

"This is a no-go. To attack a coach is unacceptable whatever the outcome of a match. I am surprised to hear the news," Germany coach Joachim Loew told reporters in Vienna as the team prepared to leave for Azerbaijan following their 2-1 win against Austria on Friday.

"Azerbaijan may have lost against Kazakhstan but they have, for example, won a crucial game against Turkey and that shows their development that is strongly linked to Berti Vogts. So this really is a surprise."

Later, though, a spokesman for the Azerbaijan Football Federation downplayed the situation.

He explained that journalists threw a roll of toilet paper at Vogts as a sign of their discontent with recent results and then also presented the manager with a jug of water of the type used in Muslim countries to wash after using the toilet.

"There was an incident when three journalists attempted to insult Berti Vogts, but it was not an attack," spokesman Mikhail Nariman-Ogly told the Associated Press news agency.