Jurgen Klinsmann will be "left in peace and quiet" to consider his future as Germany's coach in the wake of the host nation's World Cup exit.

Klinsmann's contract is due to expire at the end of the tournament, but the the decision-makers at the German Football Association (DFB) - and fans - hope he will stay on.

"He has woken this national team up and I certainly hope Jurgen Klinsmann and his team can continue taking this side into the future," said DFB president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.

"Having achieved what he has, I am sure he feels some kind of responsibility to carry the job through."

Mayer-Vorfelder not only praised Klinsmann for leading an unfancied Germany to the last four, he thanked him for breathing new life into the nation, which has witnessed "a wonderful World Cup experience."

"This team has managed to bring a level of euphoria to the nation which we have not witnessed since the reunification," added the DFB chief.

"The team and everybody involved can be very proud."

Pride was not the first thing on the players' minds last night, however, as they struggled to come to terms with the last-gasp extra-time defeat to

Italy.

It was only in the early hours of the morning that team manager Oliver Bierhoff was able to close his eyes and try to get some sleep.

"It felt like a bottomless pit of disappointment," he explained.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which we have been working two years and for the last seven weeks of intense work to be all over is a huge disappointment, particularly since we wanted to have the cup in our hands.

"In the dressing room afterwards, it was very quiet.

"Nobody wanted to discuss what had happened, and that was the case on the plane and into the hotel.

"Only at about 3.30am did we start to try to realise what had happened and I wasn't in bed until five."

When Germany do come to terms with heartbreaking defeat, Bierhoff is convinced they will see the 2006 World Cup as a positive experience.

"Let's not forget we have achieved lots of small aims, even if the big one eluded us," he added.

"I think throughout the first round, Germany played the most attractive football of all the nations.

"I am incredibly proud of this team."

Although Bierhoff admits nobody will even be thinking about Saturday's third-place play-off at least for the next 24 hours, he has already begun planning for the future and hopes Klinsmann will be part of it.

"Our next aim is Euro 2008 and the qualifying games, which start in September," he said.

"Hopefully we can get a quick answer (from Klinsmann), but to put him under any pressure would be wrong.

"He has been concentrating solely on this tournament so obviously needs a little holiday, but we will stay in contact."