BONN French club Olympique Marseille gave Andreas Kopke the all clear Tuesday to leave and confirmed their agreement for him to join Nuremberg by fax. Germany's former goalkeeper, capped 59 times, has agreed to play for the Bundesliga club until June 30th 2001. No transfer fee was revealed. He won't be putting his signature on the actual contract though until the early next year when he returns from a family skiing holiday.

Kopke's professional career began with Nuremberg, playing 264 games for them between 1986 and 1994, only leaving for Eintracht Frankfurt when they were relegated four years ago. He was unwanted at Marseille after a feud with trainer Rolland Courbis who demoted him to the substitutes' bench. After seeing out his playing days at Nuremberg, 36-year-old Kopke is expected to take on a managerial position at the Bavarian club.

Kopke's imminent transfer is part of a major restructuring. Twenty four hours earlier it was announced that ex-Borussia Moenchengladbach coach Friedel Rausch would be taking over as Nuremberg's coach. He has been brought in on a six-month contract to stave off relegation in the final half of the season. Nuremberg's current keeper Andreas Hilfiker, Switzerland's national keeper, isn't hiding his disappointment at the decision to sign Kopke but Rausch says he won't be allowed to leave.

"Of course Andreas Hilfiker is unhappy if Andreas Kopke is coming," Rausch said. "But he's got a contract and has to stay." (AFP)