“I am very surprised by Michael Ballack’s comments,” he said.
“I am astonished and disappointed by the fact that he has chosen to make his critical comments via the media.
“He is the captain and therefore an important player for me to discuss things with and nothing will change there, but the team line-up will remain the decision of myself and my team.
“We treat all squad members with the appropriate respect, irrespective of whether they are young or old.”