Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal confirmed Wednesday that the inexperienced Thomas Kraft will be his first-choice goalkeeper to start the second half of the Bundesliga.
Kraft will replace 36-year-old Hans-Joerg Butt to be in goal when Bayern plays Wolfsburg on Saturday.
''Kraft is the No. 1,'' Van Gaal said, ending days of speculation. ''I have great confidence that he will make it. You have to give a player a chance, otherwise you won't know if he can do it or not.
''If he can't manage it, then Butt will be No. 1 again. But you can't tell after only one game.''
Bayern's front office was reportedly irked by Van Gaal's plan to replace Butt, who has played a solid season so far. But club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says picking the lineup is solely Van Gaal's responsibility, and the Dutch coach said Wednesday that club officials were aware of his intentions before the German winter break.
Kraft played in two Champions League games after Bayern had already qualified for the next round but is yet to play in the Bundesliga.
The contracts of Kraft and Butt finish at the end of the season. Bayern is known to be interested in Schalke and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
But if the talented Kraft proves himself over the next five months, Bayern may choose to stick with him.
Van Gaal has consistently introduced young players into Bayern's squad, including Thomas Mueller, one of the best players last season who won the Golden Boot award at the World Cup in South Africa.
In another development, Van Gaal told Sport-Bild weekly magazine that he is likely to end his career if he doesn't extend his contract with Bayern, which runs another season.
''The most probable options right now are either a contract extension with Bayern or the end of my career,'' Van Gaal said.
Van Gaal said he remains interested in coaching a national team, ''but there are very few teams that would be of interest for me. The fact is that most of the posts are taken.''
Van Gaal said he would return to Ajax but only as the ''top man in the club. I have to be the boss and that condition would never be fulfilled.''
