BERLIN – Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeness said on Saturday he hopes coach Ottmar Hitzfeld will sign a contract extension over the winter break to stay at the German giants for another season.

Hitzfeld, who has won the Champions League with both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, has expressed interest in coaching the Swiss national team after next summer’s Euro 2008 tournament with his contract in Munich set to expire in June.

But Bayern, who went six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga thanks to Saturday’s 2-1 win at VfL Bochum, are keen to extend the 58-year-old’s contract with his unbeaten side picking up their eighth win of the season.

“I am hoping we can announce Hitzfeld will stay with us after January’s winter break,” Hoeness told German satellite channel Premiere.

Hitzfeld has always said he wants to talk to Bayern’s management before he considers coaching any other side, but is interested in taking over from Swiss coach Jakob Kuhn after next summer’s European Championships.