Klinsmann has decided: Germany's number 1 is...

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

I'll join this conversation a little late:

Great job Klinsi, you saw and made the sensible decision and didn't let all the FC Bayern officials pressure you into a decision.

I do think that based on form, no one can argue this decision. The people complaining about Kahn not getting the spot are the people who don't watch much of the players, just make decisions based on names, or people who never see Lehmann play since he's in England.

[localhost]

If the DFB would be honest FCB would never play in german leagues again... they are cheaters, they have to be punished
same for Dortmund. Except their +100Mio debt is an objective reason

[makkay]

i like willy

[Psychosis hsv]

As i said before, based on the performances
the decision is justified.
But the time is not well chosen,
one day before a BL top match
(Bremen - Bayern).

The officials were very angry about.
Klinsmann made himself too many
opponents IMHO.

I think, after the WC he will go
or will be kicked out.
i think great men have a lot of enemies, you will all sing klinsmann name after he lifts the world cup

[balla]

Klinsmann has opted for the boy rather than the man. The "I will quit if I don't get number 1" or the take it on the chin about losing the captaincy for no real reason. Klinsmann you were a great player but please you have just ********ed your countries chances for glory.

[Setareh]

its indeed very sad.To see a great legend like Oliver Kahn being dumped this way and ending his international carrer like that is just sad. I think as a leader and a goalie he is 1 in a million

For 2008, hope that Lehman will be retired and that we will have Hildebrand, or Tim Wiese (or Rensing, I like him )

[eissman]

Well, my only opinion is the national team coach needed to make the decision and now that he has, move on. Oli is a big boy and will move past it. Who "deserves" it? I don't know. Technically, neither is getting any younger and it will likely be both's last go at it.

No one can predict what will happen from now until the end of the World Cup, so perhaps Kahn will be in the net before we know it?

I think the German national team has more major issues at hand potentially... they should be happy with the talent that at least have in this department.

[balla_basti]

Thank god this unspeakable goalkeeper nonsense debate has finally came to an end! Now I'm going to do my first and my last comment on this crap:


Klinsmann as NT coach always knew what he wanted and what he did not. Let's be it the training methods, his circle of players, the style to play football, the technical director or anything else. Not in all things he could prevail his opinion and view, but in most. He definitely brought some fresh air into the dusty tomb named DFB, so his overall dedication was quite positive.

But the goalkeeper fuss is another topic. It kept the German press almost two years busy, it split the republic into two sides, either "Pro Kahn" or "Pro Lehmann" and it annoyed many football fans (including me), so even if the fuss is over now, there will be some hurt and offended pride on at least one side. Which is quite a good condition for the WC host, isn't it?

The whole goalkeeper fuss itself did not help a single bit for the most pressing problems the german NT has and furthermore I think it was absolutely useless, uneffective and in the end only a disassembly of King Kahn. Why?

Both goalkeepers are known and so are their qualities and capabilities. Therefore it seems quite unreliable that Klinsmann and his crew needed nearly two years to find out which goalkeeper fits best to their style to play. Considering that Klinsmann always knew what he wanted nurtures this impression. They knew right form their start, which goalkeeper they were prefering, but they had a decisive problem and this problem was King Kahn, the living goalkeeper monument, which so often had saved Germany's or Bayern's ass in the past! Even as a "new kid" in the german NT and DFB you can't sacrifice this monument two years before the WC hosted in the monument's own country!

But Klinsmann had an advantage, he had the time on his side - unlike Kahn - and he could introduce this silly competition about the goalkeeper spot. Everyone knew that King Kahn had reached his top level already years before, every knew that he would make more and more faults, so Klinsi only had to wait and wait and wait ... besides hoping that Lehmann won't make much faults, though he was and still is good for them. Time was finally on his side, Lehmann didn't make many faults and King Kahn made his faults and so did the public opinion change in the silly goalkeeper fuss. The time had finally come to make the decisive move today. Sure, Klinsmann could say that he had to decide now, cause Bayern (Kalle, etc.) were pressing for a decision on that topic, but why should the stubborn Klinsmann do, what Bayern and others wanted him to do at that point? Finally he never did what others wanted him to do!

Let's face it, King Kahn is on the decline and Lehmann is obviously not - at least not that fast - and he is a very good goalkeeper after all. But he never had that what is needed to become a true world class goalie, a true hero - like King Kahn was! Lehmanns nomination based on his performances this season is justified! King Kahn simply isn't a King anymore but the only thing Olli could achieve in this competion was loosing it. Therefore this whole procedure was unworthy, unnecessary and inappropriate for the monument King Kahn! Thank you, Klinsi that was really needed! :mad:

Most of you should know that I'm neither a glowing supporter of Olli and nor a glowing hater of Lehmann, I can live with the result of the decision, but not with the way the decision was made. I don't know how much of this goalkeeper fuss did go abroad, so I don't know if you can understand that I'm a bit pissed off


Only one comment: You hit the nail right on the head.

@ Eissman: mate if you think that this shows testicular fortitude on Klinsis part you are very mistaken. If anything it shows how much of a coward Klinsmann really is.
He cocoted a plot worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster (those years in California did their work) and did what he had wanted to do from Day ********ing one - kick Kahn out of the team.
I knew this was coming. because if he had wanted Kahn he wouldnt have started the rotation system in the first place.
And as Duncan points out, the only thing that all this movie has done is make a lot of people disappointed and make Germany lose the ONE player that cared and was passionate about how the team played. Because whatever else King Kahn is he always gives 110% on the pitch.
And to say nothing of how much it has already unsettled an already frail backline and also make the Germans lose their true leader.
Probably the first time a golden ball winner will not play in the next world cup. Pity!

As a coach, Klinsi is a cank. I read that he said he wants Lehmann because he has better "attacking" qualities than Kahn. Its about time that he realises that we dont have the team with which to play that fast attacking football that Klinsmann so desires.

And the toughest decision of his coaching career? :D lol! What coaching career? :rolleyes:

[footykid]

I'm not all that familiar with the German nation team, but from reading the thread it seems like you guys are having the same problem that England is. The David Beckham SWP debate was one of the hottest English debates before he transfered to Chelsea and dropped of the face of the planet. Both played very differently, many wanted SWP playing or atleast starting a few friendlies, others said no because simply DB was the captain, "talisman", and an outstanding midfielder back in the other world cups.

What people are failing to realize is this World Cup ISN'T 2002. I agree Kahn was the player of THE year. As and Arsenal fan I can attest to the fact that Jens can be tempermental(to put it lightly) but he is a fantastic keeper. He holds the record in English football for most games without losing, he now holds the Champions league title for most consecutive clean sheets. these have all been accumulated in the last 3 years, the same three years that has seen Kahn's form drop off dramatically. Loyalty to your National team is important but no one is bigger than the team, no one is irreplacable (Except for Henry:D ), and no one is World Class forever.

[arthur d]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1729202,00.html

Thanks. That's the one I meant.

["Eisenfuß" Eilts]

i think great men have a lot of enemies, you will all sing klinsmann name after he lifts the world cup

Yes, that´s normal, when you are in such position.

But Klinsmann also provokes it,
he acts like a bull in a china shop
sometimes.

[GermanBadAss]

i reckon lehmann will show germany n the whole world how gd he is

i think hes the best german goalie atm

kahn was the best keeper in the world but he isnt anymore

he had his best time 2002 but i think he's not good enough anymore

i think klinsis decision was really gd

[Psychosis hsv]

i reckon lehmann will show germany n the whole world how gd he is

i think hes the best german goalie atm

kahn was the best keeper in the world but he isnt anymore

he had his best time 2002 but i think he's not good enough anymore

i think klinsis decision was really gd
here is my bet bad ass, kahn will retire b4 w.cup, klinsmann will call up Enke to replace him, lehmann will lose his number 1 slot after the first match, enke will take over as the new number 1

[BayernWake]

http://www.fcbayern.t-com.de/media/images/fotogalerie_05_06/bremen_fcb/wer_fcb_01_ddp_080406.jpg

[smithfan]

I'm not all that familiar with the German nation team, but from reading the thread it seems like you guys are having the same problem that England is. The David Beckham SWP debate was one of the hottest English debates before he transfered to Chelsea and dropped of the face of the planet. Both played very differently, many wanted SWP playing or atleast starting a few friendlies, others said no because simply DB was the captain, "talisman", and an outstanding midfielder back in the other world cups.

What people are failing to realize is this World Cup ISN'T 2002. I agree Kahn was the player of THE year. As and Arsenal fan I can attest to the fact that Jens can be tempermental(to put it lightly) but he is a fantastic keeper. He holds the record in English football for most games without losing, he now holds the Champions league title for most consecutive clean sheets. these have all been accumulated in the last 3 years, the same three years that has seen Kahn's form drop off dramatically. Loyalty to your National team is important but no one is bigger than the team, no one is irreplacable (Except for Henry:D ), and no one is World Class forever.

read it guys! So true...:)

[F96]

It's really unbelievable how much this gets talked about.
I visited my familiy today and what did we talk about? Of course the "Torwartfrage". My grandmother is a huge Lehmann fan, she was happy of course.
My mother is working part-time in the local shop in my village and she said everyone that came in yesterday, wheather it was a young woman, a kid or an old man wanted to talk about it.

It's quite crazy. You kinda feel that the WC is approaching.

[prymetyme]

Fraulein is it true that the country isnt behind the team? Ive heard from several friends in Germany that Germany isnt behind the team and if were going to have success there going to have to be behind the team 100%.

[smithfan]

Fraulein is it true that the country isnt behind the team? Ive heard from several friends in Germany that Germany isnt behind the team and if were going to have success there going to have to be behind the team 100%.

of course we're behind the team. ;)

But you know...Germans tend to criticise anything :p

[kickinthehead]

Fraulein is it true that the country isnt behind the team? Ive heard from several friends in Germany that Germany isnt behind the team and if were going to have success there going to have to be behind the team 100%.


I think the Bavarian Mafiosos need to shut the f*** up and get with the program. All that matters is that we win, Lehmann is Number 1 and that's it.
Even Beckenbauer was more laid-back upon reacting to the news than he usually is. I actually think that now that a decision has been taken, the country will get more behind the team than they have. Go Germany!

[prymetyme]

thats very good. I know i'll be decked up in German apparell when Im there and sleeping drunk in a flag every night and I want to have others there with me lol.

I have a good feeling about our chances...