Potentially #2 bench player? He deserves to start over anyone. It's called swallowing pride not going back on your word.
And then we hoof every ball up to him like Schalke? Express is reporting Kuranyi will only be called up if another striker goes down injured. Klose, Podolski and Gomez are guaranteed a WC place, Cacau adds another dimension to the attack with his technical ability. If Löw has to pick between Kuranyi and Kießling, he most certainly will pick the latter. http://www.express.de/sport/fussball/kuranyis-chancen-nur-minimal/-/3186/1848614/-/index.html
Loew is proving to be a bigger idiot than anyone thought. Start with Klose or Podolski? Leave one of the two OTHER most prolific strikers in Germany home??? The BEST thing that could happen to German football would be to have an embrassing exit from the WM so that Loew gets fired and stops hiring idiots like that who cannot see the forest for the trees.
The only idiot, Sir, is you. This is only because of 1-2 not chosen players? Maybe you should calm down a little bit.
I just want to see Germany win matches - After all I don't mind who's the manager if the team still wins. To hope that Germany will fail only to cut the hatred manager is beyond me.
I could care less about Loew...so I don't hate him. What I cannot stand though is his arrogance and inability to put Germany's BEST team on the pitch. There is no doubt that Klose/Podolski are cold. You miss the point: If Loew is stupid enough to start Klose and Podolski over Gomez/Keissling or Gomez/Kuranyi than Germany is basically doomed anyway. When was the last time a striker, coming off of a stond-cold season, suddenly started scoring in the World Cup?
The inverse sight: Look was the best forwards of three European leagues managed at WC '02 (France with Trezeguet scored 25 goals, Henry with 25 and Cissie with 22.). And that happend times. I agree starting Klose and Podolski wouldn't be clever but when did Löw this the last time? And if the worst case about player pool and starting team becomes true, I'm still hoping to see them score and win.
The answer to your question is Ronaldo (the fat variety and not the Portuguese man of war ) in the 2002 WC. He just scored 5 odd goals in the 2001/2002 season for Inter. He was plagued by injuries and was out of form for long spells. There must be more examples, I am sure. Edit: Paolo Rossi. Grossly out of shape and match practice when picked by Italy for the WC in 82. Performed poorly in all the three group games. But these are exceptions more than the norm.
Actually that is the counter argument....but look what happened in '98. I want to know what NOT HOT strikers went to the WM and all of a sudden got hot. Poorvi says Fat-boy Ronaldo, but when you play the likes of Costa Rica, China and Turkey and net 4 of your 8 goals that, for me, is like Klose's hatrick against the Saudi's only to prove he cannot score against the better teams. But, I guess he is the best example of someone who got "hot" after being cold during the year.
Turkey is nothing to scoff at. They were pretty damn good in that tournament. Half their players were german
The point is that Loew is failing in many other areas, not just with Kuranyi. Our performances have showed it too yet he refuses to make the adequate changes. To me that spells the possibility of a very disappointing World Cup.
*Trying to imagine eissmann in a turkey uniform cheering loudly in turkish* (stuffing his dog with turkish sweets ....)