Joachim Löw not giving Jens Lehman a send-off
By: 21 | November 11th, 2008With his retirement from international Football, many assumed that Joachim Löw would give Jens Lehman a final appearance in the upcoming friendly against England. However this isn’t going to happen as Löw informed the ‘keeper that he wasn’t going to be brought back for die Mannschaft .
Löw stressed the younger players need valuable playing time:
“Our group of young keepers needs the experience of these international matches. Obviously, a final appearance in the England game would have been a nice gesture towards Jens. Even more so, because Jens spend five years in Arsenal, and every fan remembers his heroic deeds in the Berlin Olympiastadion during the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina. All this considered, our team goals had to be given priority.”
This one surprised me as I was expecting the match in Berlin would have been a perfect way to offer gratitude for a long career.
He added:
“Jens has done much for German football. During our four years working together, he has always been an important sounding board. I have been impressed by his leadership and his professionalism throughout. He was able to focus to the point, whether during practice sessions or in the games. I have met few players, who were able to contribute in such a positive and effective way.”
This surprised me as I thought after sixty-one caps and three World Cups I would have thought the match in Berlin would have been a natural decision.
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Comments
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England could have done with Mad Jens in goal.
Posted from
United States
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Word, Rob.
‘This one surprised me as I was expecting the match in Berlin would have been a perfect way to offer gratitude for a long career.’
Me too. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think I read somewhere that Oliver Bierhoff once raised the idea of Lehmann facing England (or maybe I was reading the wrong thing then). Only God knows what was the change in decision.Posted from
Singapore -
‘This one surprised me as I was expecting the match in Berlin would have been a perfect way to offer gratitude for a long career.’
You’re being very tactful because you and I both know that is nearly an unwritten rule that he would have been given the opportunity to bow out with grace in Berlin. It shows little class and has a stench to it.
Posted from
Germany -
j; you’re right, I was being “nice” because it does represent something bigger going on with the German club and doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t have to tell you – obviously, that a players-coach would make sure an older player gets his chance to bid farewell in a friendly at home.
Posted from
Bulgaria -
Lehmann hasn’t ended his career yet. He’ll play for Stuttgart until the summer and if he decides to end his career then, then he’ll surely get a farewell match featuring the usual “Lehmann and friends vs a World XI” or something.
But an extra farewell match in the national team? In that case Oliver Neuville should get one too, alongside numerous other players, who retired from the national team.
Posted from
United States -
Oh I didn’t mean a total “farewell match” – my mistake on that but I do like the idea of older players having that final chance if in a friendly. This just seemed “too easy” with the match in Berlin.
As far as club level I hope he stays on a bit longer because I think he has a lot to give.
Posted from
Germany -
Well, unless Oliver is injured, I don’t see why they couldn’t include him and Lehmann in the match, at least for a half. They’ve both been fantastic contributors to the team and they deserve it. Bierhoff or Loew were certainly saying they’d give Lehmann a bow out earlier this summer.
It seems to me that Loew is speaking in code, and that his message is: “An injured Enke means that I’m starting Adler again. And, by putting in a great performance, Adler is going to give me a selection headache once Enke is healed. But I must also consider Neuer. Ja, I have too many fantastic goalkeepers to choose from. I am so screwed.”
Posted from
United States -
I think Oliver Bierhoff made the mistake and promised Lehmann the match against England, or at least Bierhoff had the idea. And this way the whole thing looks a bit cruel. The thing is though, when I referred to Oliver Neuville, I actually meant to say or better ask: where do you draw the line? And more importantly: there weren’t any German national team players, who got a farewell match in the national team in recent history. They all probably had their usual farewell match, when they ended their club careers, and sometimes (see Oliver Kahn) the national team will come and take part in that match. But that is that.
Posted from
United States
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