Goalkeeping legend Maier demands Neuer as DFB number 1
Manuel Neuer yes, Marc-André ter Stegen no - for goalkeeping icon Sepp Maier, there is no doubt as to who should keep goal for Germany at the European Championships. However, he rejects the idea of Toni Kroos returning from Real Madrid - and has mixed feelings about the tournament this summer.
Goalkeeping legend Sepp Maier firmly believes that Manuel Neuer will be keeping goal for the German national team at next summer's European Championship. In the competition with Marc-André ter Stegen, Maier sees Neuer (37), who has recovered from a broken leg, as the front runner. In addition, ter Stegen (31) was recently absent from the DFB team and FC Barcelona due to back problems and had to undergo an operation.
"Ter Stegen is a very good goalkeeper, but Manu is on the way to his old form, so there's no doubt who will be number one at the European Championship in Germany," said Maier in an interview published by Sport1 on Christmas Eve.
The 1974 World Cup winner, who turns 80 at the end of February, said he never doubted that Neuer would return. The goalkeeper from Maier's former club FC Bayern Munich had been out of action for more than ten months following an accident during a skiing vacation. "He's such a great goalkeeper, he just had to come back," said Maier and even described Neuer's comeback at the end of October in the home game against Darmstadt 98 as his personal highlight of the year. Neuer was not yet back for the following international matches.
Toni Kroos "had his time"
Overall, he is looking ahead to the home European Championships with mixed feelings, explained the former national goalkeeping coach Maier in view of past performances. With performances like the defeats against Turkey and Austria, national coach Julian Nagelsmann's team will fail badly and not make it past the preliminary round. However, Maier expects a similar euphoria in Germany as at the 2006 World Cup.
Despite the latest results, Maier rejects the idea of Toni Kroos returning, which Nagelsmann recently brought up. "He had his time. We have many other talented players in his position who can help the team," Maier said of the soon-to-be 34-year-old Real Madrid midfielder. That does not mean that the 2014 world champion is not a great player and has done nothing for German soccer.
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Despite his impressive career, goalkeeper Toni Kroos is not in Sepp Maier's plans for the German national team at the upcoming European Championship. Maier commends Kroos' talent but sees other players in his position as better fits for the team. Meanwhile, FC Bayern Munich and Germany's first-choice goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, continues to impress veteran Maier, who praises Neuer's comeback after a long injury layoff.
Source: www.ntv.de
