ACTUALITE |
09.06.2002
Kahn insists: I`m in charge
MIYAZAKI
Franz Beckenbauer may disagree but goalkeeper Oliver Kahn sees himself as Germany`s team leader and dismisses the idea the three-time winners will crash out by losing to Cameroon.
Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as both a player and coach, opined last week that the Germans needed a leader - and not one watching the action from as far back as their own penalty box.
But Bayern Munich star Kahn is out to prove him wrong as he barks out his orders - at the same time closing the door on would-be replacements Jens Lehmann of Borussia Dortmund and Hans Jorg Butt of Bayer Leverkusen.
The 32-year-old has an advantage in that he is not tinged by the failures of Germany`s last two World Cups, which ended at the quarter-final stage, with Bodo Illgner between the sticks in the USA in 1994 and Andreas Kopke playing in goal at France 98.
In both of those tournaments the team was riven by internal division but Kahn has a message for those who think the same thing might happen here under his on-field team stewardship.p
"The prima donnas` era is over. Today we have a real team spirit," he said ahead of Tuesday`s crucial showdown with Cameroon which the Germans dare not lose.
Beckenbauer feels that a midfielder such as Michael Ballack might take over the skipper`s armband and leave Kahn as commander of only the back four, but Ballack himself doesn`t agree.
"Oliver is our leader," insists Ballack, who will be a team-mate of Kahn at Bayern next season.
Kahn meanwhile says there is no danger of Rudi Voller`s men taking the African and Olympic champions lightly, a possible reason for their previous World Cup flops against Bulgaria and Croatia.
"I can guarantee you we will not make ourselves look ridiculous against Cameroon on Tuesday," he vowed.
And by clear implication he will not be handing over the skipper`s armband either, having not hesitated to bawl out striker Oliver Bierhoff for losing possession on the way to Ireland`s injury-time leveller last week which denied the Germans automatic qualification.
"It`s true you can sometimes overreact in such circumstances. But now we have to show we can handle the pressure of a World Cup," he said.
It`s now or never for Kahn, who will be in the twilight of his career in 2006, even if then Germany will stage the finals.
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