Playerwatch 2005: Germany

By Mark Bennett

In the past Germany have never been short of talent - success in three FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships are proof of that. And although at UEFA EURO 2004™ it became quite plain that Germany are currently going through a relatively lean spell, there are still some prospects coming through.

New crop
The last 12 months saw players such as Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Christian Pander and Patrick Owomeyla hit the Bundesliga scene, and all of them could become valuable assets. But new national coach Jürgen Klinsmann can also look to assistance from the English Premiership, with Robert Huth, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Moritz Volz all being watched very closely by the former Tottenham Hotspur FC striker.

Defensive hope
Germany have always relied on solid defending to get the right results, but at EURO 2004™ it became quite clear that veteran defenders Christian Wörns and Jens Nowotny can no longer match the pace at the top level. But there is hope on the horizon for Germany. Mertesacker has burst onto the scene in the last 12 months and is definitely not going away.

Classy combination
The Hannover 96 central defender has great ability in the air, pace and skill. This combination saw him make his debut for Germany in October in their 2-0 win against Iran in Tehran when he came on as a substitute, and handed him his first start when Klinsmann's side defeated Cameroon 3-0 one month later.

Pander challenge
Elsewhere, last season's shooting star Philipp Lahm could also be facing some competition in the not too distant future. FC Schalke 04 left-back Pander has been having an outstanding season and in December was picked by Klinsmann for the tour of Asia. The 21-year-old may not be a flair player down the wing, but his vicious left foot and his crossing ability have been invaluable to Schalke in both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup.

Huth selection
But Germany have more options at the back slowly being brought on by Klinsmann. Even though Huth is finding it hard to claim a spot at Chelsea FC, the 20-year-old has played in every game since the new national coach took over. Another Premiership duo, Aston Villa FC's Hitzlsperger and Fulham FC's Volz, have also been promoted to the full national team in recent months.

Striking solutions
Despite having enough talent at the back, Germany have still to deal with their problems further forward. However, 2004 has produced two players that can certainly fit the bill and who promise much for the future.

Podolski power
Early this year Podolski exploded on to the Bundesliga scene out of nowhere, and shocked opponents with his ability to find the back of the net. The 19-year-old scored ten goals in 19 games and made the EURO 2004™ squad. Since then he has decided to stay at 1. FC Köln despite relegation, and has boosted their cause with another hatful of goals this season.

Versatile Owomoyela
Meanwhile, Klinsmann has also moved to make sure Owomoyela throws his lot in with Germany. The DSC Arminia Bielefeld all-rounder has a Nigerian father and a German mother, entitling him to chose which country he wants to play for. His pace and ability to play anywhere on the right side proved to be too good to miss out on, and Klinsmann called him up in December, prompting Owomoyela to say: "I am honoured and will play for Germany."