Meier set to reach new heights

There has been little to celebrate at Eintracht Frankfurt this season as they struggle to adapt to life in the Bundesliga following their return to the German top flight. But towering playmaker Alexander Meier has shone brightly and earned recognition with a call-up to the Germany Under-21 squad for Tuesday's friendly against the Armenia senior team.

Pivotal call
Should he appear in Ahlen, Meier will reach another landmark in what has been a heady ascent since he was released by Hamburger SV in 2001. An impressive two-year spell at nearby FC St. Pauli followed, earning him a return to the side's cross-city rivals, but it was Buchholz-born playmaker's move south to Frankfurt 12 months later that proved the turning point. A telephone call from Eintracht's assistant coach Armin Reutershahn, who worked with the player at Hamburg, proved enough to convince him to drop down to the 2. Bundesliga on loan.

Inspired decision
It proved an inspired decision and with nine goals and eight assists, the ever-present Meier helped the side gain promotion to Germany's top tier. The performances led to a difficult decision for parent club Hamburg, and they eventually allowed him to leave permanently in a deal worth €650,000 during the summer. "It would have been difficult for Meier to establish himself in Hamburg with Rafael van der Vaart already here," said sporting director Dietmar Beiersdorf. "That is why we let him go. Yet I'm not surprised about his development since."

'Under observation'
That 'development' has seen the 1.96m-tall 23-year-old establish himself as one of the Bundesliga's rising stars, scoring six times, and setting up numerous others to catch the eye of Germany's U21 coach Dieter Eilts. "We have had Alexander under observation for quite some time," the former Werder Bremen star said. "I'm convinced he has potential. He has performed outstandingly a couple of times this season although he hasn't been able to play for us for a while due to injury."

Summer date
Meier may now be given his chance against Armenia after being named in the Germany squad alongside club-mate Patrick Ochs. The playmaker could be handed a role behind the likes of Stefan Kiessling and Nando Rafael and should he impress, Meier could well edge his way into the reckoning for this summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal. Germany begin their campaign against 2004 finalists Serbia and Montenegro on 23 May.