Bayern Munich legend Sepp Mayer spoke to Abendzeitung München about Jürgen Klopp's start as Germany coach, the goalkeeper competition between Marc-André ter Stegen, Ulreich, and Nübel. On Ulreich, who is expected to make his Germany debut, Mayer believes external expectations have risen too rapidly.

Germany drew 1-1 with the Netherlands in their first match and then lost 0-1 to Greece. How do you assess Klopp's first two matches?

Of course, everyone hoped for a different start. A draw and a defeat are not the results expected of Germany. But it would be wrong to write everything off now. You can see what Klopp is demanding: speed, passion, attacking football. But many aspects of the team still aren't functioning. If everything went smoothly in such a short time, that would be unbelievable. After all, Klopp is not a magician. He needs time. What matters now is giving people the sense that this team is coming together as a cohesive unit and building something.

Marc-André ter Stegen attracted particular attention in Klopp's first match. He showed excellent performance on the goal line, but his passing with his feet was sometimes quite risky. What did you make of his performance in that match?

That's right. There were shots he had to save, and he saved them brilliantly, showing his quality. But sometimes from the back he was making passes that made me think "what are you doing?" A goalkeeper also needs to know when to stop playing beautiful football. If there's danger, just clear the ball. No one would blame him for doing that now, but it's a different story if he makes a passing error in front of his own goal.

Were you surprised by Marc-André ter Stegen's performance, even after such a long absence?

Yes. I didn't expect him to perform so well on the goal line right after his return. He made two or three excellent saves, some of which were world-class. But the match had other aspects. When he had the ball at his feet, he sometimes took too many risks. So in my view, his performance had both highlights and clear problems.

At one point he passed directly to an opponent and then saved it himself. Is this a typical goalkeeper scenario—starting a fire and then acting as the firefighter?

That's complete nonsense. Starting a fire and then becoming the firefighter. (laughs) The save was excellent, but if he had dealt with the ball properly beforehand, he wouldn't have needed to make that save in the first place. Just because he saved an almost unsavable shot later doesn't make a bad pass a good pass. Marc himself must know that shouldn't happen.

So it was still a successful comeback for him?

In terms of saves, yes. In terms of his footwork, not always. (laughs) But perhaps we should reconsider what a goalkeeper is actually there for. His job is to stop shots, and Marc does that very well. Still, against top teams, he cannot afford to make such passing errors again. Sooner or later, opponents will exploit that and punish him.

Foot skills have long been considered a major strength of Marc-André ter Stegen, but in this match he looked shaky. How do you explain that?

One reason is certainly the lack of match rhythm, but that excuse won't last forever. Marc is 34 years old and has experienced everything. You can't blame every pass error on lack of match rhythm. If he wants to be Germany's number one goalkeeper, he has to play these passes well. If he can't do that, he shouldn't play like Beckenbauer in front of his own penalty area.

Now let's talk about Bayern's goalkeeper Ulreich. What do you make of the fuss surrounding him?

In my opinion, the hype around Ulreich has gone too far. That's not because I think poorly of the young man. Quite the opposite—he's very talented. But everything is developing far too quickly. After just a few good performances, people are saying he should be Germany's new number one goalkeeper. Why? Let him become Bayern's number one first.

So Ulreich still needs to play second fiddle to Marc-André ter Stegen for now?

Of course, for now. Is that a problem? He's only 23 years old. Marc-André ter Stegen has been playing at the highest level for years, while Ulreich hasn't even established himself as Bayern's number one for an extended period. Sometimes we overestimate young players beyond what they've actually achieved at this stage.

Kompany believes Ulreich can become Germany's number one goalkeeper in the future. Do you think so?

In the future? Yes, perhaps. He has potential. But there's a long road between "the future" and "now." He needs to play regularly, gain experience, make mistakes, play in the Champions League, and prove he can bounce back after a poor performance. You can't make someone Germany's goalkeeper based on predictions about the future alone.

What is Ulreich most lacking?

Match experience. That's all. These days everyone talks too much about potential, but potential won't stop shots on Saturday. Experience can't be gained in training, and it won't come from people constantly saying "how good a player will he become in the future." You have to stand in front of goal and deliver performances.

If a goalkeeper is a second choice at his club, can Germany make him their number one?

In my opinion, not in the long term. How could that be possible? Germany's number one goalkeeper should normally be a regular at his club too. This position especially requires match experience. Even if you can save a hundred shots in training, it's completely different from playing in front of 70,000 spectators. Training is training and matches are matches. That was true when I played, and it hasn't changed now.

So you think the debate about the goalkeeper position is unnecessary?

For me it is. Marc has still proven he has what it takes. Now let him play and perform, and Ulreich should continue to develop. If Ulreich ever becomes better than him, it's not too late to make a change then. But I wouldn't announce a generational change at goalkeeper just because one is 23 and the other is 34. Decisions should be based on who can save the ball, not on date of birth.

Looking back at the Netherlands match, do you think Germany needs to worry about the goalkeeper position?

No. If Marc-André ter Stegen makes the kinds of saves he showed in the Netherlands match, there's nothing to worry about. If he makes the kinds of passes he made in certain moments of that match, then maybe there is something to worry about. (laughs) His performance surprised me. He was sometimes excellent on the goal line, but his passing with his feet was inconsistent. He has to correct these mistakes. But one thing he clearly proved is that it's too early to give up on Marc-André ter Stegen. After all, this position is still called goalkeeper.

Nübel got his chance in the Greece match. Germany lost 0-1, but he faced very few shots and wasn't at fault for the goal. What was your take on his performance?

To be honest, I didn't see much of it. How do you assess a goalkeeper who faced very few shots? As for the goal, there was nothing he could do about it. It wasn't an easy match for Nübel to make an impression. But what's more important is that Klopp showed his trust in him and made it clear to him that he's part of the team's plans. Nübel now knows he'll get his chances, and Marc-André ter Stegen also knows there's competition behind him.

After the Netherlands match, Klopp said Marc-André ter Stegen is Germany's number one goalkeeper. After Nübel's appearance, do you still see him as number one, or is there genuine competition now?

In my opinion, as long as Marc-André ter Stegen stays healthy and continues playing regularly, he remains number one. But it's also good that Nübel is pressing hard from behind. A number one goalkeeper needs confidence, but he shouldn't get a free pass from competition. If Marc makes mistakes or doesn't play regularly while Nübel puts in strong performances week after week, sooner or later there will be discussion about the position. Football needs competition, and the goalkeeper position is no exception.

AI翻訳。

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