Beckenbauer Brands Lehmann A Liability
Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer says Jens Lehmann should not be Germany's first choice keeper at Euro 2008
German footballing legend Franz Beckenbauer has weighed in the discussion of the national team's goalkeeper by branding current first choice Jens Lehmann a liability.
Der Kaiser, who lifted the world cup with Germany as both a player and a manager, says the Arsenal goalkeeper cannot be considered as first choice for Euro 2008 while he continues to sit on the bench every week.
Having fallen out of favour the Emirates, the former Borussia Dortmund and Schalke man is now only used for occasional cup matches as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger sticks with Manuel Almunia.
Too Risky
That, insists Beckenbauer, is not good enough for Germany.
"If Lehmann makes a mistake everyone will be saying 'why was he allowed to play?'" he said while at a Uefa summit in Zagreb. "It's not a nice situation and it carries a certain amount of risk."
In With A Shout
As for the nation's chances at Euro 2008, Beckenbauer grouped Germany in what he termed a "small group of favourites."
|