Oliver Kahn - Retired, legendary Bayern goalkeeper

[BlackNess]

As you said earlier "I will stick my Blade in Klinsmann's ass if Kahn doesn't score"

[RunX]

Bayern German Players That Plays In The Mannnschaft Will Play With Bayern ..

[Stephan]

Would be nice if Goltv was broadcasting this so us north american fans can watch this match.....I doubt it.

[Trim]

KAHN WILL TRAIN WITH BAYERN

Former Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn will train with the Bavarians once again, but the 39-year-old insists a playing comeback is out of the question.

Kahn met up with his former team-mates at the club's open day at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday while shooting an advertisement, and was invited back to the club to keep him fit for the final game of his career.

The veteran will pull on the Bayern shirt one last time in a testimonial against the Germany national team on September 2 and will be welcomed back with open arms to the club's training facilities in preparation for that game.

"I will take part in the odd training session, but won't be going there four weeks before the match," he revealed.

"I just hope I get picked," he added, alluding to the fact new Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann was the man who dropped him as Gemany's number one ahead of the 2006 World Cup.

But there were no hard feelings as the two met again on Tuesday.

"You cannot make the error of being caught forever in the past. Life goes on," Kahn said in the Bild newspaper.

"Jurgen and I have a normal, professional relationship."

Kahn is predicting a bright future for Klinsmann's Bayern and believes they could well win the Champions League next season.

"You cannot take the UEFA Cup as a signpost," he said. "The Champions League is different and the team will play differently in that.

"Why not Rome? Everything is possible, even the final.

"Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger have taken steps forward recently and the whole team has developed.

"I think FC Bayern can go very far."

Kahn was part of the Bayern team which last won the Champions League in 2001 and won eight Bundesliga titles during his time with the club.

SportingLife.com

This is good news for the players I think, I'm sure they love to have him around in the training.

I hope Kahn recieves a position among the staff or the board soon, whatever that is.

[aurel]

I am sooo going to watch it on ZDF with my brother

[RunX]

Kahn: "Doing the things I enjoy"

Oliver Kahn is keeping his options open. Ahead of his testimonial next Tuesday, the former German national goalkeeper told the magazine Sport Bild, "First off I'll be doing the things I enjoy. I'm not in any hurry, and I'd like to take some time to explore what's best for me now."

Kahn's name comes up repeatedly in discussions about potential successors to Uli Hoeneß as sporting director at Bayern. Hoeneß is stepping down from the post at the end of 2009 to take up a place on the board.

No comeback abroad

The 39-year-old has however definitively dismissed speculation that he could make a comeback for a team outside of Germany. "Going back between the posts was never remotely on the cards", he said, adding that attending seminars and getting his coaching badge were very much top of the agenda at the moment.

Kahn will also be scouring Asia for up-and-coming talent, on top of which he says he has been bombarded with proposals from industry on the subject of motivational talks. And as if all that was not enough, he will also be working as a commentator for ZDF at future Germany games.

Big farewell on September 2nd

Formerly reknowned for his fiery temperament, Kahn is now looking forward to a new, stress-free existence: "I'll be listening to my inner voice, and doing the things I enjoy."

The official farewell match for the 86-time Germany keeper is on September 2nd in the Allianz Arena, with FC Bayern taking on the national team.

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

[Munchen Minded]

Happy to see Kahn one last time. I have advised Bayern to have the cloning device ready so we can have a younger kahn as keeper -- although I am not sure what will happen.

[Trim]

His last bow
‘Survival’ is Kahn’s aim in testimonial

Nostalgia and deja-vu rolled over the Säbener Strasse in waves on Monday, as a scene repeated almost daily for 14 years played itself out one last time. Oliver Kahn completed a goalkeeping training session with his guide and mentor Sepp Maier in preparation for his testimonial on Tuesday evening, when Bayern play Germany in front of a capacity 69,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena. “I want a fabulous party with the crowd,” Kahn declared, “everything else is unimportant.“

The 38-year-old has obviously relinquished the win-at-all-costs mentality which underpinned his illustrious career, although he has no intention of tarnishing his reputation in his final outing. Indeed, he practised penalties and free-kicks – but as an outfield player, as a goal on his departure would be the icing on the cake for the three-time world keeper of the year.

Kahn has kept fit by running and working out in the weights room since leaving the club, but he has not stood in goal since his final league match. “I really don’t know what shape I’m in,” he confessed, “I’m relying on experience. All that matters is that I survive the 75 minutes I’m intending to play.“

Monday’s visit was Kahn’s first to the remodelled Säbener Strasse. Jürgen Klinsmann took the former keeper on a guided tour of the new performance centre, before Kahn picked the FCB line-up for his farewell match. “It’s a special honour to have the national team take part in this match,” he told his final news conference before heading out onto the practice ground.

The occasion naturally prompted Kahn to recall memorable milestones in his career, including his first youth match between the sticks. “I remember how they all said: are you mad? Why are you going in goal?” Some 30 years later, his career record includes 86 caps, 140 European matches, 557 Bundesliga appearances, eight championship titles, six DFB Cup triumphs, the World Club Cup, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. “There were some outstanding, some emotional and some devastating moments,” he summarised, “I always tried to remain authentic, and I think I succeeded.“

The professional game is but a fading memory now. “That was it with my last Bundesliga match against Berlin,” he revealed. His relaxation programme since then has included four weeks touring the Mediterranean by boat. “The first three months without football have been fantastic. I feel great. All I miss is the team spirit and the backchat.“

Kahn returns to the dressing room on Tuesday evening, but he categorically rejects rumours of a comeback. “I had a few offers, but they weren’t worth wasting a second’s thought over,” he explained, “there comes a moment when you just want to stop pulling on short trousers.“

The former Bayern and Germany skipper will remain in the game as a studio expert for TV station ZDF. He also has commercial interests in Asia, and will increase his commitment to the German society for the protection of children. “I have so much to do at the moment. It’s nice having a relaxed start to the day, but just playing golf gets to be a bore after a while.“

One last time, Kahn will feel the butterflies in his stomach as he prepares to step out in front of 69,000 fans at the Allianz Arena in the effort to keep a clean sheet. “It’s certainly a possibility I might be overcome by emotion,” he confessed – just one last time.

FC Bayern

[GALLERY] Kahn visits Bayern HQ, 1 Septermber 2008

pictures

[Trim]

The match will be televised live by those TV channels:

Al Jazeera Sport +1
Nova Sports 1
Sport 1 (Cze)
Sport 1 (Hun)
ZDF (free!)

[RunX]

Saying goodbye with a "nice party"

The career of one of the most ambitious players ever ends with a fun game: Oliver Kahn will keep goal for FC Bayern for the last time tonight.

The 39-year-old goalkeeper plans to leave field after 75 minutes of FC Bayern's game against the German national team (20:00) -- and "then the second half of my life starts", Kahn says.

Joachim Löw's players will be looking to warm up for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, but Kahn merely hopes for a "nice party".

Records and titles

Kahn, voted best goalkeeper of the world three times, has put 21 years as professional footballer behind him. "I'll approach other tasks now", he says.

Tonight his career will be in the spotlight, though. 557 Bundesliga games, 86 matches for Germany, Champions League and World Club Cup winner 2001, eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB Cup titles, six League Cup titles, EURO 1996 winner -- his titles and honours make an incredible list.

Highs and lows

But Kahn's career also included lows, final defeats, freaky incidents and his special character, that made him an idol and a tragic hero at once.

That includes the last-minute defeat against Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League Final as well as his kung fu kick against Stephane Chapuisat or biting Heiko Herrlich.

His tragic mistake in the 2002 World Cup final or defeat against Jens Lehmann in the fight for the number one jersey at the 2006 World Cup are more lows in his illustrous career.

"Outstanding athlete and exceptional person"

But Kahn never let his head drop, and when he gave Lehmann his backing ahead of the penalty shoot-out against Argentina, he won more hearts than with his countless saves.

Now it's time for praise. "Oliver did incredible things for German football and FC Bayern", Jürgen Klinsmann said. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge rates Kahn as "FC Bayern's most important player in the last ten years" and DFB President Theo Zwanziger sees the goalkeeper as "an outstanding athlete and exceptional person."

FCB keeper Oliver Kahn said goodbye with the Bundesliga trophy on May 17, 2008

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

[Tomori]

Anybody knows the time the game will be played?

[Munchen Minded]

Cool -- it has almost started.

[Munchen Minded]

Schweini playing for Germany?!?

[Munchen Minded]

But since Olli gets to pick his team, its kind of a weird line-up for both sides.

Schweini the Captain for the German NT, and Olli for Bayern -- shook hands. Way cool.

[Munchen Minded]

Anyone else beside me watching this game right now?