Franz Beckenbauer: "Ballack will play major role at EURO"

The last time that a German men’s team won a major title dates back to 1996. The team that beat the Czech Repulic in the European Championship final at Wembley arena featured five players of FC Bayern München in the starting line-up. Franz Beckenbauer sees many advantages of having a group of players from one club fielded in the national team. But with three months to go until the kickoff to the UEFA EURO 2008, the captain of the 1972 European Champions team (which had six Bayern player on the pitch) just does not believe in a "sizeable group of Bayern players" in Germany’s starting line-up.

In this week’s "DFB.de Interview of the Week" with Wolfgang Tobien, Franz Beckenbauer evaluates the chances of the five Bayern players who currently belong to the DFB roster, he discusses Michael Ballack’s status in the Mannschaft, and answers the question whether Germany should be named as one of the favourites.

Question: You and your family recently moved to Salzburg, one of the EURO 2008 host cities. Can you feel the excitement, as it is a mere three months until the opener between Switzerland and defending champions Greece?

Franz Beckenbauer: That is not quite true. Right now, I have two homes: in Obersdorf bei Kitzbühel, but also in Salzburg. I commute quite often.

Question: We would still like to know, if the Austrian Organising Committee has succeded in creating a pre-tournament hype, if you can attest to a pleasant anticipation among Austria’s football fans?

Beckenbauer: They have been quite active and visible - there are a lot of promotional campaigns and cultural events happening. Most notably here in Salzburg, a city very much in love with sports. Obviously with three months to go, not everybody has caught EURO fever yet, which is quite honestly not much different from the situation in 2006. But you can feel the excitement growing. Each day, the EURO is talked about in the media. It’s just a matter of time, when the general public will catch on.

Question: As the former President of the 2006 Organising Committee, you follow the preparations in Austria and Switzerland with the eyes of an expert. What’s your assessment so far?

Beckenbauer: Both countries are doing an outstanding job. Every single step is handled with the outmost professionalism. The tournament will be perfectly organised and we’ll see some very exciting games, with every great nation except England being qualified.

Question: The Mannschaft was eliminated during the group stage at the last two European Championships. How will they fare this summer?

Beckenbauer: When our team had clinched the ticket for the EURO last fall, everybody eased up a little. You could just see, that the players took the foot of the accelerator pedal, but the team still played decently. It’s about time now to pick up the pace again. Certainly, you do not want to peak too early, but if we want to reach the playing level of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, we should shift into another gear right now.

Question: Michael Ballack’s ankle injury forced him to miss nearly eight months. Now he has returned to Chelsea’s starting line-up, but is he really in the shape necessary to captain Germany at the EURO?

Beckenbauer: It takes a while to regain the rhythm after such a long injury-related break. But really, I’m not worried about him at all. If he manages to stay healthy and continuous to play in Chelsea, he’ll be his old self by June. Michael Ballck will play a major role at the EURO. I do not foresee any problems in this regard.

Question: Which team will win the title?

Beckenbauer: I’ll keep my fingers crossed. And let me tell you, I would see it as a descrepancy, if you declare winning the EURO as the team’s goal, but then you turn around and say that Germany does not belong to the favourites. In my mind, Germany is one of the biggest favourites to win it all this summer.

Question: How about another dark horse coming in first? Could we have something similar happening like in 2004, when Otto Rehhagel’s team surprised every fan in Europe?

Beckenbauer: It could happen. Otto is back, so you never know. Just think about Croatia, who will field such an experienced team. Maybe Greece will even defend their title – nothing is impossible.

Question: In 1996, Bayern München’s players Babbel, Ziege, Helmer, Scholl and Klinsmann played in the final. The title in 1972 was won with Sepp Maier, Breitner, Schwarzenbeck, Hoeneß and Gerd Müller. What will be Bayern’s input for the 2008 team?

Beckenbauer: It always helps to have such a well-rehearsed unit from one club, but I just cannot see it for this European Championship. Marcell Jansen is healthy again, which helps, as we don’t have many left-footed players on the team. Philipp Lahm is such a versatile player, so because of Jansen he might be free to take another position. As for Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski, I just hope that one can perform on a steadyer level, while the other needs to continue to grow.

Question: Jürgen Klinsmann takes over as Bayern’s coach this summer, the start of a new era. Do you expect fundamental changes?

Beckenbauer: He will introduce some new procedures, practice sessions will look somewhat differently. But I don’t expect any revolutionary changes.

Question: At different points in your long career, you had also coached the national team and FC Bayern München. What will be the main difference for Klinsmann?

Beckenbauer: Coaching a team is day-to-day business. It really is grueling work. I’m not sure how he wants to handle this, for instance speaking with the media each and every day and living each minute in the spotlight. It can wear you down, and this wide field of responsibilities certainly is a tremendous challenge.

Question: We cannot conclude this interview withou touching upon the Women’s World Cup, a topic you are well aware of as a member of the DFB Presidential Board. How does Steffi Jones, the President of the 2011 Organising Committee, handle her new job?

Beckenbauer: She’s handling the new challenges with much classiness and smartness. I can only judge from a distance, but I also hear positive assessments from a lot of people.

Question: What does she have to accomplish?

Beckenbauer: As the general public is very much in favour of this tournament, I don’t see any major obstacles. She can be untroubled in her approach, even more so, because her staff includes many experts from the 2006 World Cup.

Question: Are you following the women’s game?

Beckenbauer: Very much so. Because of my intervention, women’s football enjoys such a meaningful position at the FC Bayern München. In the past, our team was nowhere near first-class. Today, we are competing very successfully in the Bundesliga.

Question: A year ago, you joined the FIFA Executive Committee. What have been your experiences?

Beckenbauer: We have all known each other for some time, so it’s been an easy transition. I head the Football Committee, where I enjoy the exchange with former ‘football opponents’ such as Pelé, Platini, Savicevic, Hierro or Markovic. I also contribute to the Commissions on the Women’s U 17 and U 20 World Cups to be played in New Zealand and Chile.

Question: Finally, they intend to build a 3 meter high sand sculpture of Franz Beckenbauer in Klagenfurt, one of the EURO host cities. Your statement?

Beckenbauer: Bad idea. Sand is such a transient and fading medium.