Manuel Neuer is one of many millions of people who stand in goal and have shots fired their way. But he is also their clear number one. The FC Bayern München keeper has set new benchmarks for his position and wasn’t crowned World’s Best Goalkeeper for third straight time at the start of this year without solid reasoning behind the decision. However, he is still eager to experience more success as he continues to pursue titles and records. On Bundesliga matchday 26, his team will host Werder Bremen with a chance for Neuer to celebrate an anniversary.
Manuel Neuer was somewhat nervous the other day, and that’s a true rarity. Neuer has played in the biggest games, including World Cup and Champions League finals, yet never has his pulse risen significantly. He has established a very helpful mechanism: The pleasant anticipation for that sort of game doesn’t allow Neuer to get nervous. One of his big strengths is the ability to always stay in control, even when he is faced with tricky situations. For him, the following applies: The more risks he has to take, the more comfortable he feels.
Coaching career after his active days end?
So Neuer feels perfectly comfortable as a keeper, but then why would he get nervous when he stepped on a football pitch recently? He was acting in a different role this time, as together with Germany international Melanie Leupolz, Neuer welcomed 30 kids for a training session. 10,000 had applied to the ballot.
This is something Neuer was not used to. “I’m nervous because now I get to be the one in charge of a training session. I’m the coach today and that’s not an everyday situation for me,” said the Germany number one before the training began. Afterwards he realised that his fears were unfounded. Neuer grew into his new role and needless to say the kids enjoyed themselves as well. Everyone agreed that Neuer had done a good job. Encouraged by this, Neuer may look into a coaching career after his active days are over. “I still intend to play a few more years and therefore I don’t know yet what will happen,” Neuer said. “But I could imagine passing on my knowledge to kids.” One day, when everything has come to an end and when all the titles have been won.
Third straight World’s Best Goalkeeper award
There isn’t much debate whether or not Neuer is the best keeper in the world, for many he belongs to the best of all time. He is collecting prizes and honours almost as quickly as FC Bayern are picking up points. At the start of the year he was voted into UEFA’s Team of the Year for a third straight time. On the global stage he was also included in the Team of the Year and was crowned World’s Best Goalkeeper, also for a third consecutive time.
But aside from being a master of his craft, Neuer is also a true team player and individual prizes usually don’t have a high standing in his viewpoint, aside from the World’s Best Goalkeeper award. “If there is one award that is special for a keeper, it’s this one,” admitted Neuer. But he doesn’t forget the help he was given on his way to becoming the World’s best. “This award honours me and I want to thank all my team mates and coaches, without them I wouldn’t be standing here.”
There is no end in sight yet for Neuer, as the champion continues to pursue great goals. With Bayern he aims to continue collecting title after title - the 2015/16 Bundesliga championship for example. Bayern host Bremen on Saturday evening (kick-off: 18:30 CET) and should Neuer keep a clean sheet, it would be the tenth time against SVW. Only Hertha BSC have failed to score against Neuer in more games than Werder (11 games).
“Our dream is to become European Champions”
If Neuer does manage to keep a clean sheet, Bayern will not have lost and will most likely have won the game. The last time FCB failed to score against Bremen was five and half years ago on 11th September 2010, when Bremen held Bayern to a draw in Munich. Three points tonight would be another step towards a fourth consecutive championship for Neuer and FCB.
Manuel Neuer is one of many millions of people who stand in goal and have shots fired their way. But he is also their clear number one. The FC Bayern München keeper has set new benchmarks for his position and wasn’t crowned World’s Best Goalkeeper for third straight time at the start of this year without solid reasoning behind the decision. However, he is still eager to experience more success as he continues to pursue titles and records. On Bundesliga matchday 26, his team will host Werder Bremen with a chance for Neuer to celebrate an anniversary.
Manuel Neuer was somewhat nervous the other day, and that’s a true rarity. Neuer has played in the biggest games, including World Cup and Champions League finals, yet never has his pulse risen significantly. He has established a very helpful mechanism: The pleasant anticipation for that sort of game doesn’t allow Neuer to get nervous. One of his big strengths is the ability to always stay in control, even when he is faced with tricky situations. For him, the following applies: The more risks he has to take, the more comfortable he feels.
Coaching career after his active days end?
So Neuer feels perfectly comfortable as a keeper, but then why would he get nervous when he stepped on a football pitch recently? He was acting in a different role this time, as together with Germany international Melanie Leupolz, Neuer welcomed 30 kids for a training session. 10,000 had applied to the ballot.
This is something Neuer was not used to. “I’m nervous because now I get to be the one in charge of a training session. I’m the coach today and that’s not an everyday situation for me,” said the Germany number one before the training began. Afterwards he realised that his fears were unfounded. Neuer grew into his new role and needless to say the kids enjoyed themselves as well. Everyone agreed that Neuer had done a good job. Encouraged by this, Neuer may look into a coaching career after his active days are over. “I still intend to play a few more years and therefore I don’t know yet what will happen,” Neuer said. “But I could imagine passing on my knowledge to kids.” One day, when everything has come to an end and when all the titles have been won.
Third straight World’s Best Goalkeeper award
There isn’t much debate whether or not Neuer is the best keeper in the world, for many he belongs to the best of all time. He is collecting prizes and honours almost as quickly as FC Bayern are picking up points. At the start of the year he was voted into UEFA’s Team of the Year for a third straight time. On the global stage he was also included in the Team of the Year and was crowned World’s Best Goalkeeper, also for a third consecutive time.
But aside from being a master of his craft, Neuer is also a true team player and individual prizes usually don’t have a high standing in his viewpoint, aside from the World’s Best Goalkeeper award. “If there is one award that is special for a keeper, it’s this one,” admitted Neuer. But he doesn’t forget the help he was given on his way to becoming the World’s best. “This award honours me and I want to thank all my team mates and coaches, without them I wouldn’t be standing here.”
There is no end in sight yet for Neuer, as the champion continues to pursue great goals. With Bayern he aims to continue collecting title after title - the 2015/16 Bundesliga championship for example. Bayern host Bremen on Saturday evening (kick-off: 18:30 CET) and should Neuer keep a clean sheet, it would be the tenth time against SVW. Only Hertha BSC have failed to score against Neuer in more games than Werder (11 games).
“Our dream is to become European Champions”
If Neuer does manage to keep a clean sheet, Bayern will not have lost and will most likely have won the game. The last time FCB failed to score against Bremen was five and half years ago on 11th September 2010, when Bremen held Bayern to a draw in Munich. Three points tonight would be another step towards a fourth consecutive championship for Neuer and FCB.
The summer of 2016 offers Neuer another shot at a title, as the DFB Team aim to follow up their World Cup success with glory at the European Championship in France. “The competition is strong and it will be difficult, but obviously it’s our dream to become European Champions,” said Neuer, who would have then won nearly every title there is to win at the tender age of 30. Others would maybe start to think about ending their careers, as titles usually lower the ambitions but that’s not the case with Neuer. “Everyone who knows me knows that I love this sport,” he said. Which means that Germany’s football youngsters will still have to wait some time before Manuel Neuer starts to pursue a coaching career, as his active days are far from over. “Even if we win the title, I certainly won’t quit.”
