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Lehmann’s wife calls the shots
The surly, menacing image that Germany’s grumpy goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has carefully cultivated over the years, to intimidate on-charging strikers and pen-wielding journalists, has gone out the window with a surprising confession this weekend.
Lehmann has candidly admitted his wife Conny wears the pants at home.
When Arsenal’s reserve keeper was asked why he unexpectedly backed out of a move to Borussia Dortmund recently, Lehmann said he really, really wanted to go.
“My wife Conny said ‘Last summer I wanted to move back to Germany and you didn’t want to. Now you’re the only one (in the family) who wants to go back and you’d just leave me here in London with the children’,” Lehmann told Bild am Sonntag.
“So I couldn’t do it.”
His hopes of remaining Germany’s first choice for Euro 2008 are now in the balance as he continues to warm Arsenal’s bench. Do you know of any other players browbeaten by the women in their life?
Erik Kirschbaum, Berlin
PHOTO: Arsenal’s reserve keeper Jens Lehmann warms up at a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur in London, Dec 22 REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
* This post was edited at 1525 GMT to add extra detail
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It reminds me of something Brian Clough once said of his son, when junior was being courted by an Italian club.
“Nigel’s not going to move to Italy for the simple reason that his mum says he’s not allowed to.”
That’s how I remember it anyway.
I’m sure there are plenty of footballers who take their wifes’ views into account when deciding where to move the family home…..
Perhaps it is just that German men are more comfortable discussing the role of their wife in family decision making?
Look no further than this about Frau Schuster: http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/2007/11/ 20/schuster-a-fan-of-footballers-wives/