Former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is no stranger to controversy. But in recent weeks he has stirred up a debate despite being in the twilight of his playing days.

First he delayed the publication of his memoirs for next year and then signed another one-year contract extension with Stuttgart after saying last year this was his final season.

Everyone asked why. Then came the reason.

The former Arsenal keeper, 39, stunned the nation with his admission that he wants to compete in another World Cup, in South Africa next year, overriding his international retirement following Germany’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the Euro 2008 final.

Germany boss Joachim Loew and national goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke quickly ruled out calling up Lehmann again, saying it would be a bad signal for the younger keepers.

But Lehmann said at the weekend that the chances of Germany needing a quality keeper of his calibre next year “are going to be very high.”.

While Loew has yet to decide on a first choice keeper since Lehmann’s departure, there are at least four vying for the top spot.

There’s Hanover’s Robert Enke, who played in the last two World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Wales, Bayer Leverkusen’s Rene Adler, Werder Bremen keeper Tim Wiese as well as young Manuel Neuer, who plays for Schalke.

“It is a shame. He used to be a nice guy before he went to Stuttgart. But now all he does is provoke,” Wiese said this week.

Lehmann has indeed been involved in several controversial incidents recently, including angrily ripping the headband off Stuttgart defender Khalid Boulahrouz during a UEFA Cup tie.

He also threw a Hoffenheim player’s boot into the stands and haggled with a referee about where Bremen midfielder Diego should position the ball for a free kick. Diego then scored from the spot chosen by Lehmann.

Whether his desire to return to the national team is just another of his antics remains to be seen.

PHOTO: VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann during their UEFA Cup match against Zenit St.Peterburg, Feb. 26, 2009. REUTERS/Thomas Bohlen

The great and the good of German soccer have been quick to condemn Kevin Kuranyi after the Schalke 04 striker walked away from the national team at the weekend.

Former Germany coach Franz Beckenbauer said Kuranyi’s behaviour was “ridiculous” and had overshadowed the good impression Germany made in their 2-1 win over Russia.

“He not only let the coach down but also his teammates,” the Kaiser wrote in his column for Bild newspaper on Monday.

“I can’t imagine he’ll ever play again for Germany,” he added. “He’d have to go down on his knees to (coach) Jogi Loew.”

But not all reactions were negative. (more…)

UEFA’s decision to banish mild-mannered coach Joachim Loew from the touchline for Thursday’s quarter-final against Portugal is being put down to anti-German feeling by a lot of people here, a suspicion fanned by the angry response from German FA bosses.

It’s not the first time Germany have been hit with what neutral observers (I’d like to consider myself one of those) might view as a rather harsh penalty just before a critical match.

It recalled the suspension of Torsten Frings on the eve of the World Cup semi-final against Italy two years ago, for his relatively minor role in a post-match scuffle with
Argentina players. Germans also remember that they had to do without Michael Ballack for the World Cup final in 2002, although that was a more straightforward decision.

Is it a general dislike of Germans? Are there influential people that don’t want to see the country that has won three European Championships (1972, 1980 and 1996) and three World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990) succeed again?

Bierhoff was quick to dismiss such an idea at an eve-of-match press conference in Basel but he was annoyed in the extreme.

“These are isolated cases,” he said. “I don’t think there is a special story going on here. But in this case perhaps a fine would have been sufficient.”

Loew said after the incident that he had just been coming to the aid of Josef Hickersberger, who was also sent off, in urging the fourth official to allow the Austrian freedom to roam in the technical area at pitchside. Loew has no history of criticising referees and he quickly shook hands with Hickersberger as they walked together towards the stands. Loew’s arguments thus seem entirely plausible.

To stunned Germans, it feels like an innocent bystander got whacked around for trying to help. It seems like Loew first got arrested and has now been convicted for being a Good Samaritan.

Erik Kirschbaum, Berlin

PHOTO: Joachim Loew carries a goal during a training session in Tenero, June 17, 2008. REUTERS/Alex Grimm