At 20 Bernd Schuster was the shooting star of the 1980 European Championships in Italy and claimed a winners' medal with Germany. He quit the national team just four years later but went on to win every major trophy in Spanish club football with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, earning a reputation as one of the finest playmakers in European football.
Now at the age of 43 he has returned to the Spanish top flight as Levante coach. Schuster told FIFAworldcup.com he now regrets never playing at a FIFA World Cup™ finals, and expressed his hopes, desires and expectations in the run-up to the 2006 event.
FIFAworldcup.com: Real Madrid have slipped into the shadow of Barcelona this term. How do you explain this setback for the
Merengues, where you spent two seasons?
Bernd Schuster: Shame it was only two seasons. It really should have been longer. The current situation has little to do with the age of the players, it's all about their exceptional past record. Most of them have already won everything there is to win: the World Cup, European Championship, the Champions League and so on. It's obvious they're not hungry for success any more. That's the big difference compared to Barcelona, where they're desperate for trophies because they've not won anything for years. You couldn't miss it when the sides met recently.
If the Madrid stars have lost their appetite, won't that have an effect on their national teams at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™?
I don't think there's much danger of that. Take Beckham (David) for example, he hasn't won anything yet with England. He's not short of motivation in national colours. The same applies to Raùl and Spain. And it's pretty much the same for Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos. Pulling on that yellow shirt will always be the top priority for Brazilians.
Turning to Spain, the Furia Roja are always rated among the favourites before the FIFA World Cup finals but they never live up to expectations. Will it happen again in 2006?
Spanish fans will fear the worst as usual, because the fundamental problems haven't changed.
Which fundamental problems,
wholesale soccer jerseys?
The key positions in the national side have to be filled by Spanish players with little or no international experience,
wholesale jerseys cheap, because foreign stars play there at club level. Apart from Raúl and Casillas or maybe two or three top players at La Coruna (Deportivo) and Valencia, Spanish teams at World or European level consist of players lacking in international experience. And that's not enough at a major tournament.
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification is currently taking a winter break. What's been the biggest surprise in Europe so far?
On the one hand the minnows such as Andorra, Liechtenstein and San Marino have suddenly started picking up points. That's very positive. I've also been surprised at the lack of a truly great side among the European nations at the moment.
One of the form teams are table-toppers Ukraine, where you coached Shakhtar Donetsk in 2003. Are you surprised at Ukraine's good results?
Yes, I'm surprised they're doing so well because frankly I know all those players. They may be profiting from the fact that teams such as European champions Greece or Turkey may have peaked in the last couple of seasons and are on the way back down again.
So will we see Ukraine at the 2006 FIFA World Cup?
I don't think so. The domestic league is far too weak. Kiev and Donetsk are the only teams capable of holding their own on the European stage - and they're full of overseas players. Apart from stars such as Shevchenko of Milan and Bayer Leverkusen's Voronin there's no real depth.
And how do you rate Mexico, where you maintain strong contacts from your time as a player with UNAM?
Mexico are the third big name in Latin American football after Brazil and Argentina. They're always good for a shock result. You always get a few gifted youngsters coming through and you've got three or four genuinely quality clubs, although they're pretty much unknowns in Europe.
You won everything there was to win at club level, and you have a European Championship winners' medal from 1980,
cheap nfl jerseys, but you never played at a FIFA World Cup finals. Looking back over your career, do you regret that now?
Definitely. With the benefit of hindsight I do regret never once appearing at the World Cup, and nothing like enough European Championships. When I decided against the national team at the beginning of the Eighties I was still a young man. Obviously, I'd do many things differently now. I'm sure I'd have played loads more internationals. And who knows, I could have won the World Cup in 1990 along with Matthäus, Brehme, Littbarski and Völler, all of them my generation. It was a really good crop. But OK, that's the decision I took at the time and I have to live with it. And I've always been able to live with it. But as I say, with hindsight you've missed out if you haven't played at one or more World Cup finals.
Some of the biggest names such as Zidane, Figo and Nedved will not be at the 2006 tournament. Who will step up to greatness at the FIFA World Cup in Germany?
It's not going to be easy for anyone, but I reckon Ronaldinho, Deco or Henry could easily emerge as top stars at the World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo will start to make his mark on Portugal. There won't be any shortage of new world stars. I'm also thinking of Kaka or Adriano, absolutely the next Ronaldo in my opinion.
Is there any German player capable of an outstanding role at the FIFA World Cup on home soil?
'Outstanding' won't exactly be easy. However, Klinsmann has finally stamped out the bad German habit of trusting no-one but oldies. He's had the courage to try out fresh young lads, and it looks like he has the courage to go into the World Cup with these youngsters, even as host nation.
Just as an example, I'm over the moon when I watch an international featuring Robert Huth, a player who hardly ever or practically never appears for Chelsea. At last we've got someone prepared to let these lads have a game, and suddenly you've got a great deal more flair. Installing Jürgen Klinsmann was and remains absolutely the right decision.
As host nation, Germany play nothing but friendlies up until the FIFA World Cup. Isn't that a disadvantage for this young squad?
I don't see it as a disadvantage. The lads still have to win a place in the squad and keep it. The pressure of qualifying might have been too much, because you lose the freedom, the lack of baggage and the confidence we've all seen in recent friendlies.
Could the FIFA Confederations Cup in June 2005 be the pre-FIFA World Cup examination Klinsmann's young team needs?
It's definitely a different calibre, because we'll see national sides with contrasting styles and philosophies. The Mexicans are similar to Brazil, they play direct to feet rather than the angled ball into space. The young German players could learn a great deal ahead of the World Cup.
What will you be doing at the 2006 FIFA World Cup?
I'm sitting on an offer to commentate for Mexican TV. I'll probably take it, unless I suddenly get hired to coach one of the 32 participating nations.
You played for Barcelona, Real and Atlético Madrid, three of the biggest clubs in Spain,
wholesale jerseys, and you're the only player to win major trophies with all three. Hand on heart, which is your favourite?
They're all on a par because I was very successful with all three. That was always my goal as a player. Your chance of success at Barcelona and Real is always very good, and Atlético were a solid third in the pecking order when I was in Spain. I'm just happy about the fantastic success I had with all three.
What are the chances of you taking the helm at one of the three clubs one day?
It's definitely one of my goals. I reckon I have the ability to take on and lead one of these teams as head coach. But I can't force one of these three huge names to come and get me. I've arrived as coach in the Spanish top flight at last, and now I have to prove I'm up to coaching in the first division. Maybe then one of the clubs you've mentioned will come knocking. What matters is to believe in yourself.
Are you likely to remain with a club in the future, or would you like a national coaching position?
I'd be very interested in contesting a World Cup, a European Championship or just qualifying in a national job. It's something I'm sure I'd enjoy, although obviously it's a very different challenge.
The trend in Germany at the moment is towards new, young coaches such as Jürgen Klopp in Mainz, Uwe Rapolder in Bielefeld or Schalke's Ralf Rangnick, although he has a shade more experience. Are you seeing the same thing in Spain?
We're seeing a similar trend here in Spain,
wholesale nfl jerseys, at the promoted clubs for example. A number of older coaches have quit the business. You need a new broom in the coaching department sometimes. It's good for everyone, for the players, the media and the fans.
What kind of coach is best placed to realise the potential at a club like Real Madrid,
cheap soccer jerseys?
That's difficult to say. It's more than a coaching problem at Real, it's a problem with the team, the individual players and the hierarchy. Real are on their second coach in a very short space of time, but they're not playing any better.
Is there any coach you would call a role model?
Nowadays I would say it's Arsene Wenger. I spent time as his guest in London and took a close look at training and how they play at Arsenal. I'm definitely on his wavelength in this respect. I can totally identify with his ideas, his philosophy of training, the way he likes to play and how he presents himself. I find his style very appealing.
Related articles:
http://problembgone.com/semi-dedicated-server-hosting-services-supplied-by-utropicmedia-international-solutions/ http://www.920546.com:8000/home/space.php?uid=42048&do=blog&id=488441 http://bbs.752g.com/thread-787219-1-1.html
Chat Sentinela
