Oliver Kahn, the Titan himself, recently expressed his desire to see Manuel Neuer play longer for Bayern Munich, and also dished out some advice to Germany’s goalkeeper.
At 38-years-old, Neuer is looking less like the indestructible wall he once was, but he is also not showing many signs of slowing down. Thirty eight is a big number for a football player, and most at that age tend to slow down their game a little. Oliver Kahn wants Neuer to do just that.
“Back then, I gave up games here and there to Michael Rensing, so I could regenerate and concentrate fully on the decisive games. Only he can decide how long he wants to play. At this age, it is no longer possible to play 50 to 60 games per season at the highest level. At some point it’s about finding the right moment to leave. Getting the timing right here is just as demanding as delivering world-class performances over the years,” said Kahn.
BFW Analysis
When you’re receiving advice from one of the world’s greatest goalkeepers in history, it’s hard not to listen. But perhaps Neuer simply would like to ignore the fact that his age is getting up there, and he wants to continue to be at the top of his game.
Either way, Kahn is right about the sweeper keeper not being able to play that many games at his age, and maybe Neuer should indeed focus on keeping himself fit and at least a little resistant to injuries.
Looking for more thoughts on Bayern Munich’s transfer strategy for the summer, including which players we would not mind seeing brought in? What about some ideas on whether or not Bayern Munich is set up to play a 4-4-2? Want even more? Well, we also have takes on Joshua Kimmich’s future in Bavaria, the German national team’s potential cut down, and Julian Nagelsmann’s possible mistake with Germany. Sound good? Then we have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show, which is available on Spotify or below: