Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s future is still unsettled, with time remaining on his contract starting to be counted in weeks rather than months. But the veteran has more than earned the right to decide on his own terms and on his own time, and has the backing of head coach Vincent Kompany.
Kompany, who also turned 40 years of age recently to match his keeper, mused at length about Neuer’s mammoth importance to Bayern over the years.
“I won’t talk about his future out of respect for a top
career and a top club,” Kompany said in comments captured by @iMiaSanMia. “But I can say what he has already achieved for FC Bayern, for himself and for me: it was much easier at the beginning than I thought.
“When I arrived, I immediately had Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich in the captain’s group, which made my job much easier. Someone like Manu is more in the background — Thomas was always a mouthpiece. Now Josh Kimmich is the one who takes the lead with words.
“But Manu only has to say one sentence and that brings order to the team. That’s why his role as a leader is just as important to me as it is on the pitch. The difference between him and me is that he trains an incredible amount and has an agility that’s just not possible for other players. I’m delighted to be able to work with him. It’s fun that someone with so much talent, who has achieved so much, expects his coaching team to work with him and try to improve him further.”
Agility at 40? The kind that the Bayern keeper has is hard to come by, and Neuer sure strutted his stuff with his phenomenal nine saves against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals first leg last Tuesday. Give us some tips, Manu! What’s your secret?
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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