Coach Joachim Loew announced via a televised press conference on Friday that Philipp Lahm will replace the injured Michael Ballack as captain in South Africa, but goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn isn’t convinced Lahm is the right man for the job.
“You have a huge responsibility as captain of the national team and the player who wears the armband must always lead the way,” Kahn was quoted as saying by Munich based newspaper TZ.
“Lahm still has to prove whether he has the leadership qualities for the whole tournament. Philipp is a great footballer, but I don’t know whether he is mature enough for this.
“A World Cup is very long and there are tough phases. As the captain, you must always be positive and courageous.”
Kahn certainly knows what it takes to be captain of the German national team. Wearing the captain’s armband, he led his team all the way to the Finals of the 2002 World Cup, where they lost to Brazil and finished runners-up at the tournament.
What do you think? Are Kahn’s concerns legitimate?
Source: Goal.com