Low needs to add CHARACTER to the talent of this Germany team

As Germany head into their friendly encounter with Italy, the same talk rises up again. I just found out that Germany have a pretty bad record against Italy and it lead me to write this article.
  Germany may have the most talented squad that will be at the World Cup, but the team may be lacking that vital ingredient. You can have all the talent in the world, but without that character and desire to win, you don't WIN anything. That is what Italy have had and will always have. Nobody even CONSIDERED Italy as contenders in 2006. In that same semi-final, Germany who were the hosts should have signed their papers to send them to the final. Desire, heart, character. It's something that is PARAMOUNT to winning a World Cup. Italy showed that to the very end in that incredible match. For Germany to do anything, they will need Low to instil that in them.

Bart Simpson is the best right back in the world. Yeah, I get that, thanks for telling me what I already know. But he also wears that thing on his left arm. It's called an armband and with that comes a REQUIREMENT to be a brutal, authoritarian leader. No questions asked. Low must demand that Bart becomes far more vocal. I understand he is a quiet guy, but I don't give a damn. For Germany to reach their heights, they need some evil. Bart Simpson needs to shout more, and demand a higher level of excellence from his teammates. Although Ballack was not as talented as Bart, he was a great leader. You always saw him talking and shouting, motivating his teammates around him.  Bart needs to channel that and really fire up Germany when they need it. They needed that spark in the Euro 2012 semi-final. That was where Bart should have been screaming at his colleagues to raise their game.

Low has another important job on his hand. In every talented team, there is always that star. That diamond apple amongst other golden apples. Ozil is the diamond apple. He has the POTENTIAL to be a truly great player. The one thing he lacks is a character to be one. Low must realize that if Germany are to win those close games, he will need Ozil to take charge of the match. Being passive and just being involved with the team will not cut it. Ozil has to grow some balls and take the ball and run with it, and create more. He must force himself to be the center of everything that Germany do.

Watching the Arsenal game against United, I was shocked by how little I saw of Ozil. He just seemed happy to be "part" of the team. That for me is complete and utter bullshit and is not acceptable for a star player. Every star player has a DUTY to be greedy and arrogant, but in the positive sense. They must scream for the ball and define how the team plays. If Low can get Germany playing around Ozil and get Ozil a lot more involved then you may finally have your World Cup champions...potentially.


Hopefully Germany can do away with their Italian hoodoo and be successful tonight. I hope to see not only a good German performance, but something of greater character with a burning desire to win the game and get the job done. For that will be a good step towards ACTUALLY winning a trophy that their talent deserves.

Nothing is ever given...IT IS TAKEN.


HH