Michael Ballack is out of order
Let’s set one thing straight – I’m not a Germany fan, but I’m a Michael Ballack fan.
He’s as professional as they come, he’s always looking to win (yes he dives sometimes), he’s got a smart footballing brain and he keeps his nose clean off the pitch. Minus the diving (if you don’t like it, with it if you’re ok with it), the man is a model professional and from the era of Keane and Vieira where midfielders were strong leaders who led in the dressing room and on the pitch.
He will be missed in football when he retires.
However, his attitude towards his national team coach and his behavior in this respect is out of order.
Ballack is the captain, he has the right as the appointed leader of men to talk through issues with the coach when necessary. The problems with Kuryani and Frings were meant to be dealt with internally, it’s nothing that can’t be handled with a simple one-on-one meeting. Maybe not during the match or right afterwards, but after the international round was over.
First Ballack chose to go through the media, and then he did what no self-respecting international captain should do – when asked about Low wanting to meet with Ballack, he told the press that “The German Football Association will have to arrange it with my employers Chelsea.”
This is childish behavior. Ballack is the captain. Low is the coach. Low should be able to pick the phone up and talk to Ballack, and vice versa. If Low hasn’t been open to discussions in the past he is now, so why not sort this out over the phone or in person (I’m sure it doesn’t take much of an effort for the two to meet) instead of thrashing it out like spoilt brats in the press?
I’m sure that Ballack is doing what he’s doing because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. Standing up for your teammates and friends definitely is. Arguing with your coach like a child through the press isn’t.
Grow up Ballack. Low may or may not be, but you’re better than this.
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I agree with this article. I used to like Ballack until now and it is very disappointing and also extremely arrogant behavior on his part. It was bad enough to criticize the coach publicly – mind you, I do not even agree with his arguments about Kuranyi (who deserves to be thrown out) and Frings (who has no God-given right to start if he is not on good form) – but then to say that the coach should make an appointment to talk to him! What arrogance!
Loew has no choice but to throw him and Frings out of the team for the sake of the entire team. Otherwise, what kind of message is he sending to other team members? Throw a tantrum if you do not get selected? Disrespect and question your coach at every turn. Loew will lose authority if he lets these two back in. Moreover, there is already a crack in the team and these two will just be divisive elements.
Yes, Ballack is a good player and a leader but Germany has lots of young players coming up who need to be shown the proper way to behave, not like what their captain did. Sure, maybe Germany will suffer in the short run if Ballack and Frings are gone but in the long run, it will have a better team and give chances for other players to prove themselves.
October 25th, 2008 @ 17:58I agree that he should take it up with his coach in private. Then again, you have to wonder what kind of ship Loew is running. First Frings and then Kuranyi act out and now Ballack? Clearly, there is a lack of respect for the coach. Maybe Loew needs to strip Ballack of the captaincy in order to regain control.
October 25th, 2008 @ 19:44Ballack mans up, apologises to the manager. Good stuff.
October 26th, 2008 @ 21:11