Mesut Ozil’s retirement has been termed as an opportunity for younger players rather than a loss.
Ozil retired from the international football after criticizing both DFB and its president for incompetence and mistreatment. Lothar Matthaus who won 150 caps for Germany believes that the Arsenal midfielder departure should not be taken as a loss from a sporting perspective. Matthaus has been one of Ozil’s outstanding critics.
He insists that Ozil, who traces his ancestry to Turkey had been a great performer for Germany in the last eight years but in the last one and half years, his performance has nosedived.
“Mesut has been a great performer in the national team for eight years, but for a year and a half, I have not liked [his displays]. But I have criticised him for that, everything else does not interest me. From a sporting perspective – even if it sounds harsh – it is not a loss, but a chance to change something in this position.” Matthaus said
“It could have been dealt with better from the beginning, as many people were involved. It is a pity and sad that it did not work, because Ozil has done much for German football. The topic has been underestimated from the start, even by the DFB. Anyone can take pictures with who they want, but then they have to be prepared to face criticism and give answers – it was drawn out for too long.” he added.
Germany was adversely criticized following Germany’s disappointing World Cup campaign where they failed to progress from the Group stage thus surrendering the title early to France.
Ozil has received backing from new Arsenal manager Unai Emery and a number of his team-mates at the Emirates, but speaking to Metro, Fredi Bobic, the former Germany international and current sporting director of Eintracht Frankfurt, described him as an outright coward.
‘I think that’s a bit cowardly. ‘Ozil’s criticism of social media, especially in the direction of the German Football Association (DFB), is unbearable. Ozil struggled in Germany’s disastrous World Cup campaign. ‘This blanket charge of racism simply does not correspond to reality. He could have given an interview somewhere, live on TV. ‘For us footballers, the rule is “be a man and stand up”.’ Bobic, who made 37 caps for Germany and enjoyed spells at Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart as a player, also criticized Ozil for his picture alongside Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
‘I would allow that to a player who is 18 or 19 years old, but a player who has been in the business for so long, 29 years old and world champion, needs to know what this looks like,’ he added.
Ozil has received great support from hundreds of German fans gathered in support for Mesut Ozil after he quit international football citing “racism and disrespect” over his Turkish roots. Supporters gathered in Berlin on Sunday wearing ‘I am Ozil’ T-shirts, waving Turkish and German flags in solidarity with the Arsenal midfielder.
He said last week he received hate mail and threats, and was blamed for Germany’s disappointing World Cup.
