By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Sep 5 (Xinhua) -- Head coach Joachim Loew predicts a bright future for Germany's new striker star Timo Werner.
"I've rarely seen a striker that's so goal hungry as he is," the 2014 World Cup-winning coach said after 21-year-old had scored goals number five and six in the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Norway (6-0).
"He's extremely fast and a real problem for every team's defense. He'll go a long way," added Loew after Werner won his eighth senior cap for Germany.
According to several media reports, the RB Leipzig striker is already being watched closely by many top European clubs.
For Loew, Werner has developed to one of his most important options in their bid to successfully defend the World Cup title next year in Russia. Several German newspapers called Werner Loew's strongest weapon. The 57-year-old German coach has admitted that Werner's qualities have already an effect on the team's style.
Other players like midfielder Mesut Oezil (Arsenal) or Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wait for Werner's runs into the opponent's box and then deliver the right pass, Loew told German media after the Norway game in Stuttgart. Werner takes the game deep into the opponent's half continued Loew.
"The intensity he has looking for the direct way to the goal is brutal. He can change positions. You don't know which route he will take," said the German coach.
Loew is impressed by Werner's versatility when taking up attacking positions. For long the Stuttgart born striker was regarded as the right man along the left flank but meanwhile has developed to Germany's spearhead number one. "I hope he'll continue to develop as he did last year," Loew said.
Werner's quality means that the highly-experienced striker Mario Gomez (VfL Wolfsburg) has lost his place in Germany's starting eleven. Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller had to move to midfield.
Aged only 21, Werner has already appeared in 128 Bundesliga games for VfB Stuttgart and Leipzig. 55,000 fans in the Stuttgart arena celebrated his performance by singing his name.
"I don't see myself as the number one striker in Germany," Werner said but admitted to being extremely happy "as I scored two goals in the town I was born" . Werner said Germany could count on many top-class strikers.
Werner's fledgling career appears like a fairy tale but that contains darker hours that were hard to recover from.
At the age of 17, he made his first team debut for Stuttgart. After three years in Stuttgart, Werner joined Leipzig for 10 million Euro in 2016. Meanwhile his value on the international football market is estimated at approximately 35 million euro.
When Stuttgart was relegated two years ago, many blamed 19-year-old Werner. After winning a penalty by diving in a league game for his new club against Schalke 04 in December 2016, Werner became the nation's bad boy and was booed off the pitch in almost every league game.
Even when playing for Germany, Werner had to go through difficult times. Loew and team manager Oliver Bierhoff urged German fans in official statements not to boo Werner when playing for his country. Additionally, many German fans oppose Werner's club, last season's Bundesliga newcomer, Rasenballsport Leipzig as it is owned by an Austrian billionaire and seen as an artificial intruder lacking tradition.
Werner talked about German society becoming increasingly envious. "Many coaches and players thought, 'Oh, here he is the wonder boy, let's see what he's capable of'. I learnt to get over obstacles at a young age," Werner said. He admitted that it was not always easy for him to continue in the game.
Expectations were mounting high in his time at Stuttgart. "I was the one who always scores goals, like I did in youth teams, but the first team was in a relegation battle. I was shifted to all sorts of positions up front and fans expected me to save to club," Werner stressed.
"I've now gained confidence. If I can continue like this, I might be able to help the German team win more titles, maybe as early as in Russia at the 2018 World Cup," Werner commented.
His dreams seem to fit with those of his coach. "Today a football team needs to play at least two tactical systems," Loew said. Timo Werner found himself in the German starting eleven in both systems (4-2-3-1 or 4-1-3-2).
