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Changed man Bayern Munich bad boy Effenberg has grown up at last
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -- Once the enfant terrible of German soccer, Stefan Effenberg has mellowed to become the inspiration of an awe-inspiring Bayern Munich side. "He is at the peak of his powers," Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said of his captain, whom he hopes will guide the Munich club to their first European Cup triumph in 25 years. A superb playmaker and a natural leader both on and off the pitch, the 32-year-old with the boyish looks is unanimously praised. It was not always that way. Seven years ago the hot-blooded midfielder attracted unwanted publicity when he was sent home from the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States for sticking up his middle finger at mocking German fans during a match. Still nowadays the famous obscene gesture is still called an "Effenberg" by many Germans. Several times in his tumultuous career has the controversial Effenberg ruffled a few feathers. Arrogant commentsDuring his first spell at Bayern in the early 1990s he annoyed his team mates with arrogant comments. "A player who wants to have my position can't be my friend," he once said. "He is after my money and I have to defend myself." At the time football insiders acknowledged his talent but he was regarded as a bad influence in the national team despite some brilliant performances for Germany. He was the man everybody loved to hate and during the last season of his first Bayern stint, from 1991 to 1992, he was whistled and booed by fans wherever he played. Tired of that unfair treatment, he eventually left Germany to join Fiorentina, where he never really adapted. Things started to get better when he returned to Germany and his early club, Borussia Moenchengladbach, in 1994. Quieter and more mature, he gained a new dimension on the pitch, orchestrating play with calm authority, while earning fewer headlines for his behavior off it. Still, when he left relegated Moenchengladbach to rejoin Bayern in 1998, many questioned he was the right choice for Germany's greatest team. Changed manBut he soon confirmed he was a changed man, winning the captain's armband as well as respect from everybody at the club. His long, precise passes, his ability to read the game and to set up his strikers even when allowed very little space make him a unique player. Germany head coach Rudi Voeller keeps saying he would love to have him but Effenberg says he wants to concentrate on playing for Bayern. Recently he has hinted he might leave the club before his contract expires in 2002 but Hitzfeld said he was confident his most precious player would stay. "His era is not over yet," said Hitzfeld, who recently called Effenberg the best midfielder in the world today. "Bayern still need him." When he eventually decides to retire, Effenberg would have a future in the coaching business, according to Hitzfeld. "He would be a very good coach because he is a leading personality and he really understands football," the Bayern coach said. "He also succeeds in making others believe in him." How times have changed.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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