The Deisler dilemma

By Andreas Alf

When FC Bayern München general manager Uli Hoeness told Sebastian Deisler that the player would be fulfilling the whole of his contract at the Olympiastadion, the 25-year-old remained silent. What he felt about Hoeness's words remains something of a mystery.

Ambiguous statement
For some, Hoeness was ratcheting up the pressure on the gifted playmaker, for others he was merely telling him that he was to be given every chance to be a success at Bayern. Either way, Deisler's immense promise remains tantalisingly unfulfilled.

Depressive illness
With Deisler having made headlines in Germany for a protracted struggle with depressive illness in recent years, the hope is still that he will find the mental and physical strength to blossom. "Good players have always become geat players at Bayern," said Hoeness. "It is just a question of time."

German treasure
Certainly, that is what the German public are hoping. An in-form Deisler would be a massive boost to Jürgen Klinsmann's national team as they look to win the FIFA World Cup on home soil next year, but first he needs to become a regular starter at the Olympiastadion.

Heavy expectation
Moreover, Hoeness is only too aware that the weight of expectation weighs heavier on Deisler's shoulders than most. "If we want Sebastian to be in his best shape at the World Cup, we have to be patient with him," insisted Hoeness, who won the competition on home soil with West Germany in 1974.

Natural introvert
Club president Franz Beckenbauer has had his share of worries since Deisler's €9.2m move from Hertha BSC Berlin. "Deisler came to our club as an extremely introverted person," he said. "But nobody could have predicted that the situation would turn out to be a psychological problem."

Growing pressure
Perhaps that is not quite true. Since he left his home in Lorrach to join the VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach youth academy at the age of 15, the spotlight on him has grown ever brighter. When he joined Hertha four years later, he was already being spoken of as a future German legend.

Career break
However, the move up to Bayern finally saw the player's anxieties overwhelm him. "I always repressed things and thought 'the club needs me to perform'," he said. "It could not continue like this." Capped 22 times, Deisler took a long break to receive counselling. His glittering career on hold.

Coaching quandary
And while he has since returned to action with Bayern, there is still a sense that he is not really back. Coach Felix Magath believes that his midfield jewel "just needs more playing time", but added: "This is something I cannot offer him. If Bayern lost I couldn't just say that at least I gave Deisler a game."

Bayern ambitions
Therein lies Deisler's problem. He has made it very clear that he is very keen to prove his worth at Bayern, saying: "I do not want to sit on the bench anymore." However, Beckenbauer is not convinced, saying: "If he believes he needs to play, it would be better if he goes somewhere else."

Man first
A decision on Deisler's long-term future will doubtless be made by the summer. Bayern and the national team both have a vested interest in Deisler, but the player needs security too. As team-mate Roque Santa Cruz put it: "Now, the human being named Sebastian is important, not the player named Deisler."