The image of an incensed German cutting a forlorn figure on the
Arsenal bench, watching on in anger as an uncapped Spaniard - a
goalkeeper he never publicly rated at the time - took his place
guarding goal for the Gunners, will forever go down as one of the
many events that have come to typify Premier League drama.
However, in a surprising twist, Jens Lehmann, currently of
Bundesliga side Stuttgart, has actually praised his former
understudy at the Ashburton Grove outfit, Manuel Almunia, declaring
the distinctively bleach-haired glovesman as having an admirable
season in between the sticks.
Lehmann told the press today, "Manuel Almunia has been fantastic
this season; he's played probably the best of his career. He is
totally mature and maybe has a little less pressure because I am no
longer there. I have already said that he is now among the best in
his field.
"We had a competitive rivalry, of course, with everything very
psychological, but I think we have both always respected each
other.
"It would be presumptuous to say that while I was there I was stuck
behind a bad goalkeeper on the bench. He was already a very good
goalkeeper. This I must admit to you.”
Alan Dawson, Goal.com
mad jens