Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is confident he remains
number one for club and country - and has fired a broadside at
press who have doubted his position.
Lehmann, who will play through the pain barrier for Germany in
their Euro 2008 qualifier in Wales on Saturday, could not bite his
tongue when grilled by the German media at a press conference on
Thursday.
"I feel I am the number one at Arsenal and Germany, although I know
I have to train hard every day to justify this," he said.
Manuel Almunia has been between the posts for the Gunners' last
three matches, but Lehmann insists this is purely down to his
injury rather than a reflection of the two mistakes he made in the
opening games of the Premier League season.
"I have not played recently because I could not play," he said. "If
I am injured, then obviously another man plays.
"If he is a superman who stops everything, then I may not play
again, but from experience, I know I have played constantly and I
am not worried that I will not play again when I am fit."
In a rant at the journalists gathered in Cologne, the Arsenal
goalkeeper accused them of reading their own, invented
reports.
He said: "Your interpretation really annoys me.
"You write something and then you read it again and think that you
were right, so then you ask me what I think of it.
"Don't ask me how I should interpret your interpretation.
"You were in England (for Germany's game against England last
month) and have read the English press, which I don't read. If I
did read it, then I would go crazy.
"The English exaggerate everything and how can you understand such
an interpretation?"
After playing for his nation this weekend and proving his fitness,
he expects to return to the Arsenal team next weekend.
"Arsene Wenger will let me play again and I will play," he
added.
