There were many signs in the past few months, which showed the upcoming ending of Torsten Frings career in the national team. Now after a conversation with national-team coach Joachim Löw, the national-team career of the defensive midfielder of Werder Bremen is definitely over!

Löw explained his fromer key player Frings, that he wouldn’t be a member of the team for the world cup 2010 in South Africa. Löw warranted his decision with Frings current personal capability and Löw’s planned rejuvenation of the team. Frings was sorely disappointed after the conversation and told german newspapers that he feels in good shape and the he will be still a boost for the team in South Africa.

Löw’s rejection is the end of several discrepancies between these two personalities. In autumn 2008 Frings criticises Löw for his behaviour towards the “veterans” in the national team like Ballack, Klose or himself. Frings said that Löw didn’t appreciate his merits for the team. After these statements Frings wasn’t appointed by Löw for the world cup qualifying-matches.

Instead of Frings, Löw called up Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes, Sami Khedira and Thomas Hitzelsperger. Löw’s explanation for his call-up was always Frings average performances in the Bundesliga.

But many experts and journalists thought that there were interpersonal problems between the two men.

Frings played his last game for Germany in February 2009 against Norway (0:1 loss). Frings played as a starter for Germany at the world cup 2006 and the Euro 2008. He showed his best performances during the world cup 2006 in Germany, where he played the defensive midfield-position next to Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Bernd Schneider.

He’s still the captain of Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.  

My Opinion:

Sure Frings is in the autumn of his career and he will never be in the constitution like he was during the world cup in 2006. Since two years he played not outstandingly for Werder, but his perfomances are still OK, and I think well enough for the national team.

I think Löw’s behaviour towards him is wrong!

– No call-up for average or bad performances??

Think of Miroslav Klose or Christoph Metzelder! Löw said during Klose’s crisis that Klose will still be one of his strikers because of his merits for the team. Metzelder was sitting at the stands in Madrid, but Löw appointed him, by saying that he is important for the team because of his experience.

I can´t see any difference between Frings and several other players, who showed some average performances in the past. Rolfes is still injured and Hitzelperger played badly for his club, I think that Frings is still a player for the national team because of his experience and his team play especially with Michael Ballack.

Löw decision was coined by his personal reluctance towards Frings! Hopefully it will be not a bad decision for the team!