Soccer genius Sebastian Deisler ends his career

Sebastian Deisler, center fielder from Lörrach (Baden-Württemberg), lately of Bayern München, yesterday announced the end of his active career. Deisler, member of the German national team since February 2000, suffered a serious knee injury just weeks before the World Cup 2002 which prevented him from participating. In 2003 he shocked the public by admitting to depression and spent several months in intensive mental care; his case drew more attention to depression as a widespread illness.
History repeated itself when he injured the same knee again just three months before the World Cup 2006 in Germany. He managed a comeback in November 2006 but has now drawn a line, stating that he lacks the necessary confidence in his knee and that playing has become mental torture.
Bayern München has not accepted his decision as a final termination, Uli Hoeness, manager of Bayern München, European Champion 1972 and World Champion 1974, says that Deisler can gladly resume his activity any time until the official termination of the contract in 2009.

Genius ?

well, maybe not genius but great potential which never really evolved...

Not superstar, surely, but he has so much natural talent and worked so hard on himself that it was always a joy to watch him play. Would it be presumptive to speculate that with him in the team Germany might acutally have won in 2002? No.
Chapeau, Wasti, thank you for five enjoyable years.

It is a sad tale because he was so naturally gifted and just never reached his full potential.
And anyone who gets people talking about how crippling depression can be, especially when in a sport not known for that kind of openness, really needs to be applauded.
Hope he takes enough time to plan his next step. Also hope that TV station stop showing how he injured his knee all those times, makes me whince.

Here's a picture of Hoeness and Deisler during yesterday's press conference.

Doesn't Deisler look like he's seeing a German/Chinese prick putting a rucksack on the chair that he (Deisler) wants to sit on?

Was nothing special, certainly not a genius. I thought the title was meant to be sarcastic, then I realised it was just a woman talking about football

I love you, too Now, go read the Süddeutsche Zeitung article - which I read after posting.

Yeah, and Hoeness is wondering why there is a delirious Indian attacking a poor defenseless Chinaman.

Nothing special? If he wouldn't have been injured every second match he played, he would've been a big one! He had the potential to become one of the best midfielders of his time, but didn't have the knees...