German football enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide. The successes of the national teams and the titles won by the clubs at international level have led to this reputation. Many players who try their luck abroad want to live up to this reputation. There are many examples of this – some prominent names are there, but also lesser-known players. DFB.de presents some of them in the Made in Germany series. Today: Henrik Stadnischeko on Christian Schweichler, goalkeeper coach in Lebanon.
Over 4000 injured and 1900 dead. A multitude of destroyed cities and villages. Even almost seven years after the end of the Lebanon war, the consequences and memories are still present among the population. But joy is slowly returning to the country on the Mediterranean. One reason for this is the national football team. The team, coached by Germany’s Theo Bucker, is in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Lebanese Football Association is keen to make the big dream come true. This is also proven by the fact that a professional goalkeeper coach was hired, also from Germany. After a long search, those responsible found a suitable candidate in Mülheim an der Ruhr, more than 3100 kilometers away, in Christian Schweichler. The 34-year-old is relatively unknown in Germany, but he enjoys a good reputation on the African continent.
Two former Bundesliga professionals in the Lebanese squad
In 2010, Schweichler celebrated winning the cup and qualifying for the African Champions League with the Sudanese first division team Al Merreikh Omdurman. The next step on the career ladder followed in April 2012. To this day, the licensed goalkeeper coach has not regretted his decision to go to Lebanon.
“Coaching a national team is always attractive,” says Schweichler. “You don’t get an offer like this every day. By building a football academy, I want to create structures that will raise goalkeeping in Lebanon to a higher level in the long term.”
With Roda Antar (formerly SC Freiburg, among others) and Youssef Mohamad (former 1. FC Köln), two former Bundesliga players are in the squad for the national team. With Adnan Haidar, Hassan Saad and goalkeeper Abbas Hassan, three national players earn their money abroad. Haidar plays for Norwegian club Stabaek IF, Saad in the USA for Sporting Kansas City and Hassan for IFK Norrköping in Sweden.
Hassan was educated in Europe and capped for Sweden under-21s before deciding to return to his home country. The 27-year-old top performer is celebrated as an idol in Lebanon. Thanks to his strong performances, the goalkeeper was invited by English champions Manchester City for a trial session.
Possible World Cup qualification: “People in Lebanon deserve it”
Although the Lebanese have a good goalkeeper in Hassan, Christian Schweichler sees some catching up to do when it comes to goalkeeper training:
“The training of young talents in the Arab world generally leaves a lot to be desired. The ideal execution of goalkeeper-specific basic techniques poses major problems for many keepers.”
The goalkeeper coach has completely relocated the center of his life to the Middle East.
“I live in a suburb of Beirut and I’m lucky enough to be able to learn a lot about the country and its culture in my free time,” says the sports scientist. Beirut in particular, with its many cultural and gastronomic offerings, is a place that attracts many people due to its high standard of living, explains the Mülheimer: “The majority of people in Lebanon are hospitable, cosmopolitan and maintain a Western lifestyle. Nevertheless, the society is of course Arabic shaped.”
Participating in the 2014 World Cup would be a dream for the entire country. Also for Christian Schweichler.
“We will do everything we can to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil,” he said. “The people of Lebanon deserve that.”
