In the fourth of a six-part series on talented youngsters to keep an eye out for this season, sportsnet.ca focuses on Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The date was Aug. 7, 2011.
The Allianz Arena in Munich was getting ready to kick off a new Bundesliga season with all the glitz and glamour that surrounds German soccer’s most successful club. A sense of optimism and belief that the title would return back to the capital filtered through the 69,000 in attendance. Most of the optimism centered on Bayern Munich’s purchase of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from club rivals Schalke that summer. There was some backlash, but for the most-part, even the most hardcore Bavarians were aware that Neuer would solidify a position that’s been unstable since the retirement of club legend Oliver Kahn.
The general consensus was an easy victory for the home side, especially since the visitors Borussia Monchengladbach had only avoided relegation by the thinnest of margins the year before. Unfortunately for Bayern, the end result favoured die Fohlen, and a surprising 1-0 win was achieved through a glaring gaffe by Neuer and an outstanding performance by another German goalkeeping prodigy, 19 year-old Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The match proved to be the tipping point of a remarkable season for Monchengladbach, which ended with a top four finish, improving 11 places in the standings from their previous campaign. Some of the credit falls to manager Lucien Favre for his role in the remarkable turnaround, taking charge in February 2011 with the club rooted at the bottom of the Bundesliga and performing a miracle to stave off relegation.
Favre’s decision to hand the number one jersey to ter Stegen two months after taking charge was the launch pad for the club’s success, with all the positives that followed attributed to that judgment call.
Born and raised in the Rhine city of Monchengladbach, ter Stegen’s dream of playing for his hometown club was an ambition soon achieved. After spending 16 years at the club, starting as a four year-old, ter Stegen quickly moved up through the youth ranks and gained notoriety while playing for the team’s reserve side. Those early performances endeared him to club supporters who voiced for his inclusion into the first team, a plea that went unheard by former manager Michael Frontzeck.
He soon became the first name on the team sheet, taking over duties from Logan Bailey who was deemed unreliable by Favre. Once given the opportunity, ter Stegen paid back his manager’s faith with five clean sheets in those initial starts and paved the way for the club’s survival
The German has represented his country at under-17 and under-21 levels, and everything in between. First choice for the senior side is currently blocked by Neuer, but an argument can be made that ter Stegen is the rightful heir to the throne and has even eclipsed his competition. Having earned 10 points from four matches in World Cup qualifying, Germany’s results have yet to sound off any alarm bells, although the embarrassing draw in Berlin last Tuesday might convince manager Joachim Low that a shakeup is needed. Sweden erased a four-goal second-half deficit in less than 30 minutes, humbling a powerful unit that was full of confidence.
The "golden generation" of the 1970s produced five Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Cups for Borussia Monchengladbach. Things have never been as majestic, but European football returned in 2012. An early exit from the Champions League playoff stage was disappointing, and competing in the Europa League is just as challenging. The reality of juggling domestic and European ambitions has proven to be extremely difficult.
A tight defensive unit has been breached more regularly on both fronts, allowing 12 goals in seven Bundesliga matches, half the total from last year with 27 matches still left on the schedule. Results have suffered primarily due to the after effects of selling off two of the clubs key contributors — Dante was sold to Bayern and Marco Reus to title holders Borussia Dortmund.
The head-to-head battle between Neuer and ter Stegen has been won by the youngster, despite Bayern finishing ahead in the standings. In their second domestic encounter at the start of 2012, ter Stegen once again finished victorious through another stellar performance in a 3-1 victory. Neuer produced another costly error that gifted the hosts an early lead, which furthered the debate about his reliability and questionable decision making in high pressure situations.
Kahn evoked an intimidating presence in goal that has yet to be matched by either of his successors, and Neuer is not known for his organizational capabilities at the back. Kahn enforced a strict code of conduct in his area from defenders and routinely displayed raw emotion when anyone strayed from his instructions, a similarity clearly visible when watching ter Stegen. He’s fearless between the posts, commanding his 18 yard box with an iron fist, and is part of a cohesive defensive unit that allowed the second-fewest goals in the Bundesliga last season.
In his one and only cap for Germany, a warmup for Euro 2012, ter Stegen was on the wrong end of a 5-3 result. It has to be said that the shock loss to Switzerland had more to do with the lack of chemistry between defenders Mats Hummels and Per Mertesacker, failing to support their young keeper in his national debut. Even the best have suffered through similar situations. More opportunities will follow, and ter Stegen has made a habit of seizing the moment when it presents itself.
Results have not been favourable this season, as Monchengladbach presently sits mid-table, and the heights reached a year ago will certainly not be repeated. Even in the Bundesliga, one of the most competitive leagues in Europe, ambition does have its limits and expectations should be kept to a minimum.
The general rule of thumb is that a goalkeeper’s job is to keep his team in the match for 90 minutes; the rest is up to the remaining 10 players on the field. However, Monchengladbach has bet the bank on ter Stegen and lean on him heavily to produce positive results.
Die Fohlen are poised to cash in on Favre’s successful gamble this summer as ter Stegen’s star continues to climb. A new challenge is on the horizon, with a trip abroad to a bigger club the next vital step before taking over the reins in goal for Germany in 2014.