CanadaNews’ Reporter Notes

When a person thinks of Oliver Khan, you’d expect that person to think of the numerous awards and championships he has [either won himself or] raked in for the German nation. Instead some people are reminded of the mistake he made during the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan.

- Bundesliga Championship (futbol): 1997, 1999 - 2001, 2003, 2005 – 2006, 2008
- German Cup: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005 – 2006, 2008
- Liga-Pokal: 1997 - 2000, 2004, 2007

- UEFA Cup: 1996
- UEFA Champions League: 2001
- Intercontinental Cup (football): 2001

National Team

- European Football Championship: 1996
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2002
- FIFA World Cup Bronze medalist: 2006
- FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze medalist: 2005

Personal Honours

- Man of the match: for his performance in the Champions League Final, 2001
- IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper - 1st Places: 1999, 2001, 2002
- IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper - 2nd Place: 2000
- IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper - 3rd Place: 2003
- IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper - 4th Place: 2004
- Best European Goalkeeper: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
- European Footballer of the Year - Bronze Ball: 2001, 2002
- UEFA Club Football Awards - Best Goalkeeper: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
- German Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2001
- 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year: runner-up, 2002
- Best Bundesliga (football) Keeper: 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
- FIFA World Cup awards Golden Ball: 2002 FIFA World Cup
- Best goalkeeper of the World Cup: 2002
- FIFA 100 - 125 greatest living players, as selected by Pelé: 2004
- FIFA World Cup awards:All-Star Team 2002
- UEFA Fair-Play Award: 2001
- Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 2006
- “SPORT-BILD”-Award: 2006
- “The Golden Prometheus 2006″

His first professional game was played in 1987, when he signed with his hometown team Karlsruher SC. He was picked up as a reserve goalkeeper, playing behind Alexander Famulla. He continued to practice although he was not getting much playing time. His coach, Winfried Schäfer, made a HUGE decision in 1990. He decided to start Kahn over Famulla. During his first start, he shinned. The coach was pleased with him and Kahn quickly established himself as a quality goalkeeper. Karlsruher became a dangerous force in the Bundesliga, Germany’s top futbol division. He was a key player in the fondly-remembered KSC team which reached the semi finals in the 1993-94 UEFA Cup, the most memorable moment being a historic 7-0 rout of Valencia CF after losing the first match 1-3.

Eventually, Khan became too big for Karlsruher. In the 1994/95, Kahn signed with Bayern Munich. Bayern was considered the best of the best, ands today still is [currently, they are the Bundesliga Champions], and Khan had hence gone on to win multiple honors (domestic and international). When Bayern signed him, they paid him a [then] record fee for a goalkeeper (2.5 million euros).

When the ink was dry on the contract, Kahn was firmly established as Bayern’s first-choice. Unfortunately, he suffered a rupture of his cruciate ligament in the next season; he still came back as a dangerous player once healed. In 1999, he captained Bayern to the UEFA Champions League 1998-99, although Manchester United scored two goals in injury time to win the title (called the “Tragedy of Camp Nou” by fans of Bayern München, and “Miracle of Camp Nou” by fans of Manchester United”). He was named Man of the Match when he supported his club to the UEFA Champions League 2000-01, making several crucial saves in the penalty shootout that commenced after the teams remained tied 1-1 after extra time.

Due to injuries and personal problems, his game went into a rapid decline after the 2002-2003 seasons. This culminated with Kahn allowing a seemingly soft shot into the net against Real Madrid in the 2004 Champions League season, contributing to the elimination of his team from the competition. However, since the 2003-2004 season and despite advancing in age, Kahn’s performances have vastly improved and he has re-established himself as a reliable shot stopper.

As of 2007, he is the all time clean sheet leader in the history of the Bundesliga with 185. He made his 500th Bundesliga appearance on April 15, 2006. Milestones continue to fall for Kahn; he made his 400th Bundesliga appearance with Bayern Munich on August 11, 2006 against Bayer Leverkusen; and on September 2, 2007, he played in his 535th Bundesliga match, becoming the league’s all time leader in matches played among goalkeepers.

It’s with all of this great and rich futbol history that it has to come to an end.

Kahn, will play his final competitive game on Saturday. Bayern Munich will host Hertha Berlin (I was living in Berlin the year Hertha) came into the Bundesliga.

Oliver Khan has helped to win eight Bundesliga championships and sixth German Cups.

Think about it…he was man of the match in the Champions League final victory over Valencia in 2001, was named best player of the World Cup in 2002 and world goalkeeper of the year three times. Those are huge honours.

His final game will be his 557th Bundesliga match, a record for a goalkeeper.

Kahn is exactly the sort of player rival fans love to hate. In Germany he is known as King Kahn. He has absolute dedication to winning and has often been outspoken in his criticism of team mates as well as rivals. Other Bundesliga teams hated Khan. The despised him. During the matches, I even overheard fans say, “If Khan is healthy, there isn’t any need to guess which side is going to win.” (Although, it was: “Wenn Khan gesund ist, gibt es keine Notwendigkeit, zu schätzen, welche Seite gewinnen wird.”)

In 1999 Kahn’s Bayern team lost the Champions league final to Manchester United after an incredible finale that saw the English side score twice in the dying seconds. I remember that game vividly. I actually went back to Germany just to see that historic match. My heart was crushed in the final minutes.

You would have expected anger and resentment from the fans; but there was a wave of sympathy for Bayern and in particular, for Kahn. It wasn’t just two futbol clubs were playing one another. It was much bigger than that. It was Germany v The British Isles. After the loss, it felt as if the whole German nation was mourning the passing of an old friend.

With all of the praise, he didn’t have much time to actually have a personal life. The marital troubles and in 2003 he split with his ex-wife Simone, with whom he has had two children, David and Catharina-Maria. The divorce occurred after he was romantically linked to former barmaid Verena Kerth. The affair with Kerth was widely publicised in German tabloids when Kahn left Simone whilst she was in the eighth month of her second pregnancy. Kahn and Kerth have been in a relationship since then. He is also an avid golf player, taking part in local tournaments during his spare time.

But even then, the people got over his humanism. Oddly enough, the more he screwed up, the more people began to love him.

Oliver Khan is a perfectionist. But occasionally he can have a good laugh.

In 2001, against Hansa Rostock, Bayern Munich was losing 2-3. In the final minutes, he snuck into the opposite side of the field. During a corner kick, he jumped up, and punched the ball into the opponent’s net. He immediately received his second yellow card of the game. Many fans saw that as amusing.

Another incident in 2006 occurred against Arminia Bielefeld in Munich. During practice shots, fellow Bayern Munich goalkeeper Michael Rensing peppered Kahn with a shot squarely in the eye, causing enough swelling and discoloration to force him from taking the field. Television coverage of the match showed Kahn watching from the stands and laughing, apparently at the unlikely misfortune. With Rensing in goal, Bayern Munich won the match 2-0.

Kahn will be given a rare honour in September when Bayern take on the German national team in a testimonial match. I’d love to be there. I bet it will be smashing.

He no longer will be a current professional athlete, yet I believe he will still make a presence on the pitch.