BAYERN GAME February 2025
BAYERN HAVE NEVER HAD A GOALKEEPER PROBLEM
Manuel Neuer
Manuel once told us in an interview that when he plays , he has a mental catalogue with the most important facts about his opponents . What was it like for you back then ? Studying videos was far more difficult than it is today . SM : In the Bundesliga , I got to know all the opponents well over the years , but in European games or for internationals , I had to try and gather as much information as possible . I would then always go through it in my mind ‘ s eye , visualising match scenes , sometimes even in my dreams . Ahead of the 1967 European Cup Winners ‘ Cup final against [ Glasgow ] Rangers , I was sharing a room with our defender Hans Rigotti . I dreamt about the game , how the Scots were attacking and whipping cross after cross into my penalty area . But I leapt up , caught hold of the ball and showed it to the spectators : I ‘ ve got it ! They roared . Suddenly I woke up to a scream : ″ Sepp , Sepp , for God ‘ s sake – are you trying to kill me ?“ I was holding Rigotti ‘ s head in my hands and shaking it . In my dream , I ‘ d thought I ‘ d just intercepted a Scottish cross . MN : It ‘ s a good thing you didn ‘ t fist it away . SM : I also said to Hans back then : ″ Be glad I didn ‘ t take a goal kick ( laughs )!“ Sepp ‘ s nickname was ″ the Cat from Anzing “. Manu , why don ‘ t you actually have a nickname like that – and what would be appropriate ? Perhaps the ″ Tatze ( paw ) from the Tegernsee ″? MN : Sounds good , I ‘ d go for that . SM : Or the “ Shark from the Tegernsee “, the way he snaps [ when winning the ball ]. But that was a different time for us . “ Kaiser “, “ Bomber of the Nation “, “ Adler ( Eagle ) from Giesing “, “ Bulle “ ( Bull ) – we all had some sort of name . What would you like people to say about you ? SM : They ‘ ll always remember us fondly . Me in any case ( laughs ). And Manu too , he ‘ s been here for so long now , he ‘ s almost a true Bavarian . MN : I think we ‘ re both good examples of the fact that FC Bayern have never had a goalkeeping problem and that good goalkeepers have played here across all eras . There are lots of legends at FC Bayern – and hopefully there will always be new ones in the future , because that would mean that the club is still successful . And you ‘ re hereby officially conferring Bavarian citizenship on Manu , Sepp ? SM : Looks like it . He ‘ s deserved it for a long time . He ’ s a real “ Tatze from the Tegernsee “.
Neuer doesn ‘ t officially have a nickname yet , but Maier likes ″ The Tatze ( Paw ) from the Tegernsee “.
36 FC Bayern Magazine