Hamann: Lack of experienced players leaves

RARELY have Germany gone into a World Cup with anything other than great expectations and this summer is no different.

The decision to leave out one of the best players in the Premier League caused shock waves on this side of the world, but closer to home, it has only reiterated the supremely confident nature within the country.

Leroy Sane’s absence is peculiar and while it is easy to be lulled into a sense that this is another golden era for German football, Didi Hamann has dampened his country’s chances of retaining their crown in Russia.

Across his eight-year international career, during which time he won 59 caps, Hamann (right) played with a plethora of leaders, but as he looks at the current squad, he doesn’t see the same kind of big personalities needed to win a World Cup.

“I think people got a bit carried away with the Confed Cup last year when quite a few players had been left out of the squad,” Hamann recalls.

“They won it and probably the best team apart from Germany was Chile.

“But Chile didn’t even qualify (for the World Cup) so I think it puts into perspective what they beat last summer.

“This is why I am slightly cautious about their chances because they have lost a lot of experience and experience counts for a lot because they have got a lot of young players who need to be led. I’m not sure whether they have the players to do that.”

Germany will rely on the likes of Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels and Toni Kroos to provide the leadership in Russia, yet Hamann doesn’t believe it will be enough to be crowned champions.

“You don’t get by, by saying, ‘We are Germany’,” the 44-year-old World Cup runner-up insists.

“We don’t get a bye to the semis. They’ve got to work for it. There are a lot of question marks.

“I don’t think the group is as easy as people say, because Mexico will be a test in the first game and Sweden have some decent players. South Korea are no pushovers as well. They are always very fit and physical.

“So I think people expect to go to the semis, but the danger is also that a lot of people come out and say our squad is better than four years ago. I