Teutonic Tuesday: Enke Tragedy Leaves Germany With An Existential Crisis Ahead Of World Cup

The death of Robert Enke has left a nation looking deep into its psyche, writes Clark Whitney…

Nov 17, 2009 6:45:34 AM

Robert Enke, Hannover 96 (Bongarts / Getty Images)

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Robert Enke, Hannover 96 (Bongarts / Getty Images)

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A week ago, Germany lost a rare type of hero in Robert Enke.

Quiet and thoughtful, Enke avoided the glitz and glamour of modern football and instead chose to live on a farm in rural Empede. Although he had plenty of would-be suitors, Enke chose to play for modest Hannover. Even in Lower Saxony, Enke’s talent was undeniable, prompting Germany boss Joachim Loew to promote him to the role of Germany custodian after Jens Lehmann’s retirement. He did not disappoint: in six World Cup qualifiers, Enke kept five clean sheets, making countless game-defining saves.

However unshakable he was in goal, however, Enke had his share of demons.

“In goalkeeping, more than any other position, you are only as good as your last mistake,” wrote the New York Times in an obituary.

Enke made his mistake at age 25, a rather young age for a goalkeeper, in his first of what would be just three appearances for Barcelona. In that match, Enke conceded a second-half hat trick, and Barca were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by third division side Novelda CF.

Shortly afterwards, and unbeknownst to the public, began six years of suffering.

Ultimately, the event that pushed Enke over the edge was the 2006 death of his daughter Lara due to a rare heart disease. But looking back, perhaps tragedy could have been avoided if he hadn’t been shamed in 2002. The humiliation he received at Barca made Enke particularly vulnerable, ready to collapse at the next great setback.

Enke is not the only German star to have suffered from depression in recent years. Indeed, former Bayern starlet Sebastian Deisler was tipped by some to be the next German Ballon d’Or winner, before his premature retirement at age 27. For him, the burden of carrying a proud but struggling footballing nation’s hopes was far too much at far too young an age. After Germany’s forgettable performance at Euro 2000, recurring knee injuries kept Deisler out of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, as well as Euro 2004, and Germany’s 'golden boy' was never able to live up to his billing. This, coupled with his inability to play in the pressure cooker known as Bayern Munich, forced Deisler into the long-term depression that eventually led to his retirement in 2007.

With the 2010 World Cup on the horizon, the DFB has a bit of an existential crisis to address. The upcoming festival of football could easily be the last major tournament in which Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose will participate. Given Germany’s near successes in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, as well as Euro 2008, Jogi Loew would be foolish not to do everything possible in order to win. However, as we have seen over the last year or so, Germany’s Euro 2008 squad is not on the same level as the likes of Brazil and Spain. Success in 2010 might depend on the successful integration of youngsters like Jerome Boateng, Mesut Oezil, Thomas Mueller and Marko Marin.

And this is the problem. In the wake of Enke’s death, it’s no longer the careers of rising stars that Germany must fear losing; it is their very lives.

Realistically, tragedies like Enke’s are very rare, but when the stakes are high, a cautious approach is always prudent. Loew’s decision to send Mueller, who at age 20 had just won his first call-up, back to the U-21’s was no coincidence: the decision was for his protection, not 'sporting reasons', as the German boss claimed. As of yet, Mueller is the only young German to be dropped, but recent events have cast serious doubt as to whether Oezil will be burdened with the role of playmaker, or Boateng given a berth in the heart of defence.

How Germany will react in the long term is very much open to speculation. But Saturday’s friendly with Chile was rightly cancelled, and the upcoming Ivory Coast and Bundesliga matches will all begin with a minutes' silence.

I’ll wrap up this week’s column with some words of wisdom, rarely spoken in football, delivered by DFB president Dr. Theo Zwanziger at Enke’s funeral:

“Football isn't everything, and should never be allowed to be everything," he stated.

"It can be a strong part of life, but only if we do not chase records like men possessed. Because the real trophies certainly aren't won on the pitch, or even in this world. This week in Hannover I have truly experienced a real sense of humility and respect, two things which Robert Enke truly appreciated in life.”

For everything he was, we salute him. Football must never forget Robert Enke.

Clark Whitney, Goal.com

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