No Hammering for Tommy on the international stage
Tuesday, 01 July 08, 02:03 PM
The ever-extending Gareth Barry saga and the recently-concluded Euro 2008 brought to my attention the case-study of another Aston Villa favourite who left to achieve bigger and better things.
The man in question is of course Thomas “The Hammer” Hitzlsperger, who left Villa Park in 2005 to return to Germany.
At the time he was on the fringes of the national side, and as we saw in Austria and Switzerland, he is now an international regular who started in the final against Spain.
Was I the only person out there who watched his performances over the course of the Championships with a wry smile on his face? I am ashamed to say I don’t follow the Bundesliga and have little to no idea of his performances for Stuttgart. But after being tried alongside Torsten Frings and Simon Rolfes in the centre of midfield throughout the tournament, it was clear to me that Tommy had little impact going forward.
This was his main attribute in the Premiership, and who could ever forget the thunderbolt in the derby that just about sums up his short career as a dangerous attacking midfielder at Aston Villa.
Despite playing as a holding midfielder in a 4-5-1 in an excellent German performance against Portugal, Hitzlsperger was caught incredibly short against Spain. Indeed, he was really shown how to produce an all-round performance by many peoples’ player of the tournament Marcos Senna in opposition.
In attack his passing was wayward and his trademark shot looked more like a spanner than a hammer in his famously-loaded toolbox.
As holding midfielder the mix of attack and defence is vital and it looked to me that Tommy, although a great player, is just a cut below the international stage.
One can draw parallels between Hitzlsperger and Barry but only with a note of caution. Tommy spent much of his youth growing up away from his native country and thus there was a greater incentive to move home. So too is the German still only young and despite being an international player, does not look as accomplished in his country’s shirt as Gareth Barry did in both his spells as an England regular.
But when leaving Villa for Stuttgart in 2005 on a free transfer the enticement of Champions League football which the German club had qualified for at the time is an all too common matter that the most talented Villa players have recognised in their departing comments.
Perhaps the moral of the story is exactly what Paul Merson said regarding leaving Villa a week ago: “the grass is not always greener on the other side.”
I remember it being a very sad day when Hitzlsperger left Villa Park, and I remember him being far more effective in claret and blue than he ever was throughout last month’s tournament. If he had stayed and developed into the incredibly gifted player many predicted, who knows how different things may have turned out for the youngster.
Or perhaps it is the added ingredient of bitterness added to my Euro 2008 soup that the whole Barry story has brought to the fore that made me react pleased to one of my former Villa favourites coming up short on Europe’s biggest stage.
If that is the case, the sooner the whole palaver is over the better.
Comments (29)
It looks like his role has changed at Stuttagart, he's become more defensive.
Still a good player though.
And he's still got a crackin' Brummie accent!! :P
Here's to some sigings...................
UTV!!
I'd have him back tomorrow if he'd come. I know a close friend of Hitzlsperger's and he told me at the time that he really wanted to stay at Villa but there was a personal problem with O Leary which meant he had to go. I'm told he still talks fondly of Villa so at least he's got more class than Barry has, and let's not forget he still got in the first team of one of the strongest international sides in the world, not England who can't even qualify.
He said on Soccer Am he wanted to leave so he could try and get rid of his Brummie accent. :D
Pure class!
If it was O'leary he had problems with, i wonder if theres any possibilty of returning with MON here :P
Doubt it though :(
This article is utter rubbish. "If he had stayed and developed into the incredibly gifted player many predicted, who knows how different things may have turned out for the youngster".
At Villa he was in and out of the team (often kept out by the likes of Lee Hendrie). Now he has just played in European Championship Final for the country of his birth,won a German title in 2007 and has regularly played in the Champions League. So even as Villa fans we have to accept that the grass has been greener for him! He went back to Germany to ensure that he wouold become a regular in the German squad.
Tell this close friend to tell him to run down his contract and come back on a free!! You don't need money if they dont cost anything!!! and it would be nice to sign some free players instead of letting them go
Taddy: He may well have played in the CL and Euros but that does not necessarily mean he is a cut above playing for Villa. He was one of the weakest players in the Germany side. Tommy shone on many occasions when playing for Villa, more than he ever did last month. The standard to the Euros and the Premiership is, in my opinion, interchangeable and thus does show that maybe the "grass isn't greener".
Now this is not Barry bashing - but how can you say that his international career has been better than Hitzelsbergers?? He has never played at a major tournament and I think he now has three competitive appearances. I am afraid that Barry and probably all english midfielders for that matter would be shown up just as badly as der hammer by a briallient spanish midfield.
In fact time and time again british national teams are shown up in international competitions where they cant hold on to the ball. This is one of the many reasons why I would prefer MoN to have some continental signings and a decent scouting network
I disagree with this article. As Taddy mentioned, Hitzlsperger has played in the Champions League, started the Euro final, and won a league title. So in Hitzlsperger's case, the grass certainly is greener.
not sure if ur slagging him off, praising him up, pleased that he didnt have a good tournament or disapointed that he never had a good tournament??????? :s
i think the articles should be ledt to damian and put these sort of views to the forum like you should have with the sasa curcic one.
not sure what you are trying to say here, are you happy he never lived up to your standards or unhappy for him.
not to keen on the matt cutler articles, they should be just left to damian, and these views should be placed in the forum, like you should have done with the sasa curcic one.
Whatever you say, He is still 'Der Hammer' and will always be welcome in claret and blue if the opportunity ever arose!
He is one of us! Listen to the way he speaks, he speaks brummie better than me! And i've been here all my life! look at the way he talks about villa! Birmingham is his home! and when he comes back one day! He'll hit another hammer into the blues! and Wigan, just so Steve Bruce remembers him!
Anubody in agreement?
And i agree with eoin1981! British aint always best! So, spread your wings a bit MON! We need flair! Not F*cking Tin hats!
You are so right about him being caught short against Spain... like he always was at Villa. Can't tackle well, can barely pass and scores a wonder goal once in 15-20 matches. Anyone who sings his praises seriously needs to watch his performances for Villa without Claret & Blue glasses. The guy is a liability in midfield. Have him back at Villa Park, is everyone who says this on crazy pills???
This is complete rubbish,
The boy has done good & so proved the move was the right thing to do.
why try & put him down?
I suppose when Barry leaves Villa he'll instantly become a crap player. Me thinks not.
sure he has prob had much more success then if he had stayed at villa, but it stil hasnt made HIM a beter player. in my opinion, i dont think he is that good. the article was right in sayin he was shown up against spain. remember this is the worst german team for many years according to alot of ppl. dont forget that.
taddy - they won the german league and played in the CL with gomez as their star - says it all really doesnt it!
in all seriousness though watching some of the qualifiers hitz played very well for the germans, i just think he was one of many who had a shocker at the euros
i mean metzelder plays for madrid, lahm and mertesacker were meant to be up for big summer transfers (LOL) and gomez and klose were meant to be deadly (ROFL)
Poor game in the final I will agree, but he did have 2 assists in the semi though. Not bad for a "holding" mid, eh?
I thought Tommy was a very average player at Villa, no pace and pulled a rare cracker out his pocket now and again. Yes, i think he's improved but still average, Now Senna, now theres a player MON should try and get, but obviously he won't as he's not British.
Hes the hammer,why did he leave us. :(
I wonder what MON could have done with Hitz...
SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
Matt Cutler...I never said he was a great player. Its excatly this statement, that as previously pointed out, I take exception with
"If he had stayed and developed into the incredibly gifted player many predicted, who knows how different things may have turned out for the youngster".
He was never an "incredibly gifted player" and never will be. He was average at Villa - hence he struggled to get in, what was at the time, a very poor midfield. Thats why he struggled in the Euros. My point is that things have turned out very well for the "youngster" considering his lack of ability and mobility.
"Tommy shone on many occasions when playing for Villa, more than he ever did last month. The standard to the Euros and the Premiership is, in my opinion, interchangeable and thus does show that maybe the "grass isn't greener".
Okay then point out any occasions when he shone in the prem playing against midfield players of the quality of fabregas, senna, xavi, iniesta, Deco, petit and ronaldo????
Good article, well written thank you. I liked Der Hammer but wouldn't want him back He often left a big hole as he rushed in with two feet. Mind you, MON would do wonders with him.
The response to this article sum up a lot of the debate around transfers. some thoughtful - fair enough- some emotional - fair enough - and some complete trash. It's so easy to criticise when you are faceless behind a computer. Why do people have to be so negative, With a little bit of thought you can express any view you like positively - maybe that's the problem for some people, having to think.
I loved Hitzlsperger's ranged shots they was class!
Never really understood why he left
I dont understand why someone would be happy with a Villa favourite playing badly, I wanted him to do well as he talks fondly of Villa & still has his accent from his time here. He needed to play in the German team so thats why he left, he has never once said anything disrespectful about us (not that im aware of.) I think the Barry situation is definatly clouding your judgement.
Hitzlsperger was out of his depths in the final, Villa have missed out on nothing more than a solid midfielder with a decent shot.
jinksy & the_flabster: The last two paragraphs were meant to show that the "wry smile" at Hitz's shortcomings were rather tongue in cheek and it was more a jibe at the Barry situation.
The only people who think hitz was any good at villa are those who never attend games and just watch edited highlights on the box. yes, hes a good bloke and he scored some screamers but he was awful for us, and judging by euro 08, hes still crap. He is lazy, has poor reading of the game, no pace, cant tackle, cant head the ball, cant pass. villa fans talk about ambition one minute and then they want the rubbish back in the team. Next, you lot will be telling me that Angel was a good player. Morons!