New year brings new luck: this certainly holds true for Timo Hildebrand, the German international goalkeeper. In 2007 he celebrated a championship triumph with VfB Stuttgart. Then he moved to FC Valencia in Spain where Timo, who was the undisputed number one in Swabia, has gained experiences anew. His position in goal is disputed no longer, following stolid determination when opposed by one of Spain’s best goalkeepers, Santiago Canizares. Hildebrand is a name which experts in this field of legends interpret as the epitome of courage and fighting spirit. Consequently, Timo behaved like a true Hildebrand. He refused to be discouraged by setbacks. After returning home to Germany during the winter break to cure a back problem, he is now ensconced in the FC Valencia goal. Thus his chances of a regular place in goal with the German national team at the 2008 UEFA European Championship™ have soared for the advertising partner of Continental AG.

As 2007 became 2008, Timo Hildebrand introduced a new, exciting service for his fans. His website at http://www.timo-hildebrand.de was updated. Hallo, Hola, Hello and bis dann, hasta luego, see you later, are the introductions with a brand new design, as Timo advertises himself in German, Spanish and English. The information on the website continues to be more comprehensive than comparable Internet sites from other football professionals. His columns are written showing true commitment to the fans, he gives highly interesting insights, and the info part has been hailed as simply fantastic. Timo even promises to show “small, home-made videos” in the future, and offers something for the ears with up-to-date podcasts. The entire web presentation is very well done.

VfB Stuttgart experienced a good first half of the season, with thanks to Timo Hildebrand. In Valencia, however, the hot-blooded fans are disappointed that the club which was a regular participant in the Champions League over the past few years, has slumped to its lowest ranking for more than a decade.

Seventh place may not seem too drastic, but it is a low position for Valencia. The club with a great tradition usually competes with Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. “I want to contribute as much as I can to get my club back on the road to success so that our fans in Valencia can once again enjoy this fantastic feeling of victories. To achieve that we need good results, confidence, and optimum displays from everyone. We, the players, can prove that in the next game – with a good performance, the will to win, confidence and team spirit”, Timo announces on the Internet.

Hildebrand in goal helped Valencia eliminate Betis Sevilla in the Spanish Cup. They will now meet Atletico Madrid on January 23. Hildebrand’s memories of the third-placed club from the Spanish capital are not so good. He made a mistake which led to a 1-0 defeat in Madrid in the championship match on the second weekend in January. Timo was self-critical. “A wrong decision”, reads his column about the incident. The “momentous error” upset him greatly. “It asks for an explanation how and why.” Then the former Stuttgart goalkeeper describes exactly what happened. Such a consequent reappraisal of mistakes is very rare for goalkeepers, and other players alike.

Valencia show an upwards trend under the direction of coach Ronald Koeman. The Dutchman trusts Hildebrand. His competitor Canizares only trains with them. He has angered the coach who at first showed confidence in him. The reason for the quarrel between the former fan’s favourite Canizares and Koeman is unknown. Valencia will meet Villarreal in their first Primera Division match after the winter break, and hope to gain revenge for the 3-0 defeat in the first encounter. And, the first international match in the year of the UEFA European Championship™ has been scheduled for February 6. The German team will meet Austria in a friendly. The World Cup bronze medallists, including Hildebrand, thus have the opportunity to get to know the stadium in Vienna which will host the final of UEFA EURO 2008™.