Timo Hildebrand was not exactly happy when he left the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. But other German internationals had conflicting thoughts after the 1-1 (1-1) draw against Cyprus in the European Championship qualifier. The 27-year-old had replaced the number one German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann for the second time within five weeks. For the 2-0 friendly win over Georgia in Rostock on October 7 he played to gain match experience; but the real test followed in Cyprus with the 2008 UEFA European Championship qualifier when Lehmann was missing with flu. The German team, after three victories, conceded their first points on the road to the European Championship finals against the team placed 80th in the World Rankings, but nevertheless toppled the Czech Republic from first position in Group D.

“The Cypriots were very aggressive. We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match”, Hildebrand said, before referring to the moment when Ioannis Okkas scored the equalizer for the hosts in the 43rd minute. “The ball bounced unluckily directly in front of me. Although I touched it, the ball somehow went into the net”, was how Hildebrand described the situation when Okkas netted the ball with a volley from the penalty area line. “There can be different opinions as to whether it was a goalkeeping mistake”, the Stuttgart player added. Some media considered his performance quite weak. National coach Joachim Loew refuted that immediately: Hildebrand could not have prevented the equalizer after Michael Ballack scored the 1-0 opener in the 15th minute. Only criticism which could be aimed at Hildebrand involved his passes and throw-outs, which remained below normal standard, Loew said.

The question as to whom would be the best stand-in for Lehmann will continue to be discussed publicly. But that’s something Hildebrand, who was hardly in top form until a few weeks ago, knows about. “All players who played in the World Cup did not start the season well. This holds true for myself, although I didn’t play.” He said, however, that he certainly didn’t play as badly as some newspapers maintained. “It can’t have been that bad because Stuttgart are heading the table.” The long-time German number three goalkeeper emerged unscathed from the criticism. His strong performances in the Bundesliga after his fourth international match in Rostock contributed decisively to Stuttgart taking over first position after the 12th competition day. He saved brilliantly during the 3-0 win against Schalke a few weeks ago. He reacted impulsively after the match. With his fist raised he showed his joy and relief. “This victory was a release for me”.

He has long since overcome the low into which, in his opinion, he had been written. “If I had a crisis, it could not have been a big one. Otherwise we wouldn’t be in first place”, Hildebrand said prior to the match against Cyprus, adding boldly: “I assume I’m going to play. Who else should play?” Only a few hours earlier he had achieved first position with Stuttgart with a 2-1 win in Hanover. Hildebrand is convinced that he will win the battle for the place behind Lehmann over Robert Enke (Hannover), Roman Weidenfeller (Dortmund) and Tim Wiese (Bremen). He has intensified his Gyrotonic training, developed in the USA for professional dancers, with his personal coach Heike Labude. The goalkeeper put on three kilograms with exercises strengthening the muscles and improving the suppleness, and he has also improved his already excellent momentum. Hildebrand calls the training “a kind of yoga with resistances”. The player born at Worms has always placed special precedence on his training.

The brand mark ambassador for Continental AG will have to decide at some point whether he is going to continue his career in Stuttgart. His contract is running out at the end of the season. He denies having concrete plans for moving. “We are on a good path”, he said about the pending contract negotiations with Stuttgart. To play among the Bundesliga top teams with VfB Stuttgart, to qualify for the UEFA Champions League and to be in the German goal at the 2008 UEFA European Championship – all that corresponds with the goalkeeper’s ideals. He does not see himself as just number two in the DFB team. Hildebrand thinks he has got what it takes to be number one for the World Cup bronze medallists.