Thomas Müller - His time is now

Appearances can be deceptive. Don’t judge a book by its cover. All of us have grown up hearing them, these pearls of wisdom, to the point where they have lost all meaning.

Even in the world of football, where scouts are forever on the lookout for the Next Big Thing, appearances have proved to be very deceptive. With clubs reduced to paying obscene amounts for players who are, at best, mediocre (no, no, Stewart Downing, you aren’t the only one), one can see the appeal in the unearthing of talent from the unlikeliest corners of the globe.

But while everyone was on the lookout for the next Lionel Messi, there came a boy who, quite simply, tore up the rulebook. Curiously, for someone who has accomplished far more than most for a lad of 24, the name of Thomas Müller is not one that is discussed with much trepidation amongst the fans of whichever side it is that is unfortunate enough to take on the Bayern Munich juggernaut next.

Not that you can really blame them. Upon first glance, Thomas Müller does not inspire much confidence. It was always marveled that players like Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry were so elegant on the ball despite their long frames. Müller is about as far away from that exalted pair as is humanly possible, at least in this respect.

The 6’1’’ German is gangly and awkward when in possession of the ball, completely at odds with the grace and finesse one expects of a man who plays where he does. Arms flailing about uncoordinated as his feet try to get used to the ball’s presence, the big man looks like an ungainly vulture that has finally got its claws on an unsuspecting prey.

Perhaps the reason why I have painted such an unflattering picture is because this sight is at such odds with the end product that follows. Whether he is galloping into space and collecting the ball from a willing teammate, or hounding the opposition fullback for the ball with a tenacity that can only be described as Nadal-esque, Müller’s intelligence on a football pitch shines through unfailingly.

His athleticism and drive accomplish what his footballing intellect brings to the table – the ability to interpret the game for what it is. A crucial feature of the modern game, the ability to think on your feet (literally, in football) is one that has traditionally been more associated with the defensive side of the game.

Attack-minded players are expected to take the game by the scruff of the neck, and beat it into submission with their craft and guile. The ability to invent the game will always remain the most sought-after element in this beautiful game, as it should be.

And this is where Müller has turned the tables on everybody. Much like Mel Gibson is what the average guy would call a man’s man, the German international is what one would call a defender’s forward. He takes the attributes a defender prizes the most, that of tenacity, intelligence and an eye for the game; and applies them to an area of the pitch where his passing and touch come together to give a complete package that is as unique as it is effective.

Remember that this has been an era that has been fortunate enough to see the most aesthetic football on view, courtesy a magnificent Barcelona.

In the aftermath of a dour Italy lifting the World Cup in ’06, the footballing world was under the impression that it was about to usher in an era of discipline and rigor, after the glory years that saw the likes of Nedved, Ronaldinho and Zidane, to name a few.

And then footballing philosopher extraordinaire Pep Guardiola took the reins at Barcelona, and changed the footballing landscape as we knew it. The master inspired a tactical revolution that saw Lionel Messi take up the role of the now-famous false number nine; a move that elevated the Blaugrana’s tiki-taka style to previously unmatched heights.

The inevitable changing of the guard saw Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern mercilessly tear apart Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of that Champions league semi-final, and then feast on the mutilated carcass with a 3-0 thrashing in the second leg in front of a shell-shocked Catalan support.

How fitting, then, that Müller was on the score sheet three times over those two legs. He may just be the best finisher in this imperious Bayern machine, but his true value and influence goes far beyond that.

His movement and energy in the area in and around the penalty box is unmatched, and ably aided by the wing play of the two-headed monster christened Robbery. The industry of Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez frees him to roam as he pleases, wreaking havoc with his penchant for cropping up everywhere.

In fact, the man himself calls the role one of Der Raumdeuter. Roughly translated, it means “interpreter of space”; one term that does do justice to his pivotal role in the team.

I would go so far as to say that Müller is the heart and soul of this great Bayern team. Laugh all you want, but then remember what a puzzled Zinedine Zidane had to say about Claude Makélelé’s departure from Real Madrid, and David Beckham’s imminent arrival – “why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the engine?”

Müller truly came into his own and made a place for himself in this supremely talented Bayern team at a time when they had lost two Champions League finals in three years. If the loss against a resurgent Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan was infuriating, then the defeat against an inspired Didier Drogba’s Chelsea had the potential to condemn them to being remembered by history as being “nearly-men”.

A young Müller, who had tasted similar agony on the international stage with his far more renowned teammates in Schweignsteiger and Lahm, could have been swallowed in this sea of despair. Instead the youngster has grown into their unheralded hero, a man who epitomizes the spirit that has taken this Bayern team to the pinnacle of greatness.

Fact – in the 37 games that Thomas Müller has scored in the Bundesliga, Bayern have won 34, and drawn three. Almost as if the composure that is evident in his every action reaches out to his teammates on another level, enabling them to close out games, or come from behind, as the situation so demands.

Curiously, it is Pep Guardiola himself who is in charge of Bayern Munich today. He came out all guns blazing when he first enticed Mario Götze to join him at the Allianz Arena, in a move that many have seen as a ploy to play Götze in the role made famous by a little Argentine. Disciple Thiago Alcântara has also followed his master without complaint.

Amid the promising new faces and the illustrious old ones, Guardiola may find that the inspiration to his next masterstroke may well have been hiding in the shadows all along. If that is so, then it is about time that the world, too, took notice of a man who has spent his young career defying stereotypes. His time is now.