Thomas Kraft

[Koma]

From Wikipedia:
Date of birth: 22 July 1988 (1988-07-22) (age 22)
Place of birth: Kirchen, West Germany
Height: 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Goalkeeper
Current club: Bayern Munich
Number: 35

Thomas Kraft (born 22 July 1988 in Kirchen) is a German footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for FC Bayern Munich.

Kraft made his debut for Bayern's reserve team in 2006, and played in their first game in the newly formed 3rd Liga on 17 July 2008.[1] From 2008 to 2010 he was third-choice goalkeeper for the senior team, behind Hans-Jörg Butt and Michael Rensing. Following Rensing's release in 2010, he has been promoted to second choice, and he made his first-team debut at the beginning of that season, in the 2010 DFL-Supercup. He has since been promoted to the first-choice Bayern keeper.

On 23 November 2010 he made his debut Champions League match in Rome against AS Roma. Bayern lost 3–2 after going into half-time with a 0–2 lead. The young goalkeeper had a good start and made some outstanding saves. During the 2010–11 winter break, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal announced that Kraft would replace Hans-Jörg Butt as Bayern's first-choice 'keeper for the second half of the season. Kraft made his debut as Bayern's first-choice keeper in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw to VfL Wolfsburg.


new #1 of Bayern Munchen, this boy is serious business, I love him, one of the best young GKs in the Europe, I sincerely think he can be new Oliver Kahn
he needs to work on some aspects of his game, but he is so young, he can improve so much it's insane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-3vU5cPm9I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glEyRqSbZi0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVO0yXuHGSs


reflex from hell

 

[Barcaman]

Kraft was very good vs. Wolfsburg a week ago.
Future looks promising for Germany in all positions and it looks like GK's aren't an exception.

 

[Koma]

Kraft, Lahm, Badstuber, Schweini, Kroos, Muller, Gomez
Bayern holds future of Germany in their hands

not to mention that Mats Hummels is from their academy and they've sold him to Dortmund :/

 

[Barcaman]

"Our" Van Gaal played a major role there just like he did when he was in Barca (promoted Xavi and Puyol). I don't think any other coach would have trusted Muller and other youngsters way the Dutchman did.
I still rate Dortmund's youngsters higher though

 

[Koma]

yeah, Dortmund has good generation coming, it's going to be very interesting when Bayernortmund game comes on
it seems to me, altough maybe I am wrong, that youngsters from Bayern are more disciplined and stronger while guys from Dortmund are technicaly better and more attack minded

either way, both clubs are doing good job in terms of academies, but nothing like Barcelona

 

[Koma]

Amazing game against Inter tonight, Kraft is really showing incredible composure and his reflexes are out of this world! He got MotM award tonight, totaly deserved.

"With just five minutes to go, Munich remain level with Inter at 0-0 and that's thanks to Kraft, who has been sensational. The young German is on the verge of sending his club onto the second leg where a home win will move them through to the quarterfinals."

 

[iookram]

Bayern will not regret choosing to stick with Kraft... Instead of getting Neuer.

 

[Koma]

I think you are right mate, but to be honest, directors in Bayern only talk about Neuer, it's like they do not trust Kraft. For example, last night when asked about Kraft and his incredible perfomance against Inter, Rummenigge said:
"He is great and he did very well but Neuer is still #1 GK in the world and we are big admirers of him."

Maybe he is right but that does not help young Thomas at all, they should support him now and give him confidence he needs infront of big games that come. Either way, if this boy keeps playing this well, he could easily become the New Titan in Bayern Munchen, he has every natural talent he needs to be a world class GK, reflex, composure, determination, everything else he lacks, he can easily learn with hard work and willignes.

 

[iookram]

I think you are right mate, but to be honest, directors in Bayern only talk about Neuer, it's like they do not trust Kraft. For example, last night when asked about Kraft and his incredible perfomance against Inter, Rummenigge said:
"He is great and he did very well but Neuer is still #1 GK in the world and we are big admirers of him."

Maybe he is right but that does not help young Thomas at all, they should support him now and give him confidence he needs infront of big games that come. Either way, if this boy keeps playing this well, he could easily become the New Titan in Bayern Munchen, he has every natural talent he needs to be a world class GK, reflex, composure, determination, everything else he lacks, he can easily learn with hard work and willignes.

Yeah it is such a pity.

On the other hand, I hope Kraft does well against Dortmund!

 

[Koma]

Yeah, that will be even harder test then Inter, they are very attacking minded and have some good long shoters and excelent striker. If he does well against Borussia, his confidence will rise even more and he will be good for the rest of the season. In that case, Neuer will be easily forgoten.

 

[iookram]

I wonder what is up with van Gaal saying that he wants Neuer? I hope that it is just van Gaal trying to challenge Kraft to totally up his game.

 

[el tren]

Actually van Gaal said that a club like bayern needs two strong GKs, like they currently have in Kraft and Butt. Then he hints that Butts contract runs out and says that Neuer could be a choice as the 2nd strong GK, w/out setting any ranking of the two.

You could however read between the lines: Renewing Butts contract would keep him two strong GKs and maybe thats all he wants ...

 

[knicks]

he's really talented gooalkeper,maybe Bayern's Kahn jr.

 

[iookram]

Actually van Gaal said that a club like bayern needs two strong GKs, like they currently have in Kraft and Butt. Then he hints that Butts contract runs out and says that Neuer could be a choice as the 2nd strong GK, w/out setting any ranking of the two.

You could however read between the lines: Renewing Butts contract would keep him two strong GKs and maybe thats all he wants ...

It would really make more sense to renew Butt's contract and keeping Kraft than to sign Neuer. Kraft has said that if Neuer joins Bayern, he'll leave. And it would be a pity if Kraft leaves as he's a youth product with awesome talent.