http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cu...ertesacker-announces-international-retirement Big news, but this will only be good for us.
The right thing to do I would say, will be 30 this year and can now use international breaks to have a good rest and keep himself fit for us. Also the fact that he is going out on a high and the Germany squad has a few younger CBs than him now (Hummels, Boateng etc) all means this was a good decision.
As one of few fans who still care about how my country performs on the international stage, I think this is bad news for football. It sickens me the number of top players who quit int football in their prime to concentrate on their £150k+ a week club careers. Scholes was the worst of the lot, complaining of excessive travel when Utd were clocking up far more miles in the CL every year, he went to play another 10 seasons for Utd whilst watching his country struggle in tournament after tounament, completely selfish and greedy. I know Per isn't a £150k a week player and probably has more integrity in one finger than the likes of Scholes, Carrick, Carrigher, Wes Brown and a host of others, but I still find the decision a sad one, despite clearly being good news for Arsenal.
The next time a major tournament rolls around he'll be 31, and may very well not be first choice for the team. He's going out now at the height of his international career, having just won a World Cup. And it's not like he's leaving the team in the lurch.
I get all that, it's just a trend I don't like. 31 at CB is still prime years, even 33 at the next World Cup he'd be fine, pace is not a part of his game and at CB you get more rest than any other position of the pitch (bar keeper). And if he's not first choice, so what ? Fight for your place, give the manager a selection headache. The best players should be players for their countries for me, just my opinion....
Putting in all the training and the travelling and the work during international breaks to sit on a bench is not a good decision for anyone when you're at the tail-end of your career. It's a nice sentiment that he should "fight for his place", but ultimately you're asking him to exhaust himself for nothing. He wasn't even played every game in this World Cup, so it's pretty clear that the manager sees the future elsewhere.
Very good decision by Per in terms of club football longevity. Going out on the ultimate high who can blame him!?
While I feel he is a little young to pack in the international football, he is already a World Cup winner and it'll do a world of good prolonging his club career for us. So I'm pleased with the news.
