Why Mesut Ozil Should Extend His Werder Bremen Contract

Not since Deisler was working the wings for Herta Berlin has Germany seen a more bright, technically gifted playmaker than Mesut Ozil. His talents were seen in bits and pieces during his rise to the Schalke first team, the 2007-2008 season proving to be his breakthrough. 

It was as a thin, quiet 18-year-old against Chelsea that I saw him for the first time. It didn't take long to come to the conclusion that he was a special player. With a magnificent first touch and an eye for the right pass he shows the necessary instincts.

Then as January was passing, rumours were rife about a pay dispute with his employers. Unsurprisingly, famous youth developer Arsene Wenger was credited to having shown interest in Ozil but in the end it was the perfect man (or men) who took him under their guidance: The best attacking coach and playmaker in the land—of course I mean Thomas Schaaf and Diego Ribas.

Fast forward one year and now Ozil is the talk of the town, and his reputation has been extended to a continental scale after winning the Golden Ball at the European U-21 Championships. Juventus wanted to sign him along with Diego, but were quickly thrown away by Bremen's unwillingness. 

After one season as an understudy, the time has now come for Ozil to take his mentors place as Bremen's for-most playmaker. The initial signs are better than expected, he has already equalled his Bundesliga goal tally of last season and has just recently scored his first international goal.

But while this praise will bring joy to a Bremen fans heart, news that he won't extend his contract past 2011 is worrying. With this, there is talk of German talent snappers Bayern Munich next summer enticing Bremen with an alternative to seeing him leave for nothing. If Ozil does make the move, then I would be very disappointed.

Bayern have not had a good record with German talent lately. Besides Ballack, the champions have seen the careers of Deisler, Schweinsteiger, Rensing, and Podolski take a downturn. There is only reason for this: addiction to success.

Bayern are the top German team. No two ways about it. And with that headline, a trophy laden season is a minimum expectation, and this expectation is thrown onto the players. The rules are simple; be part of a winning team and be hailed as a hero, or be part of an unsuccessful team and be hated.

This pressure can be too much for most young players reaching maturity, recently we have seen Schweinsteiger and Podolski take majority of the blame for the 2006-07 season and that has taken its toll on both. Schweinsteiger has since then been under the magnifying glass and was included in the recent list of players deemed "not worthy for the starting line-up" made by the Bayern Munich supporters group as part of their letter to the Bayern board.

At Werder Bremen, on the other hand, Ozil is the star player and will not have the pressure of high expectations. What is most important for a youngster is the freedom to play his natural game and under Thomas Schaaf, he will be the center of a formation perfectly suited to his playing style while also having an almost equally talented partner in Marko Marin with whom he can create a partnership that can not only be the fear of German teams, but also national teams as Marin too, is German.

Bremen will always be on the cusp of a Bundesliga title, contesting year in year out and also winning one after every few years so a challenge will always be there.

The need to play in Europe will also be fulfilled on normal form therefore the adaptation to all types of playing styles will continue. Also with being part of a big German club like Bremen, he will be a consistent fixture in the national side which can be of major concern to players especially with the coming of a major tournament.

The conditions are perfect for the little master to perfect his skills and go to the brink of being a world class player. A move to a bigger club would only be feasible once Ozil becomes mature enough to handle not only domestic pressures, but also European competition pressures.

For only when he will be able to show he can conquer the biggest clubs in the world, will he be one of the worlds best. 

That is why Ozil should extent his contract and remain at Bremen, to 2013 in my opinion and have a bit more patience. At 25 years of age he would have enough experience of the highs and lows that come with being part of a top domestic club and experience of European competitions to be a major player in one of the heavyweights of Europe.