The Situation with Kevin Kuranyi: Who Was Correct?

Born in Brazil, raised in Germany, Kevin Kuranyi has been Schalke’s main front man for years. Capped 52 times, this man has scored 19 goals for his adopted motherland, Germany.

He denied Czech Republic by scoring twice in either halves to make sure the Czechs did not leave Germany with any points. When Miro Klose captained Germany against Wales, a match which the Germans won 2-0, Kevin Kuranyi played as supporting front man upfront.

But then, just as things were starting to go right for this man, Rudi Voeller left his job as German head coach and Jurgen Klinsmann took over. The two years that Kuranyi spent under Jurgen Klinsmann saw him play third choice behind Pole-born due Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski.

He was even left out of the 2006 World Cup squad.

Kuranyi also played a big part of Germany’s Euro 08 qualification campaign, covering whenever possible for one of the injured Poles while playing alongside the other. And the reward that he got for his hard work was hardly half an hour of action in Germany’s six matches at the Euros.

I am a big fan of Miro Klose (though not of Lukas Podolski), but personally I believe that Kevin Kuranyi should have been given a chance ahead of the usual starting duo. Klose is just a shadow of his old self as far as scoring is concerned, but Podolski is not highly consistent either. Mario Gomez got the nod ahead of Kuranyi which was a very wrong decision, as evident in the Euros.

At least back then Kuranyi had a place on the subs bench. Now he doesn’t even have a place in the 22-man squad, and his international career looks to be finished.

Joachim Low, Germany's coach, left him out of the 18-man squad against Russia and in frustration, Kuranyi left Dortmund to return to Gelsenkirchen. This decision provoked Low to announce his decision on Kuranyi.

According to Low, as long as he is in charge, Kuranyi will never be chosen again. Kuranyi did apologize but he also mentioned that he wasn’t sorry for his actions. He was quite sentimental when speaking to the press and his words could have moved a rock but it didn’t move Low.

However, according to Schalke general manager Andreas Moller, Low knew Kuranyi would leave the stadium as he had been informed.

At the end of the day, Low was wrong. No matter how inconsistent Miro Klose is, experience is always important in the front line, (David Villa for example is 26). When Klose retires, which should be by Euro 2012, Germany will have to use inexperienced Mario Gomez or Patrick Helmes, alongside Lukas Podolski upfront.

All three of the players are inconsistent; Miro Klose at that age was quite consistent.  Kuranyi is the man to cover when Miro Klose retires.

Kuranyi’s loss was thus Germany’s loss and Schalke’s gain. Kuranyi may be pondering at the moment why he chose Germany ahead of Brazil.