Hildebrand: I'll Compete With CanizaresValencia 'keeper Timo Hildebrand has no problems fighting for his place at the Mestalla alongside former Spanish international Santiago Canizares... Che HopesTimo Hildebrand of Valencia has deemed Santiago Canizares a worthy adversary for the number one spot at the Mestalla, and indeed feels that healthy competition is vital for the team.
The 28 year old told Marca, "I'm not worried about having to compete with another goalkeeper at the club.
"I think the best thing is for the team to have two quality goalkeepers.
"The team benefits from it. It's good for me to fight, to show improvement and to increase in quality.
"Am I scared of losing my spot? No. There is no fear.
"But playing alongside an equal goalkeeper has seen me improve. With the Germany squad, I'm struggling to play with great goalkeepers, with the competition always considered too good for me."
'Bundes-hopes'However, Timo's luck with the German squad may yet change as Oliver Kahn and now Jens Lehmann fall on hard times within Joachim Loew's squad.
"Lehmann's number one, but his situation at Arsenal isn't good," explained the former Stuttgart 'keeper.
"I think he'll change club in winter, but there's still a long time to go. For me, it's important to play and to strengthen my position."
Still, Timo himself has been caught out on occasion this season, albeit partially due to a leaky Valencia defence.
The number 13 believes that more teamwork will solve such woes.
"The whole squad must defend together, and it's our intention to do just that," he said. "The team hasn't come together as a bloc in matches so far.
"It's difficult at the moment, but I think that we'll improve quickly."
Life In La LigaFor Hildebrand, the initial adjustment period after moving from the Bundesliga - in which he'd played for his whole career - to the Liga was harder than he anticipated.
"All teams in Spain play with three very offensive players, whereas German squads operate in a diamond formation," he said.
"But I think that, as well as that difference, the technical level and quality of players is much better in Spain, or so I've noticed.
"Overall there's little difference between being a goalkeeper in Spain and being one in Germany. In principle, the goal has no secrets and it's clear how to play in it.
"However, everything is always different when you need to adapt to a new style of play, but I've gradually improved and have begun to figure out how the strikers here operate.
"The players in Spain are the best in the world. Teams such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal and Atletico [Madrid] have superb squads, and so too do Valencia. The quality is well above that of Germany."
Hildebrand has 6 caps for his country.
This post has been edited by zvintik on 18 Nov 2007, 17:46
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Valencia Club De Futbol, Penya GeoChe vol.10
