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Germany boss Joachim Low says Lukas Podolski needs to be playing more regular first team football if he is to be in good standing with the national team. Podolski has endured a difficult time during the past few seasons, finding himself low in the pecking order at Arsenal.
Last season saw him leave the club to join Inter on loan in search of regular minutes on the pitch, but he failed to make much of an impact there either. He is now set to return to Arsenal this summer, but his national team coach fears he may not be in Wenger’s plan.
If that’s the case, Low says, Podolski must consider his future. Reports in ESPN quote Low as saying this:
“I want him to play at least 30 to 40 matches next season. If he comes on as ‘joker’ [impact player] in some of those matches it does not matter. He needs to play.”
“Two years without regular match practice would not be a good basis for entering the European Championship.”
He said Podolski must speak with Wenger in order to gauge his role in the club before making his decision.
“He should not take things as they come — he should approach Wenger to get to know where he stands,” Low said. “What are Wenger’s plans for him? If Wenger sees him as a substitute, Lukas needs to consider whether he wants to be that.”
Low has a point, and with Galatasaray said to be keen admirers of the player, Podolski may opt to make the switch to Turkey if he is to nail down a regular first team place. We will have to wait and see what Wenger has in store for the player.
