What is going on with Max Kruse? This was the question on everyone's lips following Werder’s late 4-2 victory in Ingolstadt’s Audi-Sportpark. The 29-year-old practically won the game on his own, scoring all four goals to make up for a largely lacklustre performance by the Green-Whites. SVW’s top points-scorer has now scored seven times in his last five appearances and provided four assists in the same timeframe. So what is going on with Max Kruse?
The Man of the Match answered this question simply with a big smile and a compliment to his team mates. “I think it’s the result of hard and continual work - nothing else. I don’t win games on my own, you can only do it as a team of eleven, 14 including the substituted players. The team helps me to play my best,” said Kruse. This may seem just the right thing to say, but in reality it was an honest appreciation for Werder’s sensational display of willpower. Alexander Nouri’s men never gave up despite falling behind twice. They threw themselves forward and in the end earned themselves the win. Kruse and his teammates are now unbeaten in ten games.
Kruse still took the spotlight in this game thanks to his clinical touch. A converted penalty was followed by a close-range finish, before a curled effort found the back of the net. Finally, a right-footed tap-in into an empty goal rounded off his scoring spree - four goals from six attempts. His team mates acknowledged the German’s great run of form after the game. “We’ve said this very often - he’s in outstanding form right now and scores when he wants to. I think he will be getting a Germany call-up again soon,” hinted Robert Brauer with a grin.
However, Germany’s national team manager Joachim Löw will not just show interest in Kruse again after these four goals. “Max is playing well week in and week out. In the end, the national team manager has to decide. If he does get picked, I would be very happy for him,” said SVW manager Nouri on his ambitious striker, who has already made 14 appearances for Die Mannschaft. “Max himself has made it a big goal of his to play for Germany again, but the Löw has a lot of options in attack and knows best what he’s doing,” explained general manager Frank Baumann.
Kruse remains humble and when asked about his chances to return to the DFB team, the second-most asked question that night, he answered with a smile: “That’s not up to me. For me it’s important to show a good performance every week and to continue working hard. Should the national team manager give me a call, I would be delighted though.”
