Lehmann ready to come out of retirement

Ex-Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann said on Saturday he would like to come out of international retirement having extended his contract with Bundesliga club Stuttgart for another year.

The 39-year-old, who joined the German club from Arsenal last summer, made the last of his 61 appearances for the national side when they lost the Euro 2008 final against Spain last June in Vienna.

“If the need exists and I am enough good, the chance to play for Germany again would be a big incentive for me,” Lehmann told German television Premiere after his side’s 2-1 win at Bochum on Saturday.

On Friday, Lehmann signed a year’s extension to his contract which will keep him in Stuttgart until after next year’s World Cup.

“I said after Euro 2008 I would not be part of the team’s plans as I would only play on for one more year,” he added.

“But now there is a completely different situation.

“I enjoy seeing an international match on the television, but the special motivation is missing for me now.”

Since Lehmann announced his retirement, neither Leverkusen’s Rene Adler nor Hanover’s Robert Enke have made Germany’s Number One shirt their own.

But Lehmann was at fault when Bochum took the lead over Stuttgart on Saturday when he caught a corner kick, but carried the ball over his own goal-line.