Manuel Neuer: Not quite the best keeper in the world

"He's the most complete goalkeeper worldwide," said Andreas Koepke of Manuel Neuer this week, the German national team goalkeeping coach gushing in his praise of the young man he gets to work with intermittently for their country. But is he really the world's best custodian?

There is little doubt the Gelsenkirchen-Buer-born Neuer has more than one outsized, begloved hand in the success of Bayern Munich, just as - at times - he cradled his hometown club, Schalke, in his grasp, lifting them to heights - such as their March 2011 Pokal win at Bayern - they otherwise would not have scaled.

It is hard to believe Schalke almost rejected him, only finally accepting to take him on after he was asked how tall his parents were. With a father measuring 1.89m and his mother coming in at 1.74m, the potential packed within Neuer's genes helped convince the club they should take a gamble.

That, though, is all too frequently what Neuer does: gamble.

An illustrious predecessor in the Bayern goal, Oliver Kahn, said that "when Manuel was at Schalke, I often thought it was madness the way he interpreted the goalkeeper's role." That came after his rick against Kazakhstan in last March's World Cup qualifier, a high-profile gaffe in a list rather too lengthy for someone of Neuer's renown. Remember his Bayern debut? I bet Igor De Camargo does, given an ill-advised, poorly judged sortie by Neuer allowed the Belgium international to give Borussia Moenchengladbach a rare victory in Bavaria.

"Of course mistakes happen in the course of a career," stated Joachim Loew in a Kicker feature on Neuer. That is true, of course. I remember my jaw dropping when the previously infallible Petr Cech gifted Turkey passage through to the EURO 2008 quarter-finals at the Czechs' expense, just as I was preparing to pack my bags and follow the Chelsea keeper and cohorts to Vienna for a last-eight tie. But Cech's errors are - at least it seems to me - far fewer in quantity and lower in profile than those of his German colleague.

For example, even though Lukas Podolski's strike at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday had little consequence ultimately, Neuer hardly looked "complete" as he was beaten at his near post. Though Cech is not perhaps the immovable force he once was, is he really less of a presence than Neuer? What about Thibaut Courtois? David de Gea (admittedly no stranger to a gaffe himself)? Hugo Lloris?

Perhaps where Neuer does have the upper hand on some of his colleagues is, ironically, in the use of his feet. The fact was illustrated in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal, highlighting the importance of Neuer to Bayern beyond the realm of shot-stopping. He did not actually touch the ball with his hands until the 18th minute, when he claimed a corner with a dictatorial authority that can only be a massive confidence boost to his back four. But more importantly, he superbly fulfilled what is "asked of modern goalkeepers, to take on the role of libero", as Loew put it.

While Lukasz Fabianski was unsure and wayward in his kicking, Neuer was sure-footed and largely unerring, true to UEFA's stats that have him as the goalkeeper with the most passes attempted and the highest completion rate at an impressive 82 per cent. With Neuer almost as adroit as his outfield colleagues - "he could play outfield," claimed Loew's assistant Hansi Flick in the Kicker article - he is a potent pawn in Pep Guardiola's plan to press opponents high up the pitch. With Neuer emerging readily from his goal, the entire Bayern XI starts play 10 metres deeper into opponents' territory.

It is those sorties, however, that can get him into trouble, and the highlight reel errors are perhaps the price to pay for the modern goalkeeper. Before you get on your high horse, let me say there is little doubt Neuer is a prodigious talent, and - as Loew pointed out - "exudes an unbelievable aura". That was evident on Tuesday when, with Arsenal pressing 10 minutes from time, Neuer came to imperiously claim another corner, and with that catch, all but ended the contest, sucking - as it did - the wind from the visitors' sails.

But "the most complete goalkeeper in the world"? This particular one-man jury remains out.