By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- No matter how hard it might be, you sometimes need to be patient. That's the view of Bayern Munich striker Thomas Mueller.
Fans might be surprised at the 29-year-old's good mood. His current situation is far from satisfying as he was mostly sidelined during the last games and missed the last-16 knock-outs in the Champions League against Liverpool FC due to a red card in the previous group game against Ajax.
Having to find the best squad for Liverpool without Mueller might be one of the reasons he doesn't enjoy his coaches' full trust. But there are many more.
Mueller's favourite position right behind the front line is mostly blocked by more predictable competitors such as James Rodriguez, Thiago or Leon Goretzka.
Nowadays the man that for so long seemed indispensable appears superfluous. He doesn't seem to fit into the tactical systems used by his club coach Niko Kovac and his national team coach Joachim Loew.
Mueller is everything but a magic winger, a center forward or a playmaker. He is everything else: unpredictable, unorthodox, passionate and can depend on his unique instincts.
These are the qualities that made him successful.
He scored five goals at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, more than most of the big stars. A new term was invented in football as Mueller was called the "Raumdeuter" which stands for a "space interpreter" or "space investigator."
Kovac changed Bayern's system demanding more stability in the center. While struggling, the team couldn't afford the free-rider Mueller.
As speed and specialization are playing an increasingly vital role in modern football, the forward seems to be more and more lost.
But the German international is what you call a sunny character. "It doesn't help to complain a lot," he commented. It appears he has understood he has to wait for his time to come.
For many years the unorthodox footballer embodied everything the Alpine region stood for. Some called him the only true Bavarian left in a squad containing players from several different nations. Others regard him as the last remaining player supporters can identify with.
For quite some time, Mueller appeared like a Bavarian sovereign. The striker who was born in Weilheim, a small town to the south-west of Munich. Close to the idyllic Lake Starnberg, his birthplace is in the heart of Bavaria.
The German international's situation has turned upside down. It is no longer the case that, in the words of former club coach Louis van Gaal, "Mueller always plays."
But Mueller is far from giving up. "We can understand he is not happy and wants to be among the starting eleven," Bayern's sports director Hasan Salihamidzic emphasized.
No doubt, Mueller has become less important for the club he played a vital role for over the last decade.
But can Bayern afford to do without Mueller in the long run? No, says Robert Lewandowski. Mueller is always forward bound and enhancing the side's game the Polish international says. "I hope he will return soon and prove his enormous value for the team," Lewandowski said.
Due to injuries of wingers such as Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Kingsley Coman the Bavarian idol might be back as soon as this weekend when Bayern is facing Borussia Moenchengladbach. The possible return although won't be more than an episode as he is banned for the second leg against Liverpool on March 13.
After that Bayern might remember who was a decisive factor for winning the 2013 Champions League. His five goals in the knock-out stage tell the story.
