Germans worried that Jens Lehmann was too old, too slow and too unreliable for Euro 2008 but the 38-year-old keeper has proved that reports of his decline were wildly overplayed.

Lehmann looked so distracted in Germany's final two matches ahead of the tournament that he became an obvious target.

"I'm going to stay standing up and give you all more surface area to aim at," he said to the assembled media when he walked in for his first news conference at the team's training base.

It is clear enough why the goalkeeper was the big worry for fans, reporters and even the coaches.

Lehmann lost his place in the Arsenal team last season, was without a club to go to and came into the tournament desperately short of the sharpness that only comes from playing regularly.

He looked nervous at the start of Germany's first game against Poland, twice failing to come out and collect crosses in the first few minutes, but he gradually settled and has continued improving as the tournament has gone on.

"I didn't share your criticism," Germany's goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke told reporters.

"We've seen some blunders from other keepers at this tournament but none from Jens. I'd say he's performing exactly the way we hoped he would and thought he would."

Lehmann will be under pressure to quit the German team after the tournament, with outstanding young keepers like Rene Adler, Manuel Neuer and Michael Rensing waiting for chances.