Teenager Moukoko ready for the big stage: Neuer

Teenage striker Yousoufa Moukoko has almost no memories of past Germany greats apart from retired forward Miroslav Klose but his audacious nature makes him ready for the big stage, Germany captain Manuel Neuer said yesterday.Asked which former Germany striker he admired, the 17-year-old Moukoko said he knewonly 2014 World Cup winnerMiroslav Klose, the all-time record goal-scorer of the competition."I was not even born but Miroslav Klose, I have seen videos from him. The others I was not even there,” the forward, who will turn 18 today, told a news conference.For his captain, 36-year-old veteran Neuer, the past plays no role at the World Cup in Qatar and Moukoko and fellow teenager Jamal Musiala are already fully integrated despite their young age and raring to go."They are audacious but in a positive way,” Neuer said, sitting next to Moukoko."They dare to do things on the pitch. It is important to bring this audacity in training and when they play, so that opponents see it.”"You can see that Mouki is completely integrated. He dares to speak up; we got to know each other fast and we have a good relationship.”Germany kick off their World Cup Group E matches against Japan on Wednesday before also facing Spain and Costa Rica.Moukoko won a surprise call-up this month after having scored six goals in the league for Borussia Dortmund. Germany were short on strikers following pre-tournament injuries to Timo Werner and Lukas Nmecha."A forward is there to score goals,” Moukoko said."I am here because the coach believes I can help the team. I will give it all and enjoy it. It is not understood that at 17 you’ll be here.”Germany’S Fuellkrug misses first training with fluGermany forward Niclas Fuellkrug, who scored the winner in their last warm-up game against Oman on Wednesday, missed his team’s first training on Qatari soil with a flu virus, the team said yesterday.Germany took to the pitch at the Al Shamal stadium in the northern tip of Qatar as they prepared for their opening World Cup Group E match against Japan on Wednesday.But the 29-year-old Fuellkrug, who was a surprise addition to the squad after his sensational Bundesliga run for Werder Bremen this season, had to sit it out with the flu."He is not in too bad a state at this moment and we will see hour to hour how it develops,” said team director Oliver Bierhoff. "I think the time will be enough for him to be ready for the match.”"You never know but it did not sound too dramatic after talking with the medical staff.”The forward, the highest-scoring German player in the Bundesliga this season with 10 goals, snatched the winner on his Germany debut after coming on as a substitute against Oman, for a 1-0 win.He is seen as a much-needed addition to the squad that had been lacking the qualities and services that an out-and-out striker such as Fuellkrug can bring to their game, especially following injuries to forwards Lukas Nmecha and Timo Werner.There were no other absences, with Thomas Mueller and Antonio Ruediger, neither of whom played against Oman, back in training after recovering from injury.Germany play Spain in their second match on November 27 before wrapping up their Group E fixtures against Costa Rica on December 1.