Robert Enke, German goalkeeper dead.

[Aerlik]

Germany goalkeeper Enke commits suicide
AFP - November 11, 2009, 9:34 am

AFP ©

HANOVER, Germany (AFP) - German international goalkeeper Robert Enke has been killed after he threw himself under a train at a level crossing, police said on Tuesday.

"There has been fatality at a level crossing at Neustadt am Rubenberge," police spokeswoman Martina Stern told AFP.

"He threw himself under a train and died of his injuries. It was definitely suicide," she added.

Jorg Neblung, a close friend and advisor to the six-times capped goalkeeper, also confirmed it was suicide.

"I can confirm that it was suicide," he said.

"Robert took his own life shortly before six o'clock (1700GMT).

"A press conference in Hannover on Wednesday will reveal more details," he added.

The 32-year-old Germany and Hannover 96 goalkeeper - who leaves a widow and a daughter of eight months who they adopted in May three years after their two-year-old daughter died of a heart illness - had been suffering from an intestinal infection.

He pulled out of the Germany squad two days ahead of their 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Azerbaijan in early September.

However, recently he had professed himself delighted to have returned to training last month.

"It has been a long time, almost a quarter of the season. However, once I resumed training I felt really well," said Enke, who played his last match for the club in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Hamburg.

His death left those closest to him both personally and professionally in total shock.

"We're in shock. I don't know what to say," said national manager Oliver Bierhoff, who along with national coach Joachim Lowe informed his fellow international team-mates - who are preparing for a friendly with Chile this weekend, of the tragedy.

His club president Martin Kind was left stunned.

"It is a total catastrophe. I am finding it hard to understand," said Kind.

Later around 300 of the club's fans and several of his club-mates gathered outside the club's offices as a mark of respect with some laying down bouquets of flowers and lighting candles.

Enke was understudy to then first-team 'keeper Jens Lehmann during the 2008 European championships and had been in line to fill his boots before being taken ill in September and October.

During that time his rival Rene Adler increased his chances of taking over the role in the national team who have qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Enke had also at one time been linked with a move to German giants Bayern Munich where the former German Under-21 international Michael Rensing had not impressed in his first season between the posts.

However, Uli Hoeness, Bayern's general manager, had made clear they were not interested in paying the 10million euros transfer fee.

Several people had advised Enke, who had previously had spells at Benfica, Barcelona and Tenerife, to leave Hannover for a more prestigious club and one that was playing in European club competition so he would improve his chances of becoming German number one.



On the Yahoo website,some gobshite with an England avatar left some pretty disdainful remarks about this. There are some sick fcuks in this world.

[thewobbler]

Sometimes it's better for a keeper to come off the line.

[Gnevin]

Sometimes it's better for a keeper to come off the line.

Pathetic


RIP. Sad to hear about this.

[EC Unique]

Sometimes it's better for a keeper to come off the line.

Not good

[Puckoon]

Very sad when anyone takes their own life.

What has the part about him having an intestinal infection got to do with anything?

RIP.

[ziggysego]

Very sad news. Apparently he has been struggling with depression for the past 6 years.

RIP Robert.

[Capt Pat]

Very sad news. Apparently he has been struggling with depression for the past 6 years.

RIP Robert.

Well I have suffered from depression for three and a half years and that joke cheered me up.

The intestinal infection can be a source of depression.

[DennistheMenace]

His child died aged 2 and apparently he took it very badly.

I just can't comprehend how low someone has to be to do this.

Thoughts go out to his family who he has left behind and to the train driver who no doubt will remember this for a very long time.

[Capt Pat]

Just thinking a bit more about this he should never have been keeping goals for Hamburg in the bundesliga and the German national team if he had been depressed for a couple of years. He really needed to take 6 months out and see how things went. I suppose he was a position where he had everthing and he didn't want to give it all up. He apologised in his suicide letter for hiding the severity of his depression.

Training and playing matches with the physical and mental pressures that would bring were obviously the last thing that this guy needed. He should have been pulled for his own good and encouraged and told to take as much time off as it takes to get things right. What a pity.

[longrunsthefox]

Jees! you'd think youse knew him 

[Capt Pat]

I am afraid I know all too well that it is possible to know depression. It is just an opinion of mine.

[ludermor]

Jees! you'd think youse knew him 

Seems a bit callous, if the sunday world showed the picture of his body would you say the same thing?

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Have ye a point there Ludermor, or are you just trying to be controversial at this stage?

[ludermor]

Longrunsthefox started the thread about the sunday world showing a pic of the lad hanging, he was shocked and rightly so. He doesn't seem to have the same sympathy or understanding for the German goalkeeper so i guess he either knew the lad on the paper or else he was just disgusted with the journalistic standards.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

fair enolugh;

longrunsthefox v memorylikeanelephant