Arne Friedrich travels from Hertha Hades to World Cup Wonderland in a year

This is a guest post from podcast regular and one-third of the brains behind Football Fairground, Terry Duffelen.

"The home side took an early lead through club captain Arne Friedrich. He waved away the congratulations of his team mates to run up the other end of the pitch and celebrate with the fans. His fist held aloft in triumph, no doubt Friedrich was making a statement, drawing a line if you will. The rot stops here guys and the only way is up. Half an hour later they were 3-1 down..."

Those words were written in post from last season's Bundesbag which pretty much exemplified the German defender and his club Hertha Berlin's campaign: Defeat, humiliation and relegation. After a wretched Bundesliga season, the Hertha captain would have looked forward to the World Cup with blessed relief.

Of course, but for the injury to Heiko Westermann, it is possible that Friedrich would have spent most of the World Cup on the bench. The Schalke player had played alongside Per Mertesacker through the latter period of the qualifying campaign and was expected to be first choice for the Finals But with him out of the picture, he was slotted into a German back four that was (or wasn't) expected, not only to block out the Sun for some of the World's best players but do so without a defensive midfield to support them.

The results have been spectacular. Thus far Germany have conceded only two goals and have demonstrated the kind of defensive discipline associated with the great teams of old while their youthful attack orientated midfield continues to challenge the stereotypes of German football.

As a centre half and club captain, Friedrich might would have been forgiven for believing that his career was in danger of entering the doldrums. However, a magnificent run in the World Cup and a move to Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg has turned things around. To cap things off, he found himself on the end of a magnificent run from Bastian Schweinsteiger to score Germany's third goal in their 4-0 demolition of Argentina, his first for Die Mannschaft in 77 games.

At thirty one, the centre back is entering the peak of his powers and should Germany overcome Spain to make it to the World Cup Final it will cap off a season of contrasting emotions. Last August, most Hertha fans would have been looking ahead to another exciting season after having challenged for the Bundesliga title in 2008/09. In fact the complete opposite happened and Hertha endured a dismal campaign in which the club only won five games and spent almost the entire season at the bottom of the league.

Friedrich, who had spent most of his career in the capital was facing the possibility of Second Division football and occupying a peripheral role in the World Cup. How quickly things have changed. A World Cup semi-finalist who has already had a street named after him, well sort of.

However, with each passing game the challenge becomes more intense. Spain's attacking triumvirate of David Villa, Andres Iniesta and the albeit misfiring, Fernando Torres are, on their day, capable of making even the most well drilled defenders look like they're playing with four pints of heavy from the Lamb & Flag in their bellies.

And if Germany can see their way passed the European Champions there is the strong likelihood of a World Cup Final against their fierce rivals the Dutch. There couldn't be a more satisfying way for Friedrich to lay the ghosts of Hertha for good.

(Pic via soomaalidamaanta.com)