I'll be No 1 again soon, insists Lehmann

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Axed after an error-strewn start to the season, the 37-yearold's Arsenal days looked numbered followed a warning from Germany that he needed regular firstteam action to safeguard his Euro 2008 prospects.

Scroll down to read more:

Lehmann blunders against Blackburn this season

But, as he prepared to face the Republic of Ireland tomorrow, he said he had been given a strong hint a recall is imminent and insisted he would be back better than ever.

With his 38th birthday just a month away, Lehmann said this would probably be his final season at Arsenal prior to a swansong in the Bundesliga.

He vowed to bow out on a high, though, as he said: "I know I will play for Arsenal again and think it may well be in our next game.

"Maybe this break has been good for me. Maybe I needed it. I never like being out of the team, but look what happened last time.

"The manager left me out for a few weeks three years ago and when I got my place back, I ended up having the best season of my career.

"I feel ready to come back and play to the same level again. Playing is important, of course, but there is no substitute for quality.

"My wife and I miss Germany and if I still feel able to play at a high level after the Euro finals, I would like it to be with a Bundesliga club."

Back in Germany, though, Oliver Kahn appears to be carrying on his long-running feud with Lehmann even in international retirement.

The former Germany goalkeeper said: "He should be thankful that he even has the chance to play for the national team when he is not playing for his club."