"At the beginning, it was weird," Meier told the Herald. "I think it started when we playing in the second league and we were going up to the Bundesliga, and then some fans were shouting it after some goals. "It started more and more in the Bundesliga ... since then, they call me that. I am a little proud, but I don't need it. I can't change it now, that's what everybody calls me. It's fine, I'm cool with that." As Meier tells people at the Wanderers whenever his nickname comes up in conversation: "I'm just a man." But as Western Sydney's A-League campaign spirals out of control, the time has come for their marquee recruit to provide some divine intervention. 'Some people say I'm good, some say I'm shit – but this was all my career, with everybody. Everyone sees football differently.' Alex Meier Some have already written off Meier, who turns 37 next month, as a flop in the same bracket as Mario Jardel. With just one goal from 10 appearances so far, his numbers certainly don't look great.

Coach Markus Babbel has already leapt to his aid, proclaiming last month that goals alone aren't the way to measure Meier's performances. Then Babbel dropped him to the bench for four games, only restoring him to the starting line-up for last week's 1-1 draw with Western United. Another start looms on Friday night away to Adelaide United, with Babbel desperately needing a win to keep his job, and Meier needing a goal to shrug off the naysayers. "Of course, a striker will always be judged by goals, I know that," Meier said. "And I don't look for excuses – I could have scored maybe two, three goals more, but it's not like I've had 20 chances and missed them. Alex Meier fires off a shot on goal in last week's 1-1 draw with Western United. Credit:Getty Images "I'm not worried. I think we made a big [improvement] in the way we played ... [but] if I knew everything, if I had the solution, I would tell you. But it's not always that easy."

Meier was typically unfussed about being used as a substitute, saying his demotion was down to fitness concerns and Babbel's desire to give the team a different look in attack. Alex Meier won the DFB-Pokal, or German Cup, in 2018 with Eintracht Frankfurt. Credit:DPA He is absolutely adamant about one thing, though: just because he's in his mid-30s and not scoring freely, doesn't mean he's a washed-up has-been from Europe who is here to see the sights. "What everybody thinks is, 'Oh, he's 37, he's old'," he said. "If I would have the same quality right now, the same level, and I would be 28 or 29, nobody would say anything. "When you're tall, when you move, everything is slower ... a little bit goofy. Maybe that's why. But I think the people who understand football know that.

"And, for me, it's OK. Some people say I'm good, some say I'm shit – but this was all my career, with everybody. Everyone sees football differently. But I can't and don't even want to change anybody's mind. "I do everything I can and that's all I can do. I make some pressure on myself because I still love the game, I care about the team and the club. Otherwise ... if I don't care any more, then I should stop." But Meier has no plans to stop. If his body still agrees with him at the end of this season, and the hunger is still there, he intends to play on. For that to happen at the Wanderers, to justify another contract, he needs to be the spearhead of a team-wide revival. Starting now. Loading His teammates, for what it's worth, still see a fussballgott at training every day, and those who saw him at his best firmly believe he has plenty left to give in the A-League.