( dpa ) - Striker Mario Gomez will play an important role for Germany at the European Championships, his Stuttgart club coach Armin Veh predicted Friday.
Gomez, 22, scored twice for Germany in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Switzerland in Basle and now appears to be first choice in attack alongside Miroslav Klose.
He has six goals in nine appearances for Germany since making his international debut just over a year ago, but has yet to play a full 90 minutes for the national team
"I am convinced that he will play a very important role at the European Championships. Mario is right now the best forward in Germany," Veh said
Gomez was voted Germany's footballer of the year last season after his 14 goals helped propel Stuttgart to a surprise Bundesliga title.
This season he has gone even better scoring 15 goals in 18 league appearances, although Stuttgart have struggled to maintain the consistency of last season and are currently sixth in the table.
The tally puts him only one behind the season's league leading scorer Luca Toni of Bayern Munich.
Veh said Gomez continued to be playing well although he had hardly been able to train fully in the last few weeks.
"That's why his performances in the second half against Rostock (last Saturday) and now against Switzerland are even more to be appreciated," he said.
Veh added that he could not foresee Gomez staying at Stuttgart until the end of his contract in 2012 but "whether he goes in 2009, 2010 or 2011 I don't know."