With New Year's come and gone, all Bundesliga teams have ended their brief winter vacation and
have traveled to training camps in much warmer climates than Germany. Many teams have already
played warm-up test matches and have begun running out their newest winter signings. The second
half of the season begins with match day 18 on January 20.
When I first started watching football as a child in the mid-1980's FC Cologne (1. FC Köln) was
one of the traditional powerful clubs of the Bundesliga. Cologne was the first champion of the
Bundesliga in 1963/64 and in 1978 won the "double," which to this day is the pinnacle of success in
the Rhein city.
Well it's happened again. Not even a full season back in top flight football and the "old dame"
Hertha has been embroiled in a soap opera of daytime TV proportions, where nobody ends up looking
good. Manager Markus Babbel and Sport Director Michael Preetz were entangled in a war of words
where one was trying to paint the other as a liar and claiming who did or did not say what,
when.
When I was in Germany back in December, I watched an interview with Bayern Munich's Sporting
Director Christian Nerlinger. Part of the discussion revolved around Bayern's interest in the
newest young German football star, Marco Reus, who Bayern executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge termed "a
person of interest.
His technique is exquisite. His movement is terrific. His vision is breathtaking. His quality is
unquestionable.
He is 22 years of age. He is one of the Bundesliga's hottest properties. His name is Marco Reus,
and he is the latest star to emerge from German football.
After a blistering start to the season, Reus has been thrust into the spotlight, and many top
clubs around Europe have taken notice of his fine performances.
We're almost a third of the way through the Bundesliga season, and Bayern Munich, as is the case
more often than not, look like the team to beat. Bundesliga statistics reflect that, as Bayern are
not only solidly top of the charts in goals scored but have also allowed the fewest goals in the
league.
The race for the Bundesliga title is hotting up, with a number of teams in close proximity and
fighting for superiority. Last season's winners Borussia Dortmund have put an inconsistent start
behind them, and Stuttgart have rekindled some of the form that saw them win the league five years
ago.
Now that Germany has qualified for the Euro 2012 tournament with ease, with an unbeaten record,
anticipation is building for the tournament next summer.
But what kits will Germany be wearing for their "home" and "away" matches in Poland and
Ukraine.
Here are the leaked photographs at Germany's shirts they'll be wearing in Europe next summer,
where they must be considered one of the favorites (other than Spain) to win the championship.
Eren Derdiyok scored a simply sublime goal this past weekend for Bayer Leverkusen against
Wolfsburg. It was the type of goal that you'll have to watch more than once to marvel at what the
Swiss striker of Kurdish descent actually did.
It's a simply spectacular goal and a great advertisement for the Bundesliga.
Ralf Rangnick has quit as manager of Schalke. The manager, who took his side to the Champions
League semi-final last season, cited exhaustion as the reason he resigned.
So far this season, Schalke have lost against Wolsfburg, Stuttgart and Bayern Munich.
Schalke plays Freiburg tomorrow with Seppo Eichkorn taking over as interim manager.
It looks another exciting weekend in the Bundesliga. For viewers in the United States, here's the
TV and Internet viewing guide for the weekend: Friday, August 26, 2011: Hertha Berlin v Stuttgart,
2:30pm ET, ESPN3.com and ESPN Deportes Saturday, August ...
It looks another exciting weekend in the Bundesliga. For viewers in the United States, here's
the TV and Internet viewing guide for the weekend:
Friday, August 26, 2011:
- Hertha Berlin v Stuttgart, 2:30pm ET, ESPN3.com and ESPN Deportes
Saturday, August 27, 2011:
- Kaiserlautern v Bayern Munich, 9:30am ET, GolTV
- Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund, 12:30pm ET, ESPN3.
1. Are Dortmund even better this season? After a sublime performance against HSV on Friday night,
the question has to be asked. Dortmund's quick passing and interchange left HSV bewildered. The
return of Kagawa has given fresh verve to Dortmund's ...
1. Are Dortmund even better this season?
After a sublime performance against HSV on Friday night, the question has to be asked.
Dortmund's quick passing and interchange left HSV bewildered. The return of Kagawa has given fresh
verve to Dortmund's attack.
On September 11th last year, I sat in the AWD Arena in Hannover and watched an enthralling 2-2
draw between Hannover and Bayer Leverkusen. After two wins from their opening two games, there was
a sense of confidence amongst the swelled ...
