FCB - General Talk - Page 16 - TalkSoccer

**Oliver_Kahn** · 22-01-2007, 05:16 PM

Moved posts to the Bayern vs Real thread.

EDIT: Done.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 22-01-2007, 09:30 PM

Felix Magath awarded most of his players a day off on Monday, but the Säbener Strasse training ground was still a hive of activity. With four days remaining until Bayern resume league action in Dortmund, a clutch of players recovering from minor injury including Willy Sagnol, Martin Demichelis and Owen Hargreaves were joined by youngsters Michael Rensing, Thomas Kraft and Stefan Fürstner for a 90-minute workout.

Lukas Podolski was again absent, with the striker now rated increasingly doubtful for Friday's pivotal clash at the Westfalen stadium. fcbayern.de asked head coach Magath to assess his team's state of readiness, and offer a final verdict on the mid-season training programme.

Interview: Felix Magath

fcbayern.de: Felix Magath, you've just come back from a celebrity cook-off in Berlin. Did you enjoy trying your hand at something a little unusual?

Felix Magath: "Yes, working at a hot stove with that kind of artist and watching them cook was certainly something different. I had a lot of fun."

fcbayern.de: What was on the menu?

Magath: "We had cordon-bleu rolls on skewers, completely new to me, but very tasty and easy to eat. And we had stuffed chicken breast, which was also very good."

fcbayern.de: Tasty and very good are descriptions you could apply to your team's performance in beating Hamburg on Saturday, at least in the first half. Have you hit on the right recipe to defend the Bundesliga title?

Magath: "Overall, I'm pleased to say our mid-season programme went very, very well. With the exception of Saarbrucken, we played three friendlies against high-quality opponents, and we did ourselves credit on each occasion. The game in Hamburg, which provided very similar conditions to what we can expect this Friday in Dortmund, showed we're right up to speed. So we can say with confidence that we've prepared well, and I firmly believe we'll make a good start."

fcbayern.de: Have you already decided on your starting line-up for Dortmund?

Magath: "We'll turn our full attention to Dortmund on Tuesday. We have two more training sessions before the match, which give us an opportunity to work on our tactics. But there won't be any wholesale changes to the team at this late stage."

fcbayern.de: One or two players have picked up injuries recently. What's the situation regarding Willy Sagnol and the rest?

Magath: "The injury situation continues to improve. Willy trained well at the weekend, and he's determined to play on Friday. He's definitely a little further on than Owen or Roque, and it does look as though he'll appear in Dortmund. We'll have to wait and see with Owen. He's still behind in terms of fitness after his long lay-off. It could be tight. On the other hand, Martin Demichelis should be part of it, provided no new problems arise. He did very well today."

fcbayern.de: The only major doubt concerns Lucas Podolski, who missed training again today.

Magath: "He went for a jog on his own, but we'll simply have to wait and see how it goes with him recovering from a dead leg over the next few days. Obviously it's especially difficult for a striker if he's not totally fit."

fcbayern.de: Can we expect to see arrivals or departures before the transfer window closes on 31 January? The board has given Ali Karimi permission to move back to his former club, for example.

Magath: "No, I'm assuming we'll go in pursuit of our targets - retaining the league championship and performing well in the Champions League - with the squad we have at the moment."

fcbayern.de: All the best for the rest of the season, and thanks for talking to us!

**Oliver_Kahn** · 23-01-2007, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath has confirmed he does not expect any arrivals or departures during the rest of the January transfer window, leaving Manchester United seemingly frustrated in their pursuit of Owen Hargreaves.

The England international revealed last week that Sir Alex Ferguson had tabled a renewed £20million bid for his services after originally failing to strike a deal following Hargreaves' impressive performances at the World Cup finals.

Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had also hinted that an agreement could be reached after months of Bayern denying they would sell the Canadian-born midfielder.

However Magath has now stated that the German champions are not expecting any changes to their squad before the end of the month.

"No, I'm assuming we'll go in pursuit of our targets - retaining the league championship and performing well in the Champions League - with the squad we have at the moment," Magath told the club's official website.

United are still six points clear at the top of the Premiership and may bide their time and make a fresh approach in the summer if a transfer in January proves unrealistic.

Sky Sports - The Best Sport Coverage From Around The World

Peddi_Kahn · 24-01-2007, 10:56 AM

hwy man . i have a little question.there is not anyone except me and u in this forum??(bayern forum)
u was alone be4 when i registered here??!!!!!!!!!

**Oliver_Kahn** · 24-01-2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peddi_Kahn

hwy man . i have a little question.there is not anyone except me and u in this forum??(bayern forum)
u was alone be4 when i registered here??!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, yes I was alone and there aren't more members.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 25-01-2007, 12:04 AM

At precisely 8:30 pm on Friday, the Bundesliga wakes from its winter hibernation for the second half of the 2006-7 campaign. Some 41 days after champions Bayern signed off for Christmas with a sparkling 4-0 away success against Mainz, last season's double winners rejoin the campaign trail away to Borussia Dortmund, although it is the first time since 2003-4 that the Reds find themselves playing catch-up at this stage.

Munich lie three points off leaders Werder Bremen and second placed Schalke, but the champions are confident of retaining their championship shield when the points are added up for the last time in May. fcbayern.de has identified seven crucial factors in the Reds' favour.

1: The World Cup is (finally) over
The 2006 World Cup officially ended on 9 July, but the after-effects of the global showdown cast a long shadow over Bayern right through until Christmas. "We sent far more players to the World Cup than any other club," chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge pointed out in a recent newspaper interview. The tournament took a physical and mental toll on Bayern's international stars for many months, but the Christmas vacation and mid-season training period has served to recharge the players' batteries. "Germany's summer fairy-tale is finally at an end, so it's time for Bayern's winter fairy-tale to begin," Rummenigge declared.

2: Mid-season training:
Compared to pre-season in the summer, Felix Magath has had his entire squad together for a full four weeks during the winter break. Back in August, only 10 players were available for the early pre-season workouts, with the last of the stars rejoining the squad just 11 days before the first league fixture. By contrast, the head coach welcomed all his fit players back to Munich on the appointed date after Christmas, and the squad has achieved a consistent level of fitness since then.

3: The injury situation
The squad has come through the winter break without major injury, and both Owen Hargreaves and Mehmet Scholl have finally resumed the full programme after long lay-offs. Only Valerien Ismaël continues to work his way back to fitness following a double leg fracture.

4: The fixture schedule
Boss Magath has described the three-point gap to top spot as "nothing serious." Furthermore, both Bremen (11 March) and Schalke (weekend of 31 March) have yet to visit the Allianz Arena, where Munich could take two giant strides towards the title against their fiercest rivals. "You have to convert the match ball at the decisive moment," Oliver Kahn observed.

5: Bayern's Cup exit
The Reds' final outing before Christmas was a big disappointment at the time, as holders Munich were knocked out of the German Cup by Alemannia Aachen. However, every cloud has a silver lining. "We ended the year on a less positive note, so we're doubly determined to make up for that now," Andreas Ottl remarked.

5: The record books
No-one can touch Bayern when it comes to playing catch-up in the Bundesliga: Munich have finished as champions despite failing to top the table at the halfway point on a record six occasions. It last happened in 2000-2001, when Schalke led the way at Christmas and appeared to have wrapped up the shield on the last day. But a Patrik Andersson free-kick in stoppage time away to Hamburg was enough to earn Bayern a famous 1-1 draw and the title by a single point from the Royal Blues.

7: The 1985-6 campaign
The going-in position was the same back then, with Bayern three points off leaders Bremen at the halfway stage. But the Reds reeled in their northern rivals on the last day, as Werder fell 2-1 in Stuttgart while Bayern were thrashing Borussia Monchengladbach 6-0 at home. The clubs finished level on points, but Munich's superior goal difference was enough to claim the shield.

**Trim** · 25-01-2007, 08:00 PM

We will win the title guys. Don't bother about it.
We're heavyweight for the rest, Germany is ours.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 25-01-2007, 08:04 PM

Bremen look strong, but if Bayern play to their best, then we'll win it.

**Trim** · 25-01-2007, 08:05 PM

^ If we play against Bremen like we played against Hamburg in the friendly days ago, we will demolish Bremen. Trust me man.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 25-01-2007, 08:08 PM

Hamburg right now aren't on Bremen's league. Remenber they miss many players with injuries, some of them are important ones.

Even though, Bayern are the strongest team in Germany, we'll do it.

**Trim** · 25-01-2007, 08:12 PM

^ I know, Hamburg is definately not the same like last season.
But I'm judging that on the game play, no matter who we play, that game play can beat a lot strong teams.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-01-2007, 10:03 PM

Crap performance by Bayern against Dortmund.

Will we kick Magath ?

**Trim** · 26-01-2007, 10:14 PM

F*ck you Magath! Get the fuck outta here!
Bring back Hitzfeld, bring him back!

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-01-2007, 10:22 PM

YES YES !

Magath just go and never comeback

**Trim** · 27-01-2007, 08:25 AM

Fresh news:

- In his 113 Bundesliga game under Bayern's shirt, yesterday in the game Bayern lost against Dormund, Roy Makaay scored his 100 goal in Bayern' shirt.

- New websites for Bastian Schweinsteiger and Roy Makaay. The players official websites have been re-designed and re-arranged. Check www.bastian-schweinsteiger.de and www.roymakaay.de