FCB - General Talk

[Oliver_Kahn]

Yeah...fuck that!

[Oliver_Kahn]

Uli Hoeness has backed under-pressure Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath and hinted that the former Stuttgart boss could have a long-term future at the Allianz-Arena.

Bayern won two straight domestic doubles since Magath took the helm in July 2004, but given a poor start to the 2006-07 season, the German media speculated that his days in Munich could be numbered with his contract expiring next summer.

Managing director Hoeness has now moved forward to rubbish those reports.

"We never even thought about it [sacking him]. We knew right from the start that this campaign would be different and we are going through it together," insisted Hoeness.

Bayern needed a dramatic finish to come back from being 2-1 down to seal a late 3-2 win at Leverkusen on Saturday and Hoeness feels that this game could mark the turning-point of the whole season.

"We have the impression that the team has now understood what’s at stake and if they always play like they did on Saturday, Felix Magath might be around for another five years," claimed Hoeness.

The Bavarian giants are currently four points behind Stuttgart, but have the chance to reduce the gap to the Bundesliga table-toppers when they welcome Armin Veh’s team on Saturday.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...ing+for+Magath

[Oliver_Kahn]

Terrible news!
I would love to see Magath out.

[Oliver_Kahn]

The Säbener Strasse would normally be close to deserted this week, as more than half the first-team squad customarily set off on their travels when the world football calendar features a round of international fixtures, but on this occasion, just four Bayern stars have been summoned to represent their countries.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm appear for Germany in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Cyprus in Nicosia on Wednesday evening, the 2006 World Cup hosts' 18th international of the calendar year. However, the team coached by Joachim Löw have no further fixtures until 2007. Lukas Podolski misses the trip to the Mediterranean with injury.

Plenty at stake for Ali

That also applies to Daniel van Buyten and his Belgium team-mates, as they sign off for 2006 with a Euro qualifying clash against Poland in Brussels on Wednesday evening. The Red Devils would remain firmly in contention in Group A with a victory against the side currently closest to them in the table.

Iran and midfield schemer Ali Karimi meet South Korea in Teheran on Wednesday, and although both sides have already qualified for the 2007 Asian Cup in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, top spot in their qualifying group is up for grabs. The nations are level on points, with South Korea just ahead on a goal difference of +12 to Iran's +8.

Three pull out

Injury prevents Owen Hargreaves turning out for England against the Netherlands, and stops Brazil defender Lucio from facing Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland in Basel.

Right-back Willy Sagnol has withdrawn from France's warm-up against Greece in Paris due to a persistent knee complaint, while Paraguay pair Roque Santa Cruz and Julio Dos Santos have declined to undertake the arduous round trip for a friendly in Santiago de Chile.

Few absentees from weekend starting eleven

Roy Makaay and Mark van Bommel (Netherlands), Martin Demichelis (Argentina) and Claudio Pizarro (Peru) have all been overlooked for international duty, either of their own or the current national coach's volition, while Oliver Kahn (Germany) and Hasan Salihamidzic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) have retired from the international scene, so boss Felix Magath will supervise practically the entire starting eleven from Saturday's trip to Leverkusen when he calls the squad together for training on Tuesday.

All in all, the champions should enjoy far smoother preparations for the top-of-the-table clash at home to VfB Stuttgart on Saturday than would normally have been the case.

[Oliver_Kahn]

He never adapted to Bayern, so I think it's better for him to leave

[Oliver_Kahn]

Felix Magath has insisted he is happy to remain coach of Bayern Munich, despite his side suffering their worst start to a season for 32 years.

The German league and cup double winners currently lie fourth in the table after suffering four defeats in their opening 12 games, a far cry from the heady days of last years autumn campaign, when they had taken a record 44 points by the Christmas break.

Magath, however, declared his happiness with life in Bavaria, and said he had no intention of leaving the club.

"I feel good here, so does my family," he said. "I intent to stay here for a long time to come. My contract expires in 2008, and I'm not worried by anything.

"Our performances are nothing to get excited about, that's true, but there are reasons for that: the World Cup, the injuries, and the team is yet to gel properly.

Bayern halted a run of three consecutive away defeats with a 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Saturday, and Magath is hoping his side have now turned the corner.

"We are going to go on and improve now," he assured.

The 53-year-old also claimed his club are in a unique position in Europe, in that they alone are traditionally the dominant force in their domestic league.

"In Spain there is Real Madrid and Barcelona," he said. "In Italy there is AC Milan and Juventus. In England, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, while in Germany, there's only Bayern.

"Sometimes Schalke provide competition, sometimes Dortmund, sometimes Hamburg: Bremen are the only side that seem to be establishing themselves at the highest level.

"It's not good for us and for the championship, because everybody is concentrated on what we're doing."

Source: www.eurosport.com

[Oliver_Kahn]

I say fire Magath, he isn't certainly the best coach for Bayern.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Ali Karimi and his Iran team-mates must be considered a good outside bet for next year's Asian Cup after topping their qualifying group, but Germany have plenty to ponder following a drab 1-1 draw in Cyprus, and Belgium's chances of appearing at the Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria took a nosedive following a home defeat to Poland.

Germany's impressive international campaign in 2006 ended on a subdued note after the side coached by Joachim Löw struggled to a 1-1 Euro 2008 qualifying draw against minnows Cyprus in Nicosia, leaving the World Cup hosts on 14 wins from 18 matches in the calendar year.

Former Bayern star Michael Ballack opened the scoring on 15 minutes with his 35th goal in 75 full internationals, but Ioannis Okkas levelled for the lively hosts shortly before half-time. The Cypriots looked the more likely to win it in a dull second half as the Germans' perfect record in qualifying came to an end.

Lahm and Schweinsteiger feature

"We started well, but we lost the plot after they equalised," Bayern left-back Philipp Lahm declared afterwards. "We've had worse results than that, and we've just got to be satisfied with a point." Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, the only German international to appear in all 18 fixtures this year, both went the full distance in Nicosia.

"It was obvious many of my players weren't sharp enough," coach Löw reflected, excusing his side for a below-par display. "We simply weren't very good today, but you have to allow the players that once in a while." The result means Germany have taken 10 points from four matches and lie ahead of the Czech Republic at the top of Group D on goal difference, with Slovakia (6 pts) and Cyprus (4 pts) in third and fourth.

Blow for Belgium, jubilation in Iran

Daniel van Buyten and his Belgian colleagues suffered a serious setback en route to next season's tournament in Austria and Switzerland, as the Red Devils fell 1-0 to Poland in Brussels and slipped to fourth in the group standings with seven points from five matches. Finland (11) top the section ahead of Serbia and Poland (both on 10 points).

The only Bayern victory on the night arrived courtesy of Ali Karimi and Iran, 2-0 winners against South Korea in their final 2007 Asian Cup Group B qualifier. The crowd at the Azadi stadium in Tehran celebrated their heroes winning the group thanks to goals from Gholam Reza Enayati (48) and Hossein Badamaki (90). The Asian Cup takes place in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam next July.

[TO DEVILS]

It looks like he aint going nowhere!

[Oliver_Kahn]

Yeah...bad call by Rummenigge.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Nuremberg were held to a goalless draw, Hertha BSC Berlin were sent packing by a 4-2 margin, and now VfB Stuttgart, the latest side to top the Bundesliga standings, arrive at the Allianz Arena to try their luck on Saturday (Live in English on FCB.tv Web Radio from 3:15 pm). For Bayern, the rallying cry must be: 'Next leaders please!' as the two previous table-toppers left Munich with their ambitions seriously dented.

"This is exactly the right time for us to be taking on the leaders," Felix Magath remarked ahead of the meeting with one of his former clubs. "We always stand to gain more than we do from matches against teams in the bottom third of the table." Including the trip to Bremen last month, Bayern will have played the Bundesliga leaders four times in just 13 fixtures, an unprecedented event in top flight history to date.

Recapturing former strength

"But regardless of our opponents, we want to pick up where we left off in Leverkusen," Magath continued. The Reds showed tremendous resolve and determination to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory last weekend, with the boss convinced quality will also play a role in the match billed as the South German derby. "We have the better team, and the victory in Leverkusen means we're in better shape. That result was the most important signal that we're closing in on our best form of old."

The champions had only won once in four matches before last weekend, but victory against Stuttgart would confirm their recovery from an autumn dip in form. A win would move Bayern to within a point of VfB, and in the best-case scenario, would also see the Reds reel in their rivals at the top, provided Bremen stumble in Aachen and Schalke slip up in Cottbus. Magath even voiced quiet hopes of returning to top spot before November is out after all.

VfB pose major threat

However, Stuttgart arrive in Munich on the back of five wins on the bounce and a total of nine games undefeated. "It's never easy against opponents like this," Magath mused. "They're bursting with confidence and playing great football. Everything's functioning perfectly down there at the moment. We'll need a good performance to claim all three points."

Both Lucio (ankle) and Sebastian Deisler (eight month lay-off after knee surgery) return to contention, but the Brazilian will not yet be risked in the matchday squad, with Deisler set to start on the bench. Bastian Schweinsteiger retains the position he filled in Leverkusen behind the front two.

Lahm confident

The visitors must contend with more serious selection problems. Ricardo Osorio and captain Fernando Meira are ruled out with injury, while former Bayern youth Thomas Hitzlsperger, on target in his last three appearances, misses the match with suspension. Nevertheless, the Swabian outfit fancy their chances, as they have yet to lose on their travels. "It'll be vital we don't hide, but get at them and hold them off," coach Armin Veh commented.

Philipp Lahm reckoned Stuttgart's attacking style would suit Munich down to the ground. "I believe it's easier for us against teams who are prepared to play football. I'm utterly convinced it will be a good game for us," declared the left-back, whose career took off during a two-year loan spell under Magath at VfB.

Off and rolling?

Lahm remains close friends with many of Saturday's opponents, including keeper Timo Hildebrand, but comradely feelings will be put aside for 90 minutes on Saturday. "I'd be delighted to put one past him if I get the chance," the Munich-born defender said with a grin, "we could set off on a run here."

Probable line ups:

Bayern Munich: Kahn - Sagnol, van Buyten, Demichelis, Lahm - van Bommel, Ottl, Schweinsteiger, Salihamidzic - Pizarro, Makaay
Also in matchday squad: : Rensing, Lell, Saba, Deisler, Scholl, Dos Santos, Santa Cruz

VfB Stuttgart: Hildebrand - Hilbert, Tasci, Delpierre, Boka - Gentner, Pardo, da Silva, Khedira - Gomez, Cacau

Referee: Michael Weiner (Giesen)

[Oliver_Kahn]

Who, you may wonder, coached VfB Stuttgart the last time they beat Bayern Munich? And who was at the Stuttgart helm, the last time VfB travelled to Bavaria as Bundesliga leaders? The answer is, of course, Felix Magath. The man who now calls the shots at Bayern faces his former club at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, just as developments down in Swabia have become strongly reminiscent of the Magath era at VfB.

Stuttgart have stormed to the top of the league with a team largely comprising dynamic young hopefuls plucked from their own ranks. "VfB have rediscovered their commitment to younger players, and they in turn have repaid it in full. Young teams always play refreshing, attacking football," the Munich coach remarked – and in this case, successfully too, he might have added.

New VfB, same as the old VfB

Stuttgart have only visited Munich as the Bundesliga table-toppers once in their history. That was back in December 2003 and ended in a 1-0 defeat at the Olympic stadium, although VfB avenged that reverse with a 3-1 victory on their home ground the following spring, their most recent win against Bayern.

Two and a half years have passed since that match in May 2004, during which time dramatic change has swept through the Swabian club. Only four of the players who tasted victory over Bayern remain in the current squad, but Magath believes his ex-club has assembled "a group with a real future," as Gomez, Tasci and Khedira take over where Lahm, Hleb and Kuranyi left off.

Experience could carry the day

"It's a totally different team," the Reds boss commented. The coaching position has seen a few changes too: Magath took the hot seat in February 2001 with the club languishing in 17th place, before leading a resurgence which saw Stuttgart finish second at the end of the 2002-3 campaign and undertake a first-ever Champions League adventure the following season. Magath switched to Munich in July 2004.

The Bayern supremo reckons his current team's greater experience could give them a decisive edge on Saturday. "Young players tend to overdo it, but experienced players have the vision and tactical nous," he observed. "I'm assuming experience will carry the day."

[Oliver_Kahn]

He could return to Stuttgart.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Bayern beat Stuttgart at home, 2-1 the final score.
They are now in 4th place, 3 pts away from first place team Schalke.