FCB - General Talk

[Vargas_4]

I don't really like Milan but i respect them.

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Despite fielding a severely weakened line-up, Germany comfortably beat Wales 2-0 in Cardiff on Saturday evening to maintain their imperious progress towards a place at the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland. The Germans, on 22 points out of a possible 24, lead qualifying Group D from the Czech Republic (17 points/3-0 winners in San Marino) and Ireland (14 points/2-2 draw in Slovakia).

Bayern striker Miroslav Klose took his international tally to 35 goals in 70 appearances for his country, and also captained his national team for the first time, as he struck after five minutes and again on the hour at the Millennium Stadium, thus ending a 368-day goalless drought on the world stage.

Praise from coach Löw

“It was vital to take the three points. We’re well clear in the table, and have to keep going in the same vein. We’re in good shape,“ Klose declared after a fine individual display. “There are no doubts as to his class, he’s taken both goals superbly,“ Germany supremo Joachim Löw enthused.

Bayern also supplied the 2006 World Cup hosts with Bastian Schweinsteiger in a stand-in central midfield role, and Marcell Jansen on the left flank, initially in midfield and then at left-back after the break. Both Munich men were active contributors to an ultimately easy win against an inexperienced and utterly toothless Welsh XI, although the visitors will be slightly dismayed at the number of promising situations in front of goal which came to nothing.

Comeback for Podolski

“I think we played well, but we should have scored a second a lot earlier,” commented Schweinsteiger, unlucky to see a firm drive from the edge of the box bounce off the top of the goal frame in the second half. “Games like that are always tough, you have to be constantly alert and focused,“ Jansen added.

The introduction of Lukas Podolski as a replacement for Kevin Kuranyi midway through the second period took the Bayern contingent up to four, as Poldi returned to the international stage for the first time since March. The Germans now travel to face the Irish on 13 October knowing that victory would see them through to next summer’s finals with three games to spare.

Injury foils Toni v Ribéry showdown

World Cup runners-up France also stayed well on course for Austria and Switzerland after the biggest game of the night, the Group B showdown with world champions Italy at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, ended in a goalless draw. Euro 2000 winners France top the standings with 19 points ahead of Scotland (18) and Italy (17).

Disappointingly from a Munich point of view, the eagerly awaited head-to-head between summer signings Luca Toni and Franck Ribéry never took place, as injury deprived Toni of a place in his country’s squad. However, Ribéry started for the French and performed busily until his substitution shortly before the end.

Turks thwarted by Malta

Hamit Altintop and Turkey’s Euro 2008 prospects were dealt an unexpected blow when the side which finished third at the 2002 World Cup was held 2-2 away from home by minnows Malta. The Turks lie third in Group C on 14 points, four off leaders Greece (no fixture) and two behind Norway, 1-0 victors in Moldova.

Hamit’s twin brother Halil (45) and Servet Cetin (79) each struck equalisers after the buoyant Maltese had twice taken the lead through Said (41) and Schembri (76). Hamit covered the full 90 minutes but was unable to stamp his authority on an occasionally turbulent encounter.

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Löw has silenced his critics for real.

Germany is so successful under him.

What do you guys think, could he coach Bayern (if Hitzfeld 'surprisingly' says no in the summer '08)?

Would you like to see him as the General?

Would he do a good job?

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim17

Löw has silenced his critics for real.

Germany is so successful under him.

What do you guys think, could he coach Bayern (if Hitzfeld 'surprisingly' says no in the summer '08)?

Would you like to see him as the General?

Would he do a good job?

1- Dont think Hitzfeld will say no after the interview I've read a couple of days ago
2- Germany will be successful in the Euro so Löw will continue in charge
3- I'm not sure about him yet, I need to see how Germany perform in the Euro 08

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

1- Dont think Hitzfeld will say no after the interview I've read a couple of days ago
2- Germany will be successful in the Euro so Löw will continue in charge
3- I'm not sure about him yet, I need to see how Germany perform in the Euro 08

Yeah, I really don't want to loose Hitzfeld.

But let me put it this way, whenever Hitzfeld goes (I hope not in the near future), I'd like to see Löw in charge.

Can't think of anyone better.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Stefan Effenberg collected winner's medals like others stamps. bundesliga.de retell one of the most successful careers in German football.


Stefan Effenberg started his Bundesliga career in 1987 at Borussia Mönchengladbach. He then joined FC Bayern in 1990 and made the move to Italy two years later, transferring to Fiorentina.

Back in Germany in 1994

In 1994 Effenberg returned to the Bundesliga, again to Mönchengladbach. Then (1998) it was Bayern for a second time. The 2002/03 at VfL Wolfsburg was his last club in the Bundesliga. Effenberg won 35 caps for Germany, scoring five goals.

In 2004 the "Tiger" called it a day after spending a season in Qatar. His medal collection is impressive: two DFB Cup wins in 1995 (with Gladbach) and 2000 (with Bayern). Three Bundesliga titles with FCB in 1999, 2000 and 2001. In 2001 he also lifted the Champions League and the World Club Championship trophies.

Important goals

And Effenberg played a major part in that, scoring the equaliser in the Champions League final against Valencia and a penalty in the shoot-out.


Steffan Effenberg career pics

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Extra shift for decimated squad

The players who remained in Munich during a week of international fixtures reported to the training ground twice on Friday. In the morning, the group including Christian Lell and Mark van Bommel spent an hour negotiating the nearby Perlacher forest on mountain bikes, before assistant coach Michael Henke and fitness specialist Zvonko Komes took charge in much more familiar circumstances: the players took to the practice ground for a gentle game of football tennis before a punishing session designed to build stamina.

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Bayern stalwart and Brazil captain Lucio netted in the second half to set his national side on the way to a 4-2 friendly victory over the USA on Sunday. A 45,543 crowd at Soldier Field in Chicago saw the Munich man hand the Seleção a 2-1 lead 53 minutes into the prestige encounter, after Carlos Bocanegra had opened for the home side on 21 minutes, only for US defender Oguchi Onyewu to put through his own goal 12 minutes later. Clint Dempsey put the USA back on level terms after 73 minutes, but Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho restored his side’s lead just two minutes later. Elano finally wrapped up the win with a stoppage-time penalty to make the final score 4-2 in the South Americans’ favour. Lucio next leads his team out on Wednesday when the Brazilians take on Mexico in Boston.

Podolski set to start for Germans in Cologne

Former 1. FC Köln hero Lukas Podolski will be the centre of attention on Wednesday when Germany take on Romania in a friendly at the striker’s former stamping ground, the Rhine-Energy stadium in Cologne. The Bayern man is set to start for his country for the first time in five and a half months, with local starlet Patrick Helmes at his side in an “all-Cologne” strikeforce. “It’s tremendous that I’ll get to play alongside Patrick,“ Podolski declared at a German Football Association (DFB) news conference on Monday. Coach Joachim Löw has announced his intention to rest Miroslav Klose, scorer of both goals in Germany’s 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifying victory over Wales on Saturday, and a clutch of regulars in midweek.

Ottl and Lell on ‘military service’
Andreas Ottl and Christian Lell will contest a somewhat out of the ordinary match on Tuesday evening, when the young Bayern pair line up for the German Armed Forces national team against Alemannia Aachen at the Sportpark am See in Dürwiß (North-Rhine Westphalia). “We spoke to assistant coach Michael Henke earlier today. Both players will fly to Cologne on Tuesday morning and play for us against Alemannia in the evening,“ Armed Forces team captain Olaf Bahne explained on Monday. As part of his compulsory military service, Ottl is at present attached to the German Army sports support unit in Neubiberg, which Lell will join on 1 October. The Armed Forces national team, currently preparing for the Military World Games in India, also features Änis Ben-Hatira of Bayern’s Bundesliga rivals Hamburger SV.

[Oliver_Kahn]

The Bavarian summer holidays came to an end on Tuesday 11 September, as some 126,000 excited but nervous seven-year-olds went to school for the very first time. Over at the Säbener Strasse, Jan Schlaudraff enjoyed a professional footballer’s equivalent of the first day at school when the striker trained for the first time since his summer switch to Bayern after recovering from surgery to repair a slipped disc.

“I enjoyed it,” he commented afterwards, “there’s no pain and no problems.“ Ottmar Hitzfeld expressed delight at the 24-year-old’s presence on the training ground, but was quick to dampen expectations of the Germany international. “It’s much too early to say when he’ll be able to play.“ The plan is for Schlaudraff to be re-introduced to the full rigours of the daily training programme on a step-by-step basis.

Decimated squad

The striker will have to wait awhile for his debut appearance in Bayern colours, “but he’ll definitely get a game or two before Christmas,“ Hitzfeld explained. Schlaudraff himself was not thinking that far ahead. “The important thing was to get back out onto the field,” he declared after being sidelined since the operation in early June.

“I thought I’d give the players a welcome change,” Hitzfeld observed after a programme featuring a long run and a game of basketball. Debutant Schlaudraff was one of only four outfield players to report to the training ground on Tuesday morning, Zé Roberto, Mark van Bommel and reserve hitman Sandro Wagner being the others. The remainder of the squad is either away on international duty or injured.

Green light for Toni?

The casualty list includes the name of Luca Toni, back at the club early from the Italy team base as he continues to struggle with a pulled hamstring. The goal-getter began rehab exercise in Munich on Monday, and will report to chief medical officer Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt on Thursday for a decision on his fitness to resume training. If the answer is negative, Hitzfeld will not risk the Italian in Saturday’s showdown with Schalke.

The Munich boss rejected claims by Italy coach Roberto Donadoni that Bayern had underestimated the severity of Toni’s injury. “It was never a secret that Luca has an injury,” Hitzfeld declared, “we did everything we could to get him fit, but it wasn’t enough.“

Heavy schedule

The Bayern supremo now hopes the player can finally shake off the niggling problem, as the next few weeks represent a crucial period for the club. The home meeting with Schalke ushers in a spell of six matches in 23 days, including both legs of the UEFA Cup first round tie against Belenenses, and every fit man will have a role to play.

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Bayern stopper Martin Demichelis has celebrated his recall to the Argentine international set-up in spectacular style, crowning his first appearance for the Albiceleste in eighteen months with the only goal of the game as the two-time World Cup winners downed Australia in Melbourne. Munich’s “Micho”, who completed the full 90 minutes in front of a 70,000 crowd at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), headed the winner from a Lionel Messi free-kick. The friendly represented Argentina’s final warm-up ahead of the start of South American World Cup qualifying on 13 October, when the Gauchos entertain Chile. Demichelis fine display will have boosted his chances of a place in the squad for that match.

Happy Birthday Kaiser!
Happy Birthday, Franz Beckenbauer! The Bayern President turned 62 on Tuesday. In his function as a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, the Kaiser yet again spent his special day on the road, out in the Far East on this occasion. On the eve of his birthday, Beckenbauer joined FIFA President Joseph Blatter and his German Football Association (DFB) counterpart Dr Theo Zwanziger in Shanghai to watch Germany demolish Argentina 11-0 in the opening match of the Women’s World Cup in China.

Ex-Red Zickler named Austrian Player of the Year
Former Bayern stalwart Alexander Zickler has been named Austrian Player of the Year 2007 by his fellow Austrian Bundesliga professionals. The 33-year-old Red Bull Salzburg striker, on the books at Bayern for twelve seasons between 1993 and 2005, finished top scorer last term with 22 goals in 20 matches as Red Bull marched to the league title. “It’s a great honour and accolade for me, especially because I’ve earned it from my fellow professionals in Austria,“ Zickler commented.

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

The Bavarian summer holidays came to an end on Tuesday 11 September, as some 126,000 excited but nervous seven-year-olds went to school for the very first time. Over at the Säbener Strasse, Jan Schlaudraff enjoyed a professional footballer’s equivalent of the first day at school when the striker trained for the first time since his summer switch to Bayern after recovering from surgery to repair a slipped disc.

“I enjoyed it,” he commented afterwards, “there’s no pain and no problems.“ Ottmar Hitzfeld expressed delight at the 24-year-old’s presence on the training ground, but was quick to dampen expectations of the Germany international. “It’s much too early to say when he’ll be able to play.“ The plan is for Schlaudraff to be re-introduced to the full rigours of the daily training programme on a step-by-step basis.

Decimated squad

The striker will have to wait awhile for his debut appearance in Bayern colours, “but he’ll definitely get a game or two before Christmas,“ Hitzfeld explained. Schlaudraff himself was not thinking that far ahead. “The important thing was to get back out onto the field,” he declared after being sidelined since the operation in early June.

“I thought I’d give the players a welcome change,” Hitzfeld observed after a programme featuring a long run and a game of basketball. Debutant Schlaudraff was one of only four outfield players to report to the training ground on Tuesday morning, Zé Roberto, Mark van Bommel and reserve hitman Sandro Wagner being the others. The remainder of the squad is either away on international duty or injured.

Green light for Toni?

The casualty list includes the name of Luca Toni, back at the club early from the Italy team base as he continues to struggle with a pulled hamstring. The goal-getter began rehab exercise in Munich on Monday, and will report to chief medical officer Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt on Thursday for a decision on his fitness to resume training. If the answer is negative, Hitzfeld will not risk the Italian in Saturday’s showdown with Schalke.

The Munich boss rejected claims by Italy coach Roberto Donadoni that Bayern had underestimated the severity of Toni’s injury. “It was never a secret that Luca has an injury,” Hitzfeld declared, “we did everything we could to get him fit, but it wasn’t enough.“

Heavy schedule

The Bayern supremo now hopes the player can finally shake off the niggling problem, as the next few weeks represent a crucial period for the club. The home meeting with Schalke ushers in a spell of six matches in 23 days, including both legs of the UEFA Cup first round tie against Belenenses, and every fit man will have a role to play.

Happy to hear Schlaudraff had his debut in training.

Worried about Luca, the injury never seemed serious first, but it's has taken almost two weeks and he's still not fit.

We really have those crucial upcoming weeks, I hope we won't have to experience more injuries. Contrary to that, I will be praying for more comebacks, such as Lahm, Schlaudraff, Sangol, etc.

I think that we'll have everyone fit (God, please!) by Christmas.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim17

Happy to hear Schlaudraff had his debut in training.

Worried about Luca, the injury never seemed serious first, but it's has taken almost two weeks and he's still not fit.

We really have those crucial upcoming weeks, I hope we won't have to experience more injuries. Contrary to that, I will be praying for more comebacks, such as Lahm, Schlaudraff, Sangol, etc.

I think that we'll have everyone fit (God, please!) by Christmas.

Either Sagnol or Lahm need to comeback to fitness quickly, the full-backs is where we have more problems atm, since if Lell or Jansen get injured we have no direct replacement.

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Either Sagnol or Lahm need to comeback to fitness quickly, the full-backs is where we have more problems atm, since if Lell or Jansen get injured we have no direct replacement.

That's true.

Sagnol has targeted an October return..
.. and Lahm is also expected to return in the begin of October.

So, by mid October, I say Hitz will have them both available.

I don't remember any Lell injury btw.

While we already know about Jansen, who has been injuried twice since he came.

But, remember Hamit Altintop can be a decent back-up.