German Football news

[Trim]

All clubs and capital companies sportingly qualified for the upcoming 2007-08 season have been granted the licence.

With this the licensing committee of the League Association followed the advice of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH and granted the authorisation to play to those clubs who had been asked to meet requirements concerning various criteria.

"The licensing committee have intensively examined all documents. We are delighted to be able to grant the license to all applicants", said Christian Müller, DFL CEO Finances and Licensing. "It's not only about proving solvency for the upcoming season, but also about meeting increasing demands on infrastructure."

Back in April the DFL had granted the license to those clubs not asked to meet requirements - partly with restrictions. So far the economic capacity of clubs and capital companies have only been tested in spring, but in the upcoming season there will also be a licensing inspection for the first time.

The financial situation of economically weaker clubs that were only granted the license with appropriate requierements will be verified again in autumn. Based on the balance of June 30th 2007 and on updated calculations, the clubs concerned have to prove that liquidity is indeed guaranteed until the end of the season.

[Oliver_Kahn]

BERLIN (AFP) - Former Bundesliga coach Peter Nuerurer admitted on Wednesday he saw players take a banned stimulant in the 1990s and claims the practice was not unusual in German football at that time.

The 52-year-old, who parted company with Hanover last August, said he saw players taking banned stimulant Captagon while he was coaching Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga's second division in the 1989/90 season.

And in an interview with magazine Sport-Bild, the German coach said stimulant abuse used to be wide spread in both tiers of the Bundesliga.

"This was quite usual in football. It was widely known that players were using substances. Up to 50 percent of players have consumed this drug and not only in the second league," Nuerurer told Sport-Bild, although he was not prepared to give names.

Neururer said it was not difficult to know when players had taken Captagon.

"The eyes look different. The player doesn't get tired and is inclined to over-react," he said.

The German Football Association (DFB) were quick to react to Neururer's revelations and have asked for more details.

"We have written a letter to Mr Neururer and have asked him politely to produce names and facts," said DFB press officer Harald Stenger on Wednesday afternoon.

But current Schalke manager Andreas Mueller, who played for the Gelsenkirchen-based club under Nuerurer in the 1989/90 season, accused his former manager of "dirty tricks".

"If Neururer knows something, he should name names. It is so important that we deal in facts," said Mueller.

"As for me, I can totally say I have never seen such a thing, but I can not say what has happened to others."

Doping tests have been carried out in the Bundesliga since 1988 and after every game two players are chosen at random to provide a urine sample.

Since 1995, 15 players from the Bundesliga's first and second divisions have been accused of doping offences.

Bundesliga coach admits he saw doping - Yahoo! Sport UK

[Trim]

Not good to hear about this.

[Trim]

DFL continue to set great value upon the dialogue with the fans. Representatives of all clubs and fans from all over Germany meet in June.

In 2007 DFL continue to set great value upon the dialogue with the fans. On June 23rd and 24th a Fan Conference, jointly organised by DFL and DFB, takes place. Not only representatives of the 34 existing fan projects and all the club's fan representatives, but also organised and free fans from all over Germany will be able to swap ideas.

"We want to involve the fans"

"The Fan Conference gives all participants the opportunity to take part in a constructive-minded dialogue. We want to involve the fans in many subjects, like we already did in the past. The campaigns against violence and racism that the DFL have carried through would not have been imaginable without the fans' help", said Holger Hieronymus, DFL CEO for Competition.

DFL's full-time fan representative Thomas Schneider expects up to 400 participants within the two days, among them security, science and media experts.

Six working groups

"Working together with fans works best when all sit at a table together and understand that they can draw on an active and working fan organisation network", Schneider said.

During the Fan Conference the supporters will have the opportunity to take part in one of the six working groups: fan culture, areas of tension, fan support, anti-discrimination, communication and international matches.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Who scored the most goals, commited the most fouls, put in the most crosses and picked up the most bookings in the 2006-07 season?


bundesliga.de compiled the statistics of the Bundesliga season 2006-07. Have fun!

Check here: Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

[Trim]

Ulf Kirsten was one of the best strikers ever to grace the Bundesliga. bundesliga.de with a portrait of the former Bayer Leverkusen goal-getter.

Ulf Kirsten was the Bundesliga goal-getter of the 1990s. He joined the Bundesliga from the former East German league, where he'd also been a top striker.

Farewell in 2003

On November 16th 2003 one of Germany's best-known footballers hung up his boots. It was an emotional farewell.

"If I could, I'd be 25 and play football all over again", Kirsten said back then.

Kirsten gave everything for the game, including leaving his home and parents at a very early age. The East German youth system formed the future football star both on and off the pitch.

Mixed emotions when the wall came down

And history formed the young football star as well. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, East Germany's national team needed to draw with Austria in their last qualifier for the World Cup. But Kirsten and Co. found out history wasn't about football, it was about German re-unification!

"It should have happened a three months later, then we'd have gone to the World Cup. That really messed us up. We all watched it on TV and the team advisers were hanging around. It was impossible to think clearly", Kirsten admits.

But everything was like a dream after that. Kirsten went to Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and quickly became an important first-team player. And the East German in the West German team seemed to have no problems adjusting to all the changes.

182 Bundesliga goals

In his 13 years with Leverkusen Kirsten scored 182 goals in 350 Bundesliga games! And he was the league's top scorer three times - an amazing achievement!

Former Bayer sporting director Rainer Calmund: "He became an icon in the club, he's an institution! He was the top goal-scorer of the '90s and was responsible for a great deal of Bayer's success during that decade!�

Bitter experience

Between 2000 and 2002, Kirsten and Leverkusen played some classic football. But losing the 2000 championship on the final day was a bitter experience.

"Back then there was a lot of drink and even more tears. You didn't care anymore. You wanted to be alone because it hurt so badly", Kirsten remembers the 2-0 defeat at SpVgg Unterhaching that handed FC Bayern München the title.

Despite being one of the Bundesliga's most prolific strikers, Kirsten wasn't first choice under then-Germany coach Berti Vogts. But still, the goal-getter managed to earn 51 caps representing reunified Germany.

Coach at Bayer

After hanging up his boots, Kirsten then gained experience as a coach, assisting Klaus Augenthaler at Leverkusen.

He now trains the amateur team, meaning the love affair between Bayer Leverkusen and one of their best-ever players is still burning bright.

[Trim]

The German Soccer Federation will investigate reports of widespread use of amphetamine-like substances in the Bundesliga in the 1970s and '80s.

Numerous former coaches and players have acknowledged that the stimulant captagon was widely used at that time. The soccer federation, however, reports few positive tests since regular drug testing in Bundesliga began in 1988.

Former Schalke coach Peter Neururer said last week that 50 percent of the players used captagon, along with other stimulants like ephedrine. He turned in a written statement to the soccer federation yesterday.

"When grievances are uncovered, then we will thoroughly look into these cases," a federation spokesman said.

Kicker magazine also reported yesterday that it surveyed players in 1987 and 31 of the 216 responses said stimulants were in use. In addition, two team doctors for the first time said they were aware of the drug use.

"Substances like that were openly used among the players and I knew about it," said Peter Harms, team doctor for 1967 champion Eintracht Frankfurt. "I don't know where they got them, but there were probably enough illegal channels."

Neururer, who is no longer coaching, worked with many German teams in the first and second divisions during his career. He said the stimulant had obvious effects on the players.

"The eyes are different. The player doesn't get tired and tends to overreact on the field."

Bundesliga to probe stimulant use -- Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 -- English Window to China News

[Trim]

Bibiana Steinhaus thinks being a cop is a lot like being a referee — which should help next season when she works the German soccer's second division.

"The occupations of referee and police officer are similar — it's an advantage to link them," the 28-year-old police officer said. "They are both about getting people to follow the rules."

Promoted as the only woman from Germany's lower divisions to the professional ranks, Steinhaus expects one aspect of the job to be a little easier — less macho posturing from players and fans rampant in the semipro and amateur divisions.

"I have negative experiences to report. I was never physically attacked, but was the target of verbal abuse," Steinhaus said. "In the top leagues, the behavior is different. The players present themselves differently because their job is dependent on it."

Steinhaus is the second woman to break into one of Germany's two professional leagues — the Bundesliga and second division — but Gertrud Gebhard lasted just two matches as a Bundesliga line judge in 1995.

Steinhaus is aiming for a more longevity.

"I want to prove the possibilities for men and women on the job and in refereeing are equal," she said. "There won't be any special privileges for me."

She started running games as a 16-year-old, climbing the ranks in a field were only two percent of Germany's 80,000 referees are female.

In 2001, she reached the regional league, or third division.

"We have observed her since then — there is no reason not to use her in professional matches," said Volker Roth, head of the referees' committee. "I'm sure even in the second league she will come up with good performances."

Steinhaus was informed of her promotion while at her day job as a police officer, battling anti-globalization protesters at the G8 Summit in Rostock, Germany, earlier this month.

"There hasn't been much time to break out the champagne," Steinhaus said.

Woman referees in men's leagues are not unprecedented. The United States and Brazil are two countries that have used women as referees in the past 10 years.

The 1.81 meter (5-foot-9) Steinhaus attributed her ascension to the pro ranks to training hard and never forgetting the job was — above all else — that of a "high-performance athlete."

Steinhaus expects adjustments in the second division, and not only the pace of the game and the ability of the players.

"Next season one thing will change more than anything — the media presence," Steinhaus said. "But also the speed, the physicality will be different."

Steinhaus said her goal as referee was to direct the game in a positive way to her own satisfaction and that of others.

"I want to be consistent and forceful with the teams and be communicative. You can be decisive, but charmingly decisive," Steinhaus said. "My drive toward perfection is high — where that will lead, I don't know."

Moving up to bigger stadiums and bigger teams has advantages. Steinhaus won't hear as many bad jokes and unprintable comments about being a woman referee.

"The beauty of it is, the more spectators in the stadium, the less you hear what any of them says," she said.

Police officer set to become Germany's first pro woman referee - International Herald Tribune

[Trim]

Damn, she's tall like a tree..
A pic: http://145.253.206.229/fcu/fcu_pictu...u_0102_009.jpg

[Trim]

Happy Birthday and all the best: Peter Peters celebrates his birthday today (June 21). He has turned 45.

The "birthday boy" is a very busy and hardworking person. For one thing, the Ochtendung-born man is Vice-Chairman of the DFL board and Vice-President of the League Association since March 15, 2007.

CEO at Schalke

For another thing the father of two is Schalke 04 CEO since 1993 - the former sports journalist hardly will complain about boredom.

And as if that wouldn't be enough, Peters also worked as managing director of the World Cup organisation committee's branch in Gelsenkirchen - there's nothing he wouldn't do for football.

Start at FCK

The married business graduate got to know the football business from scratch during his time as assistant general manager at 1. FC Kaiserslautern (1991 - 93).

bundesliga.de congratulates Peter Peters on his great day and wishes him and his family all the best!

[Trim]

On Saturday and Sunday (June 23/24) a fan congress organised by DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH and DFB takes place in Leipzig.

The motto "Football is our life - an approach" brings together fan representatives from all 36 professional clubs as well as the 36 constituted fan projetcs, among others.

Start on Sunday

The participants will be welcomed by Richard Jung, Lord Mayor of the city of Leipzig, on Saturday at 13:00 CET.

The first discussion forum "The way to Leipzig - a review" starts at 13:15.

The congress will be officially inaugurated at 14:15.

Five different forums

During the two-day event there will be discussions in five different forums.

In the forum "Fan cultures" the question "Fan cultures and commerce - what is fashionable, what is unfashionable football?" will be debated.

In "Areas of tension" the whole topic of stadium bans will be discussed.

A glance at the future

"Fan support" will cast a glance at the future when responsible club representatives, fan representatives and members of fan projects meet.

The forum "Counter discrimination" will deal with the experiences of previous campaigns against racism in the stadiums. Where have been successes, what can be undertaken to further dam the problem?

Tickets for internationals

Last but not least there's the forum "internationals" dealing with the German national team, with the topics "Ticket allocation" and "Fan support" in focus.

The forums' results will be presented to the participants on Sunday, June 24, from 13:45. Afterwards there will be a discussion along the lines of "The way AFTER Leipzig - a perspective".

The congress will end about 17:00 CET.

[Trim]

Germany's Federal Cartel Office has extended by 'several weeks' its investigation of a deal by which Premiere AG earlier this year obtained rights to distribute and market Bundesliga soccer matches via satellite.

Under the deal, Premiere had obtained the rights to distribute and market Arena, the channel that broadcasts Bundesliga soccer matches, via satellite, Agence France-Presse reported.

The company at the time agreed to give Arena a 16.7 pct stake in the firm in exchange for non-exclusive satellite market rights.

Premiere earlier this month said it has sent the Cartel Office a new proposal to allay the regulator's concerns, and has also said its talks with the Cartel Office are 'constructive'.

German regulator extends probe of Premiere's Bundesliga deal with Arena - Forbes.com

[Oliver_Kahn]

We have the fixture schedule for the 2007-08 season. But which factors play a role in the planning? bundesliga.de explains the complicated procedure.


Today, Thursday June 28, the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH disclosed the fixture schedule for the 2007-08 Bundesliga und 2. Bundesliga season at a press conference.

"Attention must be paid to a few things"

Two professional leagues, 36 clubs, a total of 612 games, plus the international framework calendar with international games and the European club competitions such as the Champions League and the UEFA Cup - how do you juggle all this? How does the fixture schedule come into being?

"Before the concrete planning, attention must be paid to a few things", explains Holger Hieronymus, DFL Vice-CEO and Member of the Executive Board for Competition.

"First of all, the world body FIFA enters its dates into our national calendar. That means time slots for the international games are set aside", says Hieronymus. "Then UEFA does the same for the Champions League and UEFA CUP matches."

Keeping the EURO 2008 in mind

And so the planners face a "ready-made plan, in which we, in consultation with the German Football Association (DFB) over the DFB Cup, finalize our dates", says Hieronymus, who presented the fixture schedule in Frankfurt together with Tom Bender, Member of the Executive Board for Marketing and Communications.

The upcoming EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland also has a bearing on the fixture planners' deliberations. In order to provide the National Team with sufficient preparation time, "we will have to play three English weeks, one more than in past seasons. And so we have arranged that the DFB Cup Final will take place after the 29th week of play and not after the end of the season", says Hieronymus.

Of course the planners have to await the sporting qualification of the clubs for their respective leagues, as well as the June 15 deadline "when it is decided whether the licensing requirements have been met," according to the Member of the Executive Board for Competition.

Double Use, Security Concerns, Other Events

Only then can the concrete planning begin. But even here the specific demands of the fixtures play a role. "For example, in Munich one must take into account that the stadium is used by both FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 München," explains Hieronymus.

"Security factors also play a role, and this keeps us in ongoing communication with the ZIS (Zentrale Informationsstelle Sporteinsätze), the organization that keeps track of hooligans.

The differing holiday schedules in various German states complicate the planning, as do the wishes of the clubs, for example when other events are planned for their stadiums or a festival is taking place at the same time.

Huge Coordination Effort

"Germany's costly stadium infrastructure must of course be refinanced. And so we are responsive to the wishes of the clubs," Hieronymus points out.

All in all, it's an extremely difficult process, in which so many interests and guidelines have to be coordinated.