FC Nürnberg [2. Bundesliga] - Page 2 - TalkSoccer

**Oliver_Kahn** · 11-12-2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Nurenberg are on the verge of signing FC Copenhagen right back Lars Jacobsen, according to German media reports.

The 27-year-old, who has made eight appearances for Denmark, is set to move to the Bavarian outfit on a free transfer at the end of the season, reports kicker.de.

Jacobsen made 22 appearances for Hamburg between 2002 and 2004, though failed to nail down a place in the first team, and left to join Copenhagen.

He has played in all six of his side's Champions League games this season.

http://www.eurosport.com/football/bu...o1030071.shtml

**Oliver_Kahn** · 11-12-2006, 01:38 PM

He played well in the Champions League.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 16-12-2006, 04:45 PM

Nurenberg won 3-1 at home against Hannover

**Oliver_Kahn** · 19-12-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Bundesliga side Nurnberg have tied defender Javier Pinola to the club for the next three years.

The 24-year-old Argentine had been on loan from Atletico Madrid since the summer of 2005, but his impressive performances have now resulted in a permanent deal that keeps him at the club until June 2010.

"We have finalised all the formalities with Atletico and are delighted that Javier Pinola will be with us for the next three years," the club's sport director Martin Bader announced on Thursday.

Pinola has scored two goals in 40 Bundesliga appearances for the Bavarian side.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...+Nurnberg+deal

**Oliver_Kahn** · 19-12-2006, 11:02 PM

Nurenberg are through to the next round of the German Cup after beat Unterhaching, 2-1 on penalties.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 25-12-2006, 02:08 PM

bundesliga.de takes a look back into time. In 1968, 1. FC Nürnberg won their only Bundesliga title, only to be relegated the next season!

After avoiding relegation in 1967, Nuremberg rose like a Phoenix from the ashes to win the Bundesliga a season later, and Austrian coach Max Merkel was the toast of the town!

With four wins and a draw, their season started well, and Nuremberg kept up the pace to secure their sole championship since the Bundesliga was introduced in 1963. Horst Leupold was a member of that title-winning team.

"Of course there was a lot of excitement, not only in the team, but also from the fans in the city and region. Everyone was thrilled. We played terrific football, and we really did have a super team, with good players in every position. Naturally, this was a career highlight for every player. And we all enjoyed it.”

It was the coach who was the superstar. Max Merkel managed to form a formidable squad with relatively unknown players. Leading Nuremberg to the title earned him the nickname "Creator of Champions".

"Max Merkel was a very egoistical person, who only strived for success. He couldn't live with failure. In our title-winning year, he only fielded thirteen different players. He rarely changed the line-up, and we were lucky with that. We had no major injuries", reflects Leupold.

Horst Leupold was one of those players in the regular first team line-up.

But after a season full of glory, Nuremberg found themselves back in the thick of a relegation battle. Nobody, including Max Merkel, had predicted such a decline.

"First of all, we are happy that the season is over, and in a way that we had wished for: with the championship. Now a new phase will begin, and I believe we will see new players integrated into the team", Merkel said back then.

"I respected Max Merkel, but I didn't understand why so many new players joined us after we won the title. He then said he 'wanted to make a symphony orchestra out of a farmer's band'. He brought in average players, which led to a split in the team. In the end, we no longer had a team.”

Nuremberg crashed to the bottom of the table, and were relegated in 1969. Pictures of Leupold leaving the pitch after relegation filled newspapers and TV reports alike.

"Of course, being relegated was hard. We never believed it would happen, until it really did! We had a theoretical chance of staying up going into the last game of the season. But we went down, and for us players, it was like our world had fallen apart.”

Nuremberg are still the only champions to have been relegated the following season. The club needed years to get over the trauma of a shock demise.

Marx Merkel died on Tuesday, November 28th 2006, just 99 days prior to his 88th birthday.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 30-12-2006, 01:59 PM

Hans Meyer led relegation-endangered 1. FC Nürnberg to an eighth place finish last season. bundesliga.de looks at the man and his methods.

Hans Meyer is one of a kind. He can be seen in jeans at training sessions. His youthful approach is plain to see as he sends an SMS or talks on his mobile telephone while coaching.

So his comments about his work with players from twelve nations on Nuremberg's multicultural team come as no surprise.

"They can't understand me"

Meyer has a light-sided take on the team's form. He says, "I think we're playing so well right now because none of the players from other countries can understand me! Actually someone who was capable of speaking several languages, or had a gift for language or was even willing to learn, would be more suited to the team. I'm not like that at all!"

But his players take the comedian-coach seriously. So seriously that Tomasz Galasek, captain of the Czech national team, transferred from Ajax to Nuremberg.

A year ago it would have been unthinkable to lure a player of his quality to the Club. But the fact that Meyer is coach, combined with the team's good chances and the multicultural mix of players were deciding factors for Galasek.

Czechs and Slovaks

And other that the Czechs, it's mainly the Slovaks who have become Nuremberg's stars in the Bundesliga. The main goal-getters are Marek Mintal and Robert Vittek, who came from Bratislava.

They've become well-known far beyond their home town and Nuremberg. Now a third Slovak, Vratislav Gresko, has joined the team.

And Meyer thinks, "What politics took apart, we're putting back together: with six players from Czech or Slovak backgrounds. We've built up a definite core of players, as they say."

Meyer, not Klinsmann

Things are going well for Nuremberg. The traditional club is on the move since Meyer took over as coach. And the team are working hard on other improvements.

But Meyer warns everyone not to expect too much: "I'm not ready to be like Jürgen Klinsmann, who said that his team would be world champions."

That's what Hans Meyer's like, a genius and a cynic at the same time. The Nuremberg media is well aware of the veteran's ability to recognize the fans' longing for the good old days, when the "Club" were the number one address in German football.

The "Dutch system"

Meyer was once asked if he gives his players marks after a match and his answer was typical of his famous wit.

He explained "the coaching staff uses the 'Dutch system'. One is the worst note and ten is the best. But the marks one and two are never given. A player might get a three when I've substituted him and he plays as though I should have taken him off again. The average mark is a five and eight is reserved for the coach. Nine and 10 are marks that only the gods get!"

In any event, with Nuremberg on the up, coach Meyer has given everyone new hope that better days are just around the corner. And that would mean a lot to the "Club" and its fans.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 08-01-2007, 12:30 PM

2. Bundesliga side Kickers Offenbach meet their arch rivals Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-final of the DFB Cup. The other fixtures are right crackers, too.

The top match of the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup is that of Bundesliga sides VfB Stuttgart and Hertha BSC Berlin. This is the result of the draw made by former German international Oliver Bierhoff live on German TV.

Kickers Offenbach, the only 2. Bundesliga side left in the competition, host last year's finalists Eintracht Frankfurt in a potentially explosive Hessian derby.

Nuremberg host Hannover

Alemannia Aachen, who pulled off the shock result of the last round when they eliminated champions Bayern, have to travel to Wolfsburg, while in another match of two Bundesliga sides Nuremberg host Hannover 96.

The last time a Hessian derby between Frankfurt and Offenbach was played was in September 2003 in the first round of the DFB Cup. Eintracht Frankfurt then won the 143th Hessian derby by beating Offenbach at their ground on penalties.

Quarter-Finals on the 27th and 28th of February

The semi-finals are to be played on March, 17th and 18th respectively. The final of the 2006-07 DFB Cup competition will be held on May 26th, 2007 in Berlin's Olympiastadion.

The quarter-final draw in full:

VfB Stuttgart vs. Hertha BSC Berlin

1.FC Nürnberg vs. Hannover 96

VfL Wolfsburg vs. Alemannia Aachen

Kickers Offenbach vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

**Oliver_Kahn** · 08-01-2007, 12:31 PM

Should be a nice game between 2 mid table teams.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 09-01-2007, 01:46 PM

Brazilian midfielder Claudinho is on trial at 1. FC Nürnberg.

The attacking midfielder plays for Santo Andre (Brazil).

On trial from Tuesday

He reached Nuremberg's training camp in Benahavis (Spain) on Monday.

The 23-year-old will start to train with the squad today.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 09-01-2007, 01:49 PM

Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg achieved a respectable draw against well-known opposition in their first friendly during the winter break.

Hans Meyer's team drew 1-1 against 13-times Belgian Champions Bruges in Benahavis near Marbella.

Vittek scores the opener

Robert Vittek scored Nuremberg's goal three minutes after the half-hour mark.

Former Schalke player Sven Vermant equalised for Bruges after 58 minutes.

Pinola, Glauber and Polak injured

Javier Pinola (bruised ankle), Glauber (adductor problems) and Jan Polak watched the match from the sidelines.

Goal-getter Marek Mintal is doing rehab in Nuremberg after another metatarsal operation.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 10-01-2007, 01:47 PM

Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg have been boosted by the return to training of long-term injury victims Joshua Kennedy and Marco Engelhardt.

Nuremberg are currently in a training camp in Benahavis.

Meyer delighted

And Joshua Kennedy and Marco Engelhardt, who joined the club in the summer, have kicked a ball for the first time since joining the club.

"Of course you notice that they have been out for a long time, and we have to give them time before they will play, but I'm glad for them that they have come this far now", head coach Hans Meyer said.

Pinola returns

More good news: Javier Pinola (ankle injury) is back in training and his Brazilian mate Glauber (strain) will return soon.

"It's nice to see that we have more players in the squad again", sporting director Martin Bader said.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 12-01-2007, 01:44 PM

In their second friendly match, Bundesliga outfit 1. FC Nürnberg have recorded their first win of 2007 against a Belgian top-flight side.

Hans Meyer's team beat RAEC Mons 2-1 in their training camp in Marbella (Spain).

Mnari and Saenko score for the "Club"

Jaouhar Mnari (36, penalty) and Ivan Saenko (58) scored the goals for the nine-times German champions.

Goalkeeper Raphael Schäfer returned from injury while Brazilian trialist Claudinho played 45 minutes.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 18-01-2007, 02:04 PM

1. FC Nürnberg have lost a friendly against Pasching, but head coach Hans Meyer was boosted by the return of a midfielder.

1. FC Nürnberg lost 2-1 on home soil against Austrian club FC Superfund Pasching.

The guests, third in Austria's T-Mobile Bundesliga, went ahead after 34 minutes through Thierry Fidjeu-Tazemeta.

Pinola stunner

Javier Pinola equalised later in the first half with a stunning drop-kick from more than 30 yards out.

FCN striker Robert Vittek was unlucky with a shot that hit the bar 20 minutes from time. At the other end Radoslav Gilewicz scored Pasching's winner five minutes later.

Engelhardt return

Marko Engelhardt, sidelined for months after rupture cruciate ligament, came on as a substitute after 74 minutes.

FCN line-up: Schäfer (Klewer 74) - Reinhardt, Wolf (Nikl 46), Spiranowic (Paulus 60), Pinola - Galasek (Engelhardt 74), Polak (Kristiansen 60), Gresko (Banovic 74) - Vittek (Benko 80), Schroth (Pagenburg 46), Saenko (Sibon 74).