Bundesliga Super-Thread warning post #4542

tim_holsters wrote: »

Yes I'm interested but where can I find the Bundesliga on tv?

ESPN or else get a free-tv dish and point it to ASTRA. Loads of (German) channels with highlights shows, full matches etc. If you wanna go down that route I can give you pointers.

If you want the no hassle approach, ESPN has 2 or 3 full matches per weekend - mostly live even. Seems the easiest way. Or webstreams, but you know yourself.

Right I make a start with some transfer news.

Michael Ballack returns to Bayer Leverkusen on what appears to be an outrageous contract. Like 12m for two years plus option plus option for business suit career after. Leverkusen officials seem to know that he's probably past his best but go for his experience and the benefit for the young players and all that and also seem to have a future at the club in mind after his active career. Seems quite a lot of money for a Bundesliga club, but sure Leverkusen is hardly strapped for cash.
Hanno Balitsch also moving to Leverkusen from Hannover. Nice move, I always thought he had potential to be an international actually. But didn't show much of a development in Hannover, maybe that will change with Bayer.

HSV losing Boateng to City. meh. Nice talent, not happy to see him go.
Someone who has become nothing but an actual Bundesliga legend finally returns home after declaring such an intent several times over the last 5 years. Ze Roberto will end his career with Vasco de Gama. Good luck and thanks for all the great football.

Bayern is very quite on the transfer front so far, just collecting a lot of players who were elsewhere on loan. Kroos (Leverkusen), Sosa (Estudiantes), Ottl, Breno (Nuernberg), Braafheid (Celtic).
Anxious to see will they make a move on Oezil. Doubt it though. Where would he play amongst Robben, Ribery, Schweini & van Bommel?
Nerlinger raises pressure on Gomez. About time he gets his form back on track. If his goal scoring record would be as immaculate as his hairdo he'd be deadly. Usually not a good sign.

Metzelder to return to Germany as in Schalke. Ok.... Schalke also linked with Raul Gonzalez. Schalke to be Germany's little 'City'?

Carlos Alberto returning to Werder. I reckon the main Werder subject will be Oezil though. Will he or won't he or what's the story. Unfortunately Werder is realistically just not big enough to make a serious case for holding on to him.

Wolfsburg losing Genthner to Stuttgart and hiring an English coach as in Steve McLaren. Don't know the chap but I know that coaching/managing approaches are very different between Germany/England. Looking forward to see how that works out. I'd have my money on 'fail' if asked to make a call though.

Mainz has several clubs interested in Aristide Bance including EPL outfits. I don't like the chap but it was obvious to see that he is able to play at a (much?) higher level than with Mainz.

Frankfurt is all about the greeks apparently, Liberopoulos (cool name for a footballer) leaving, Gekas and Tzavellas to join up wit Amanatidis.

Hildebrandt leaving Hoffenheim with unknown destination. Timo is weird. At some stage I was thinking he was going to be the big new number 1 for Germany in years to come. And I'm still convinced he had it in him. Weird career decisions then. Then turned out to be a wobbler at times. Now after becoming an 'also-ran' and possibly ending up in some real weird place like Dubai or J-League or Russia or whatnot.

There is a lot more at www.sport1.de but most of the names I wouldn't even know myself.

DubDani wrote: »

Not sure where you got that gem from, but he is still with Hamburg in pre season training, and Club and player have both made it clear that he stays for another season.

You're right. Sorry about the mistake. Glad to hear too.

Wolfsburg had an outstanding season the year before last when everthing clicked, no injuries and generally a great run and it took all of that to win the title. Bit like as if Everton went on a mad run and wins the PL. Not taking away from them but it will be very difficult to repeat that any time soon unless Volkswagen go "mini-City". I don't see wolfsburg challenging for a title this year.

I find it a strange move myself. Rost played a good season too. And Drobny won't just sit back and be happy being number 2. Maybe it was too good an opportunity since he came for zilch from Hertha.

News on VfB Stuttgart's Sami Khedira are anywhere between Madrid heavy favorites to sign the man anytime soon and deal with Madrid is actually done.

Stuttgarts dementi are getting weaker too. When it sounded recently as if there was nothing to it at all, the last one sounded more like 'it's not over and done just yet'.

Since they're at it - they're beginning to fish for Schweinsteiger too of whom Mourinho apparently has been a fan of for a long time.