Neuer wants to move to a better club, but rather stays in Germany, then FC Bayern seems like the perfect choice. Afterall, it are not all Bayern fans that are anti-Neuer. And eventually they will all love him when doing great things for them.

He's certainly better then Kraft, who never will live up to the expected.

Neuer is older and more experienced than Kraft. It is unfair to compare them like that. Kraft really impressed me, certainly for his age. Neuer at the age of 22 years didn't impress me more than Kraft, but Neuer obviously developped immensly since then, that it's unlikely for every young goalkeeper to become as good as Neuer.

Really? I was impressed by Neuer from minute 1. He and Adler always seemed to be at the top. And with 24 he made it to the national team. I don't think Kraft has the same potential. Don't see it in him.

I agree with Fillipo. Neuer wass already absolutely impressive when he made his debut at 21. He benched Frank Rost, an experienced and very good keeper. And he's been in top form ever since.
Kraft on the other hand is only two years younger than Neuer. I think he's also talented, but not as talented as Neuer (or Adler, I think).
Also, don't think that Bayern fans will ever love him. Just like they never loved Klinsmann (both as a player and as coach). Both, Klinsmann and Neuer, are to Anti-Bayern to be ever loved by the bavarians.

Agreed. He has been my favorite German keeper for a while now. Anybody notice he 55 meter hand throw the other night in the CL? Carlton Palmer was going gaga over his hand strength after the match. Dida had a vicious kick from the box that almost used to go to the opposing keeper at the other end.

Of course these displays of strengths are rarely called upon during matches, but it's nice to posses them.

If Bavaria can't love them...I can't love them.

Seriously, I can't understand why the entire world ist so fond of thosse bavarian barbarians. I can't stand bavaria. Their stupid Lederhosen, their arrogant behavior, and their theme park style cities. And I can't stand Bayern Munich!

All I said is that it's unfair to compare a newbie like Kraft with a more experienced goalkeeper like Neuer... I didn't say I expect Kraft to become as good, because I don't... but Kraft has been barely given the chance, and yet get called weaker and so. Doesn't feel right to me, even though it's likely true.

When Neuer was younger he made a lot of flaws. I liked Adler more back then, but Neuer improved/developped a lot.

Well, look it this way: most parts of German, especially cities are a bit...cold. Mostly the people. I remember my trips to Germany. Only when in Bavaria you could relax a bit and find a town where you feel confortable walking around after 22. In many other cities I really felt uncofortable, like the only person outside and not wispering.

It's alright Filippo. They just hate us coz we're cool!

Can't agree. The people in Berlin are a lot nicer than in Munich for example. Much more cooperative, much less narcissistic. Bavarians are such arrogant people, it's almost unbelievable. A friends sister of mine studied in Bavaria and one time a fellow bavarian student of hers told her, she didn't know anything anyway, because her Abitur (academic highschool diploma) was worth nothing.
Also, in which cities have you been that you had to be afraid after 22? I personally always felt save, even here in Berlin, when I am in Neuköln or Wedding, parts of the town which are considered to be problematic.

Shut up. You just hate us Bavarians coz you're biased. But it's okay.

And no, we're not arrogant. We're just better!

The problem with Fillipo is he wears super mini skirts...

He could have told me...do you think he was afraid of me as well?

Anyway, yesterday we Westphalians proofed our superioty over everyone else. 18500 people watched Preußen Münsters title winning game in the Regionalliga (fourth league). New all-time record in Germany! What a great game it was, great atmosphere as well. Next year, Preußen will finally play with the bigger guys in the third Bundesliga again. Should be fun.

Not afraid. I'm afraid walking in some other countries after 22, not Germany. I feel super save there. It's just that everything dies off, it's pure silence, no movement. But well, that's why everyone has it's own impressions.
-----------------------------


Mönchengladbach with a unbelivable comeback. Favre really is a good coach, I can only imagine what would have happened if Frontzeck was sacked earlier. And all that despite the pressure the team and management get from Effenberg who really reached another low with his coup d'état.

Last matchday - Wolfsburg or Gladbach? I'm all for Gladbach to stay, but it will be unbelivable to see Magath, Begnalio, Kjaer, Diego, etc. in 2. Liga.

Köln, Werder and Stuttgart stay Bundesliga-class. Good news IMO.
Podolski will leave, I've read a few names interested, Milan included. Frafan also.

Sahin to Real to be announced on Monday. Another big move for Real. Bear in mind that Özil and Khedira are substantially younger then the other Primera stars.

Bayern with a record win 8-1, Ribery ending season with 17 assists and Gomez as best scorer.

Love the guy to bits. One of the best and most lethal strikers of the current generation!

Oops, seem I got you wrong there
What Gladbach achieved is amazing. Of all the new coaches Bundesliga teams saw in these crazy past months, Favre is the only one who's been a success. Didn't think he was good when he worked for Hertha, but he's done a great job saving Gladbach. Anyway, don't hope that my club Bochum will face them in Relegation knockout game...

@Gomez: So true, acid!

Yeah, the whole of Deutschland should be proud of the guy! I am sure he will do great things in the next 5-6 years if he keeps this up. I was disappointed at how he was played (just one moderately tough missed chance in the Euros and the world turned against him) initially, but really glad how things have shaped up for him.

In my opinion, he is one guy who guarantees you at least a goal once every two matches. Just needs a bit of a time to adjust to things. Even his record in Bayern is 37 goals in 60 matches. Truth be told, I wanted him here in Milan, but wherever he plays I can only hope he keeps giving his best. Being a fan of the original Ronaldo (R9) I am very selective when it comes to strikers and goal scorers. Few, in my opinion, are nearly as good as him.

But it's safe to say that after R99, and Shevchenko, by golly, if there is a striker I truly rate, it's this guy!

First dst says he doesn't understand why we need a stadium. Then a bunch of people dissing Bavaria. Now this??!!

The world is going cuckoo!!

Why? Mario Gomez is cool, scores a bucketload of goals, and most of them varied (as opposed to plain and simple headins like a certain Luca Toni). Nothing cuckoo about that, I tell ya.

One funny thing I realized at Bayern is how fast someone transforms from a stellar status to a surplus. Just remember Roy Makaay, he was a big scorer and star there and just suddenly turned into a persona non grata. Same happened to Toni.

To be brutally honest I never was impressed with Toni anyway. Makaay, I can agree with. Let's just hope that the same fate does not befall Olic. Now, that is another hard working striker that I respect.

Impressed or not, he still was Bundesligas top scorer for a season.

Yet, look where he is now. These are one-trick ponies, and once the opposing teams figure them out, they lose a whole lot of potency. As opposed to multi-talented or evergreen strikers and forwards, now those are the real deal.

Congrats @ Bayern. Next season they'll have the top scorer of the World Cup, Thomas Müller, the Bundesliga top scorer, Mario Gomez and the top scorer of the 2nd Bundesliga, 22 yo Nils Petersen. Sounds good at least...

That's Baryen Munich for you. They'll buy anything that moves!

Indeed. That's what they do

And I am sure that's the reason their international fanbase loves them. And I bet that's preciously the reason fans of other clubs in Germany dislike them. Ask any general (read: casual) football fan from around the world, and the first German club they will name is Bayern Munich.

I quite like them and besides, pretty much support any and all German clubs in the CL (because whenever I have seen Bundesliga matches, I see great stuff on display), but I can see where this all-conquering attitude of BM causes trouble.

I know And no one ever knows Bochum! Well, van Gaals approach was different and radical. He counted on the clubs youth to win trophies. And he was quite successfull, obviously. Müller, Badstuber, Kraft and Contento are players basically made by van Gaal. Uli hoeneß obviously disagreed with that way, that's why van Gaal had to go eventually. Now they're returning to the old ways.

Agreed. Van Gaal's stint with them was quite good, he was turning them into a lethal unit, different types and characteristic of players in each position. But I always felt that he did not focus on defense as much as the other departments. That, and his overall rigidity also played a part, I feel.

I was practically routing for them wild in last year's CL against United and Inter, it was crazy!

Your assessment of van Gaal is quite correct.

And yes, if only the final went in a different way.

Absolutely. And one of his main problems was his difficult relationship with Uli Hoeneß. You simply can't succeed at Bayern if Hoeneß doesn't like you.
What do you guys think: Who'll be relegated today? My bets are on Frankfurt. They've been horrible since the winter break. I would however prefer to face them in the relegation games instead of Gladbach or Wolfsburg...

Wait, both Gladbach and Wolfsburg can be saved?

I'm not a Magath fan and I rather dislike Wolfsburg, but still, they are a solid team with good players and I wouldn't like to see Lakić or Diego in Liga 2.

Frankfurt as a team I rather like, but I despise Daum. So I hope they're the ones who go down. Hopefully Gekas won't find his mojo back!

I hate football.

I love Lucien Fabvre

Me too!!!!

but i love ARANGO the most !!!!!!!!!! and Igor, and even Matmour!!

fully deserved lead, Dante, Dante,....

Was that really necessary? Was it really necessary to kick a man who's already on his knees, making fun of his tragedy?

Now i feel sorry...no, it wasn't - just that I love Gladbach so much and I respect Fabvre for many reasons. But there is still hope, 1-0 isn't a insurmountable deficit.

Well, I feel a little better now. After rampaging through my flat for a few minutes I turned off the TV and tried to think of something else. But hell, this was the worst defeat in football I've suffered in years. Hope we'll get our revenge next Wednesday. You shouldn't loose such an important ecounter like this.

Really? Borussia was miles better and you guys were lucky it was only 1-0 in the end.

2011-2012 Season Thread