SoccerNews Issue # 5, 09th September 2015 Continental/Division Tires Alexander Bahlmann Phone: +49 511 938 2615 Head of Media & Public Relations PLT E-Mail: [email protected] Buettnerstraße 25 | 30165 Hannover www.contisoccerworld.de Soccer News # 5/2015 2 News Loew’s especial delight – “The team have sur- prised me” Everything is fine again. The World Cup champions are back at the top. A stressful situation has been overcome and the weak pre-season has been corrected. Just one point is still required to ascertain participation at the 2016 European Championship. The aim is a fourth title for the German Football Association (DFB), says Joachim Loew, who The joy of World champions: Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger, scorer Thomas Müller, Mats Hummels, Mesut Özil (from left) celebrate a goal during the 3-2 over Scotland. Photo: Imago showed his extreme happiness in Glasgow. world’s oldest stadium, greatly impressed him opposite number Gordon Strachan triggered translated the specifications within two, three with its unique atmosphere and deafening satisfaction with Loew, because it characterised days”, Loew said. He had not reckoned with When Lufthansa flight LH 343 took off for level of Scottish chants. But Glasgow was not his team’s special hallmark so well, and it that after the scruffy season which followed home, the German national coach looked just a simple competitive international match, came from a former world-class player. But the the winning of the title in Rio. “But when all back on the intensity of the past few days – 3-1 although the conclusion was as planned ticked national coach also had a special moment of are together, everything happens faster than against Poland, 3-2 against Scotland. He had off, duty done. pleasure. The 55-year-old was astonished by I thought”. A week ago at their get-together not only expected six points to gain first place his team; totally amazed how good it was – in Frankfurt Loew had straightened out ‘two, in the qualification group for EURO 2016, but “The Germans are rightly world champions, for especially without the customary weeks of three things we must urgently correct’. But he had demanded it as a matter of course they play a fantastic passing game, even when training as prior to major tournaments. the German national team, the World Cup from the national team. Hampden Park, the under pressure”. The praise from his coaching “I am really surprised how quickly the team champions, simply are a representative team Soccer News # 5/2015 3 France with a win in Dublin and first place in sued a warning, especially for World Cup the group”, Loew explained. Three days later champions Mesut Oezil and Bastian the European Championship qualification will Schweinsteiger, who no longer perform on be concluded with the match against Georgia their previous level, that regular places must in Leipzig. Loew talks about winning the be constantly defended. fourth European title for the DFB in Paris next summer. “We want to emboss a new era”, said Jerome Boateng. The central defender, who News has been in top form for more than a year, reiterated Loew. Spain, the 2008 and 2012 European and 2010 World champions, are the Friendly in Hanover on example for the German national coach with November 17 without Holland? these three successive titles. But with one all- important difference: the German triple title haul would be World-European-World. “We are going to the European Championship without Holland!” The German fans chanted In Glasgow Loew emphasised however, that their favourite slogan in Glasgow during the the current team are still far from being ideal. World Cup champions’ 3-2 victory over Scot- “I never plan with that at such an early time”, land, but the issue entails some complications he said. He still has ten months until the start for the German Football Association (DFB). of the European Championship. He wants An international friendly between the German to see Sami Khedira and Marco Reus in his national team and the Netherlands has been regular team. And he made it clear that Emre scheduled for November 17 (Tuesday) in Can was just “cast” in the last two matches, Hanover. But the Dutch may well be unavail- which means a screening test for him in the able on that date, as they could have to con- unusual position of right defender under test the play-offs. competitive conditions. The Liverpool FC mid- fielder passed tolerably against Poland, but It depends on whether the currently fourth- against Scotland he was the weakest player. placed in their group win their last two mat- Tough battle for the German team during the 3-1 win against Poland: Mats Hummels “handles” Robert His mistakes led to both conceded goals, but ches against Kazakhstan and the Czech Lewandowski (centre). Jerome Boateng and Jonas Hector watch spellbound. Photo: Getty Images he assisted with the goal for 2-1. “Naturally Republic. So the Czechs, as well as the Ice- there is room for improvement, and of course landers, with both already qualified for EURO with, particularly in the past season, regular punch, however. And in defence, there are still we must attend to him”, said Loew. It seems 2016, would have to assist the Dutch with changes in the squad and without permanent many problems, particularly with set-pieces. clear that other candidates such as Matthias wins against Turkey. Consequently the deci- training sessions together. However, the enthusiasm shown by the na- Ginter, Sebastian Rudy and Tony Ruediger will sion whether the international in Hanover can tional team in Frankfurt and Glasgow proved be tested again in the future. On the left side, be held against the requested opponents, will Loew is striving for the title hat-trick that the World Cup champion team still lives. however, Jonas Hector continued to collect have to wait until October 13. Only if the “Oranje” World-European-World One point is still needed to automatically points for a regular place with his respectable, team, a year ago the World Cup bronze med- As against Poland, they intermittently showed compete in France between June 10 and July safety-intent game. The battle for the places allists, cannot exploit their opportunity to in Scotland their offensive strength with extra- 10, 2016. “A draw in Ireland in October will do, 1-14 has started in the team. A good example finish in third place in the group, will the pres- class combinations, but still lacked the killer but our aim is of course to book the ticket to is the recovery of Ilkay Guendogan who is- tigious game against Germany take place. Soccer News # 5/2015 4 ALLEZ BOOM! Limp, limp, limp Your correspondent discovers absurd simi- larities between Mannheim, Iceland and Asterix. And he’s also realized the true meaning of “nether lands”. by Freddy Boom We interrupt this PDF program to bring you some breaking news that’s just occurred to me. And I crave your indulgence if you don’t get my drift right away. Fancy a few lines on Ger- many’s performance? Or England’s qualification? Right, then: Götze, one-nil; Rooney, two-nil; blah, blah, rhubarb, rhubarb. That’s all I have time for on that front today, but bear with me – you won’t regret it. Because the news is that Waldhof The fans in Iceland (population: 300,000 humans and 80,000 horses) have plenty to smile about: they’ve booked their tickets to France for next Mannheim have qualified for the 2016 UEFA European Cham- year’s Euros! Photo: Visit Iceland pionship in France. “Waldhof who?” I hear our readers from outside Germany say. By way of explanation, I’ll just don my hat as Professor of Sports Sciences at the University of Soccer congratulatory provincial smugness – pardon my French, dear legendary words (with a little translator’s license): “I feel so limp, News Editorials and conduct an instant seminar on “German natives of Mannheim – and above all, of footballing mediocrity oh limp, oh limp.” football culture in the 1980s, as reflected in the harsh reality “par excellence”, as those of us with French grandmothers like to of the lower amateur divisions”. say. In days of old, when Mannheim – pronounced “Mannem” by Do you catch my drift, O students of footballing culture? For the locals – were still playing in the lofty heights of the Bundes- this is the last bend in the long and winding road we have No, please don’t switch channels or download a different PDF, liga, back in the dim and distant Eighties, their trainer was a traveled together to catch up with recent events in the EURO for what you are about to receive is the kind of exclusive know- certain Klaus Schlappner, nicknamed “Schlappi” (roughly trans- 2016 qualifiers. As anyone who has ever played football knows, ledge that will guarantee you free drinks all night at the next latable as “The Limp One”), whose rotund, ruddy visage topped it isn’t always possible to take the direct route to goal. But be trivia pub quiz. As you may or may not be aware, SV Waldhof by his trademark tartan trilby put one in mind of nothing so that as it may, Mannheim has a population of about 300,000, Mannheim 07 are now languishing in a division called Region- much as an amateur angler, heading for a quiet day by the river. a modest pool of talent from which Waldhof manages to recruit alliga Südwest, which is the fourth tier of German football, hav- If you’d seen the guy, and know your Asterix, then you couldn’t a team that can hold its own in the twilight zone between ing previously sunk as low as – and won promotion from – the help thinking of the seriously paunchy Roman prefect Surplus the fourth and fifth divisions.