I will no longer post here and will start posting on this new website instead.
Sunday, 19 May 2013
New Website
I am excited to let you know that I have a new website. My team and I are still patching things up and trying a few things out; however, we can already be reached under www.fussballeh.com .
I will no longer post here and will start posting on this new website instead.
I will no longer post here and will start posting on this new website instead.
Friday, 10 May 2013
Match Schedule 9-12/05/2013
As we are nearing the end of the season, we have one particularity and that is that all Bundesliga matches will be played simultaneously on Saturday, while all 2. Bundesliga matches will be played on Sunday, also at the same time. We have no Canadians facing each other this week. I have added two new players to the roster: Daniel Stanese, who is playing for the U20's and for the 1. FC Nuernberg U19 team. Additionally, I have added Jonathan Lao, who is also a U20 national team player, who plays at Rot Weiss Erfurt's U23 team.
Enjoy the matches guys!
Monday, 6 May 2013
Results of all matches May 3rd - May 6th
No individual match analysis this week.
Bad news first: Of the 9 matches, involving Canadians in Germany, only two were won, one was tied, and six lost. Not a single goal was scored by a Canadian. Randy Edwini-Bonsu wasn't in the squad for Eintracht Braunschweig. Marcel de Jong's team FC Augsburg lost, which decreases their chance of directly avoiding relegation. They are, however, still in a good spot to get the promotion playoff spot (16th place). Kevin McKenna's FC Koeln's promotion campaign is now as good as over.
The good news: Rob Friend's team won and he played the whole match! While Olivier Occean only sat on the Bench, his team Eintracht Frankfurt did win though and will probably play in Europe next year!
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Unfortunate Twitter comments from Samuel Piette
In a rather unfortunate circumstance Canadian midfielder, who plays for the U23 of Fortuna Duesseldorf has made a really stupid comment last night.
Additionally, he wrote: "Hitler and his Army are back. German Football"
He is still very young; nevertheless this an inexcusable twitter status. We can only hope he will learn from this and refrain from such brain-dead comments in the future.
Source: Toronto SUN
Update:
Samuel Piette has now publicly apologized on Twitter and on Instagram. He says: "I would like to apologize for what i've posted on Instagram yesterday. I'm sorry for anyone who was affected for what i've done. There was no bad thoughts behind my action. Hopefully everything is going to be alright and this story will be soon forgotten. Thanks!"
Link to his Instagram Picture
Additionally, he wrote: "Hitler and his Army are back. German Football"
He is still very young; nevertheless this an inexcusable twitter status. We can only hope he will learn from this and refrain from such brain-dead comments in the future.
Source: Toronto SUN
Update:
Samuel Piette has now publicly apologized on Twitter and on Instagram. He says: "I would like to apologize for what i've posted on Instagram yesterday. I'm sorry for anyone who was affected for what i've done. There was no bad thoughts behind my action. Hopefully everything is going to be alright and this story will be soon forgotten. Thanks!"
Link to his Instagram Picture
DAS BOOT! - Champions League Final - A Match Made in German Football Heaven
The dream is now a reality. Bayern are through. Dortmund are through.
That which we have been saying for so many years, dear readers, has
become a reality. The Germans have taken the football world by storm and
proven their dominance with an all-German Derby date in London on May
25th, 2013 where Bavarian giants FC Bayern Munich take on the pride of
the football hotbed that is the Rühr district, Borussia Dortmund. The
pundits say, dismissively so, that "The football purists will enjoy this
fixture." Why must you be a "football purist" to enjoy a derby between
two of the best clubs in Europe, and two teams who have earned the right
to identify themselves as such, is beyond me.
These are two footballing giants of Europe. Their place in this Champions League final, hosted in the heart of London, England, the self-proclaimed Holy Land of Football, is symbollic of the state of the game today. The beloved EPL, plagued by financial woes, tabloid media hounds dogging their players, allegations of racism, adultery and slander running rife while everyone fears the advent of Finacial Fair Play Rules, is enough to make one wonder if this is a sports league or a day-time serial. Will there be characters who die, then come back from the dead to spite their once-spurned lovers as well? "Damn that Laslo!"
And now, in the marquee event of the Football Calendar this year, in the Grand Stage that is London England's best football stadium, we will be watching a match between... two German Giants. You know, Germany. The land where attendance figures are at 96% of greater capacity year after year. The land where no club is allowed to have a majority owner, by law, due to the 50% +1 rule. The land where teams are not allowed to run up massive deficits in order to compete. The land where full stadiums, cheap tickets and great football are the norm. The land where they groom their own talent in their extensive youth academy system as well as purchasing stellar young players the world over to ply their trade in Germany's top flight.
This is the same league which was one used it as a stepping stone to the EPL or La Liga. A proving ground, if you will, for players like Vincent Kompany or Rafael van der Vaart to show the world what they had to offer while their agents salivated at the huge contracts and transfer fees being tossed at their respective clubs for the services of their clients. This does still happen, dear readers, but more and more star players, like Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer of Bayern to name a few, are saying more frequently "No, I think I'll stay in Germany thank you."
Longtime readers of Your Humble Narrator and "DAS BOOT!" are well aware that we have been singing the same refrain, of praise and adulation for the Bundesliga and it's governance, which leads to record profits, record attendance, and record performances, for almost five years now, dear readers. And even I, Your Humble Narrator, jumped on the Bandwagon late, as the league was really starting to pick up steam. As much as it may grate the gears of staunch Serie A, EPL and La Liga supporters to stop believing your own hype, to stop and take a moment to admire German football and the way they do business in the Bundesliga and to start taking notes.
For those of you who have not been taking notes, allow Your Humble Narrator to set the stage for what will be the most entertaining and spirited Champions League encounters we have seen in recent memory. Dortmund and Bayern have been rivals for years. It is the age-old German rivalry. North vs. South. East vs. West. Black and Yellow vs Red and White. The rich and successful Golden Child that is FC Bayern, spending liberally and lauded the world around, FC Hollywood faces off against the hard-working and passionate fan base of the Rühr district's Schwarzgelben, born in the industrial heart-land of Germany's robust economy.
Though Munich now boast one of the most modern and desirable of stadiums by way of the Allianz Arena, it wasn't that long ago that Bayern played in Munich's Olympic Stadium, which was large, drafty, and nowhere near as intimate an environment at the new Allianz Arena is today, with an olympic sized running track separating the fans from the action on the pitch. Dortmund, on the other hand, have had the same stadium for decades with only the name having changed. The beloved Westfalenstadion, named for their geographic region of Westphalia, may be the Signal Iduna Park in title, but in the hearts of BVB fans, it will always be Westfalenstadion, the home of the Yellow Wall; a wooden grandstand that holds 22,000 of the most die-hard football fans you will ever see.
The competition between the clubs is fierce. Bayern have more money. Dortmund has a better reputation in Germany, while Bayern far more popular outside of it. Dortmund has the biggest stadium. Bayern has more trophies. Dortmund have great young talent. Bayern BUY Dortmund's great young talent. The one talent they couldn't buy last season was bought by Dortmund; Marco Reus. In retaliation, Bayern have successfully courted Mario Götze away from Dortmund, with Robert Lewandowski and possibly Mats Hummels not that far behind him on their way down south to the Säbener Straße. Dortmund have better fan choreography, but Bayern have the loudest fans. Both teams enjoy phenomenal fan support, at home and on the road, and have a strong tradition of passionate, educated and loyal fans who bleed either red and white or black and gold respectively.
Bayern, having thoroughly trounced Barcelona by an aggregate score of 7-0 can make a rightful claim to the title of the Best Club in European Football as of today, with a stellar array of victories, trophies, new records being set this season, and an endless list of records set historically in thir club's books. The last team to win a Champions League title out of Germany, however, was Dortmund. Bayern can beat just about any team in the world on any given day, but one team who knows them better than any other and delights in the rivalry between the two clubs.... is Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund eliminated Bayern from the DFB Pokal (or the German Cup, for short) last season. Bayern eliminated Dortmund from the competition this season. Dortmund edged out Bayern in the league last season. Bayern put plenty of distance between the two squads this season. To call this a tale of David and Goliath would be a misnomer, for anyone who perceives Dortmund to be a "David" in the footballing world is showcasing their ignorance. This is a tale of Goliath and Goliath, two German Super powers, one more well-known and celebrated than the other, coming tete-a-tete to settle a score that has been simmering between the two teams for about 24 months now, ever since Dortmund put an end to Bayern's impressive string of dominance to deny them a Bundesliga title not just once, but two years running.
This match is going to get ugly. There will be cards. Passions will be running VERY high. There will be loud, screaming fans, clad in their team's colours, singing, dancing and cheering at the top of their impressive lungs, trying desperately to drown out the sound of their opposition. There will be beautiful football from two of the world's best clubs, featuring the bright young stars from Germany, Poland, Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Brazil and the Ukraine. Germany's best goalkeeper faces off against it's most under-rated. The best coach in Europe faces off against the coolest coach in Europe.
There are so many storylines in this final, dear readers, that one simply cannot count them all. One thing is for certain. It will be a great match. It will be a great final. It will be one for the ages and one that any footy fan should thoroughly enjoy. As a loud and proud FC Bayern Munich man, this will be a special final for me, because I fully expect this will be the match where my long-standing suffering of lost finals and semi-finals comes to an end. After three losses in 4 seasons in Champions League Finals, The Bavarians all agree on one thing. This is our year.
RekordMeister
DeutscherMeister
EuropaMeister
Bayern, die Meisterschaft!
Then again, nothing is set in stone, dear readers. There are no guarantees in football, and you never know what can happen out there on the pitch between now and then. Win or lose, however, it will be one hell of a match to watch. Oh, and for those of you who were not already aware of all these things, just a simple reminder.
Bayern and Dortmund play each other in the league this Saturday, in case you want a taste of how much animosity and passion exists between these two teams. With all to play for in a few weeks time, and nothing for either of them to lose in the league, expect a hard-fought and highly physical affair in the Signal Iduna Park with a little blood on the cleats and some harsh words to be shared. If you weren't a Bundesliga fan until now, dear readers, now is an excellent time to start.
Saturday afternoon. 15:25, local time. I will be watching, with an ice-cold Löwenbräu in hand. Will you?
These are two footballing giants of Europe. Their place in this Champions League final, hosted in the heart of London, England, the self-proclaimed Holy Land of Football, is symbollic of the state of the game today. The beloved EPL, plagued by financial woes, tabloid media hounds dogging their players, allegations of racism, adultery and slander running rife while everyone fears the advent of Finacial Fair Play Rules, is enough to make one wonder if this is a sports league or a day-time serial. Will there be characters who die, then come back from the dead to spite their once-spurned lovers as well? "Damn that Laslo!"
And now, in the marquee event of the Football Calendar this year, in the Grand Stage that is London England's best football stadium, we will be watching a match between... two German Giants. You know, Germany. The land where attendance figures are at 96% of greater capacity year after year. The land where no club is allowed to have a majority owner, by law, due to the 50% +1 rule. The land where teams are not allowed to run up massive deficits in order to compete. The land where full stadiums, cheap tickets and great football are the norm. The land where they groom their own talent in their extensive youth academy system as well as purchasing stellar young players the world over to ply their trade in Germany's top flight.
This is the same league which was one used it as a stepping stone to the EPL or La Liga. A proving ground, if you will, for players like Vincent Kompany or Rafael van der Vaart to show the world what they had to offer while their agents salivated at the huge contracts and transfer fees being tossed at their respective clubs for the services of their clients. This does still happen, dear readers, but more and more star players, like Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer of Bayern to name a few, are saying more frequently "No, I think I'll stay in Germany thank you."
Longtime readers of Your Humble Narrator and "DAS BOOT!" are well aware that we have been singing the same refrain, of praise and adulation for the Bundesliga and it's governance, which leads to record profits, record attendance, and record performances, for almost five years now, dear readers. And even I, Your Humble Narrator, jumped on the Bandwagon late, as the league was really starting to pick up steam. As much as it may grate the gears of staunch Serie A, EPL and La Liga supporters to stop believing your own hype, to stop and take a moment to admire German football and the way they do business in the Bundesliga and to start taking notes.
For those of you who have not been taking notes, allow Your Humble Narrator to set the stage for what will be the most entertaining and spirited Champions League encounters we have seen in recent memory. Dortmund and Bayern have been rivals for years. It is the age-old German rivalry. North vs. South. East vs. West. Black and Yellow vs Red and White. The rich and successful Golden Child that is FC Bayern, spending liberally and lauded the world around, FC Hollywood faces off against the hard-working and passionate fan base of the Rühr district's Schwarzgelben, born in the industrial heart-land of Germany's robust economy.
Though Munich now boast one of the most modern and desirable of stadiums by way of the Allianz Arena, it wasn't that long ago that Bayern played in Munich's Olympic Stadium, which was large, drafty, and nowhere near as intimate an environment at the new Allianz Arena is today, with an olympic sized running track separating the fans from the action on the pitch. Dortmund, on the other hand, have had the same stadium for decades with only the name having changed. The beloved Westfalenstadion, named for their geographic region of Westphalia, may be the Signal Iduna Park in title, but in the hearts of BVB fans, it will always be Westfalenstadion, the home of the Yellow Wall; a wooden grandstand that holds 22,000 of the most die-hard football fans you will ever see.
The competition between the clubs is fierce. Bayern have more money. Dortmund has a better reputation in Germany, while Bayern far more popular outside of it. Dortmund has the biggest stadium. Bayern has more trophies. Dortmund have great young talent. Bayern BUY Dortmund's great young talent. The one talent they couldn't buy last season was bought by Dortmund; Marco Reus. In retaliation, Bayern have successfully courted Mario Götze away from Dortmund, with Robert Lewandowski and possibly Mats Hummels not that far behind him on their way down south to the Säbener Straße. Dortmund have better fan choreography, but Bayern have the loudest fans. Both teams enjoy phenomenal fan support, at home and on the road, and have a strong tradition of passionate, educated and loyal fans who bleed either red and white or black and gold respectively.
Bayern, having thoroughly trounced Barcelona by an aggregate score of 7-0 can make a rightful claim to the title of the Best Club in European Football as of today, with a stellar array of victories, trophies, new records being set this season, and an endless list of records set historically in thir club's books. The last team to win a Champions League title out of Germany, however, was Dortmund. Bayern can beat just about any team in the world on any given day, but one team who knows them better than any other and delights in the rivalry between the two clubs.... is Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund eliminated Bayern from the DFB Pokal (or the German Cup, for short) last season. Bayern eliminated Dortmund from the competition this season. Dortmund edged out Bayern in the league last season. Bayern put plenty of distance between the two squads this season. To call this a tale of David and Goliath would be a misnomer, for anyone who perceives Dortmund to be a "David" in the footballing world is showcasing their ignorance. This is a tale of Goliath and Goliath, two German Super powers, one more well-known and celebrated than the other, coming tete-a-tete to settle a score that has been simmering between the two teams for about 24 months now, ever since Dortmund put an end to Bayern's impressive string of dominance to deny them a Bundesliga title not just once, but two years running.
This match is going to get ugly. There will be cards. Passions will be running VERY high. There will be loud, screaming fans, clad in their team's colours, singing, dancing and cheering at the top of their impressive lungs, trying desperately to drown out the sound of their opposition. There will be beautiful football from two of the world's best clubs, featuring the bright young stars from Germany, Poland, Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Brazil and the Ukraine. Germany's best goalkeeper faces off against it's most under-rated. The best coach in Europe faces off against the coolest coach in Europe.
There are so many storylines in this final, dear readers, that one simply cannot count them all. One thing is for certain. It will be a great match. It will be a great final. It will be one for the ages and one that any footy fan should thoroughly enjoy. As a loud and proud FC Bayern Munich man, this will be a special final for me, because I fully expect this will be the match where my long-standing suffering of lost finals and semi-finals comes to an end. After three losses in 4 seasons in Champions League Finals, The Bavarians all agree on one thing. This is our year.
RekordMeister
DeutscherMeister
EuropaMeister
Bayern, die Meisterschaft!
Then again, nothing is set in stone, dear readers. There are no guarantees in football, and you never know what can happen out there on the pitch between now and then. Win or lose, however, it will be one hell of a match to watch. Oh, and for those of you who were not already aware of all these things, just a simple reminder.
Bayern and Dortmund play each other in the league this Saturday, in case you want a taste of how much animosity and passion exists between these two teams. With all to play for in a few weeks time, and nothing for either of them to lose in the league, expect a hard-fought and highly physical affair in the Signal Iduna Park with a little blood on the cleats and some harsh words to be shared. If you weren't a Bundesliga fan until now, dear readers, now is an excellent time to start.
Saturday afternoon. 15:25, local time. I will be watching, with an ice-cold Löwenbräu in hand. Will you?
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Match Schedule 3/05-6/05
Couple good matches coming up this weekend. Another Canadian head to head on Monday with the already promoted Eintracht Braunschweig taking on FC Energie Cottbus, whose third goalkeeper Julien will most likely not play. Randy may have a chance though, especially since one of their regular strikers just had a season-ending injury!
Enjoy the other matches as well! Will be back with match reports, when they have been played!
Monday, 29 April 2013
Cottbus clinch 4:2 win over Kaiserslautern
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| 4 |
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| 2 |
The team for which Julien Latendresse-Levesque plays third goalkeeper impressively won against Kaiserslautern, who were hoping for a win to further improve their chances of reaching that playoff spot for a chance to gain promotion. The East German team, with a Canadian on their squad, indirectly helped out another. Thanks to this win, Kevin McKenna's FC Koeln are still in the run to pass .1 FCK for that all important 2nd spot.
In the game in front of 7,544 fans, Cottbus scored their first with a penalty in the 32nd minute by Ivica Banovic. In the 2nd half, Mohamdou scored a header in the 50th. However, Boubacar Sango (53rd and 90th +3) and Andre Formitschow brough Cottbus the win. Albert Banjaku scored the 2:3, but it wasn't enough for Kaiserslautern to fight back.
It was a fantastic match to watch, too bad that that Julien Latendresse-Levesque still has not made an appearance for the club in the 2.Liga.
Here is hoping he will continue to put in the work to eventually be the #1 keeper!!!
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