Magath walks into Wolfsburg's FO, looks around, sees the squad roster, reviews the position in the table and says to himself..."WTF happened here?"
Haha! This is Comedy Gold! The coach-merry-go-round is turning in perfection. This season has it all! Looks like Dieter Hoeneß is on the fast track to becoming a persona-non-grata. Yesteryear's figure, like Assauer, Calmund, etc. In any case, interesting decision. Rumour had it that Magath wasn't missed much in Wolfsburg by players and staff after he left. It's after all no walk in the park having ole Felix around. In light of this new appointment, I guess the rumours were slightly exaggerated. So, no Red Bull clubs for ole Felix just yet...
The press and comedians will have a field day. This stuff is Christmas and Birthday for em in one big package.
I'm sorry to say but the Bundesliga is a joke in this regard. Probably a big reason why German clubs are such underachievers at the European level.
Regular Underachievers? Then take a look at the stats ... and tell me how many clubs from other top leagues managed to win an European title. If you take a look at Spain, England, Italy and France ... you won't find more different clubs which have won an European trophy than teams from Bundesliga. Btw: I personally expected Magath to return to Wolfsburg after leaving Schalke, so it's really no surprise to me (same with Rangnick hiring at Schalke)...
Please look into your crystal ball and tell us what's gonna happen with Pierre Littbarski and Dieter Hoeneß!
Do you have any stats how the coach turnover in Germany compares to other countries? I'm afraid I don't follow other leagues enough to have a true handle on these things. In any case, I think the high coach turnover in Germany has a lot to do with the competitiveness of the league as a whole. Big teams are a lot more likely to face relegation battles than in Spain, Italy and England. Teams end up in very unexpected reaches of the table and that naturally has coaches being sacked more often. Now, is this a good situation? Of course not. Stuttgart and the HSV are especially notorious when it comes to coach turnover rates. Too few Freiburgs and Bremens in the league. I think Klopp has a chance to become another Wenger. A coach who sticks to one club and makes a name for himself nurturing young players, while competing in the upper reaches of his league. Actually, I think that's what Klopp wants. He bought a house in Dortmund and I really don't see him being tempted away by Bayern sometime down the road. If things go Klopp's way, he'll become an institution at Dortmund and at some point move on to coach the national team. Not that I think he'll rush to the DFB either. He's a coach who after all appreciates and thrives on the day-to-day contact with his players.
yes i agree! Inept/comedic management and substandard coaches are wasting the potentials of many German teams. I am of the opinion that Magath should go to Hamburg instead though...
Well, considering how the German clubs tend to have a lot sounder finances than clubs elsewhere, they can't be that inept. It has to be said that unlike many clubs elsewhere, German clubs are almost all true clubs and have democratic decision-making. That can at times lead to more chaotic periods. I'll happily take that over say single ownership common in England. Substandard coaches? Germany has the highest number of UEFA-certified coaches. That coaching talent is a key component in explaining why so many young German players are coming through. Frankly, you seem to be indulging in all-too-easy populistic "Stammtischparolen".
HELL YEAH!!! At last, what Wolfsburg supporters including myself have been trying to get across the Atlantic, and into the head management of VfL Wolfsburg, thanks/danke for FINALLY listening to us!!! I too, don't want to see the Wolves fall into second division (2. Bundesliga), Felix Magath won the title (our first and only title in our [then] 64 year existance) with us just 2 short years ago, can he perhaps bring some of that ol' mojo he had with us from back then, perhaps within the term (now-2013) of his new contract??? I (and all the other VfL Wolfsburg supporters, both new and old) sure hope so. I am sure they have been reading the many forums and message boards (like this one) of comments made that "Wolfsburg should have re-signed Felix Magath", they have finally heeded our words!!! I am more than psyched to watch the match against Stuttgart tomorrow morning (and yes, I will be watching the match in my VfL threads) online, with my morning brew ready to go at 6:30 am U.S. West Coast time, and I can't wait to find out how they will play knowing that Felix will be watching (critiquing, and analyzing) every pass, shot, and play they make on the field for the full 90 minutes, and I will be too. Maybe now I can stop making jokes about them not being able to beat even VfL Margolis! (see the funny as hell thread I made right here at https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1678665) GO WOLVES!!! Ray Jackson Big Soccer user ID: BIGHMW
Yes, they've underachieved this past decade. That's not such a far fetched statement. I don't but I wasn't necessarily making a comparison to other leagues. Teams all over Europe are fickle now about results and that perpetuates a revolving door of coaches that then creates instability and inconsistency.
Dude. I appreciate your excitement at times, but there are also times where you just totally read far too much into a situation. Give it a rest. They didn't "listen" to anyone. They were desperate, an opportunity presented itself and they took it. None of this happens without the stupidity of FC Scheisse 04. VfL's leadership didn't do anything except act on a no-brainer. VfL is in the relegation zone and the man who took them to the title three seasons ago became available. Of course you give that guy whatever he wants to come back. This was a freakin' no-brainer man........ Stupid pride would have been the only thing to stop them. When you're in the relegation zone, there isn't too much of that left. They had to try. They did and they got their man back. Hopefully, it isn't too late.......
(taken from my VfL Margolis thread) you can read it all at https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1678665 Is this actually happening? Somehow, I must be clairvoyant (or whatever it's called), I sure am glad that Felix is back with Wolfsburg, it's about time!!! There are still 6-7 matches left in the season, and I hope that Felix can spin some of that mojo he had with the VfL 2 years ago, obviously that is still fresh in his mind, and I am also glad he went with his heart, and that he chose to come back to get us out of this mess that we are currently in. I will be watching the match this coming Sunday morning, we just have to take this one match a a time, and knowing Felix (not much), he will push the guys instead of laying back like both Steve McClaren and Pierre Littbarski did. GO WOLVES!!!
Great first half. Looks like a different side. The much-maligned Grafite (and rightfully so) came up big. Gotta love the announcers commenting on Lenz's 'perma tan'. Edit: It turned out to be a heart breaker, but it was good to see the team play with some heart and not quit after the late equalizer. A little disgusted that they wasted that last corner when Polak and Freidrich had been winning everything in the air.
You're damn right about that dude, we got beaten by a stoppage-time second effort by VfB, but overall we played hard for that "full 90" that we expect out of our players. How about all the 2-on-1 and 3-on-1 fastbreaks we had in this match. I thought that Diego and/or Grafite should have taken their own shot, but being unselfish and making that extra pass is a good sign that they are willing to dish it out, but I thought that if they had the shot, they should've taken it, and not try to be too cute with it and make that perfect or else-ill-advised pass. It could've very easily been 2-0 or even 3-0 and maybe the VfB and their faithful would've packed it up and heading for the exits. But overall, they showed a ton of heart out there on both ends of the pitch, and for a full 90 at that for a change! I believe that Felix Magath will turn this team around, a 1-1 draw on the road is better than nothing considering what happened last week against FC Nuremberg under the old management/regime (McClaren/Littbarski/Hoeness). It will be a sweet homecoming for Felix when we host Frankfurt next week. GO WOLVES!!!
It wasn't. But despite the result, I saw some progress. Especially in Helmes' play. When he gets one, they're going to keep coming......
Boy we are in deep trouble fellow Wolfsburg supporters, if you think we can't even beat VfL Margolis, then we certainly can't beat even FC Schalke 04, as this morning's match against them clearly proved: FC Schalke 04 (S04) 1:0 (0:0) VfL Wolfsburg (WOB) We're dropping in the standings like shit from a goose, and a very loose goose at that! It could be too little too late to get us out of this mess, I saw a sign on the telecast (on Eurosport) from a Schalke supporter stating something (in German of course) about wishing Felix Magath luck in the 2. Bundesliga as if they are writing this season off and that it is all but a foregone conclusion that we will wind up being in second division next season. Somebody please tell me this isn't happening!!!
HOLY COW!!! WE HAVE NOW WON 2 IN A ROW AND ARE UNBEATEN IN OUR LAST 3 MATCHES!!! When last posted, we looked down and out, but, with a 2-2 tie against FC St. Pauli and back-to-back wins against both FC Koln (4:1) and earlier this afternoon against Werder Bremen (0:1) (I watched it live just 10 minutes ago), we have moved up way out of the precipis of relegation, as last I checked it's now a dogfight between St. Pauli and Monchengladbach for the drop zone and now Frankfurt and Koln have taken our spot from 3 weeks ago as they are now fighting to avoid the one-match relegation playoff, and I hope that Felix Magath can use that championship savvy from 2 years ago and can keep the boys focused for just 2 more matches, as we host Kaiserslautern and finish off on the road against Hoffenheim. GO WOLVES!!!
One question, about accumulating yellow cards, Grafite picked up his 5th yellow card of the year last week against Werder Bremen, is he suspended for the next match (at home vs. Kaiserslautern), as I read somewhere that it is a rule in the Bundesliga. Is this true, and does this vary from league-to-league? I would hate to not see the presence of Grafite either on the field or coming off the bench, as this would be a big blow in our hopes to stave off relegation. If he is, then Felix Magath had better figure out a way of canceling out that void. Thanks, Ray Jackson User ID: BIGHMW
^That's how it is in every league. The specific numbers vary from league to league, but every 4-6 yellow cards over the course of the season equals a 1 game suspension. The World Cup, Euro's, Champions league, etc. all have similar rules.
So it's much like it is in the NBA, there if you accumulate 7 technical fouls (or "T's" as we also like to call them) during the year you are suspended for the next game. Shit! Felix had better (he will! ) figure out a way to fill the now-big void that not having Grafite available for our last home match of the year will bring. I wonder, will they start Patrick Helmes or do you think of someone else who can do the job (one plays one half and another plays the other half, to keep them fresh coming off the bench for the latter 45).