Tea Light in the Dark Universe: Bobby Wood at Hamburg

does any Bundesliga club have nice jerseys like those we see in Serie A?

Several seem quite bland.

 

Well, one is based in Germany and the other is based in Italy so...

 

But of course:
https://www.amazon.com/Schöneberger-Mens-Bavarian-Lederhosen-Brown/dp/B00VIQ8A2U/ref=cts_ap_2_vtp

 

Do the tattoos come with or sold separately?

 

$90 seems like a good deal.

 

I may have to turn off my "wood hannover" alerts if they keep this up all year. Meanwhile, for your edification (note, the auto-translate say it means "width therapy for the kink-Stars" so read at your own peril.)

Für Wood, Walace, Wimmer - Breite-Therapie für die Knick-Stars https://t.co/gZheZacCRZ

— Bild Hannover 96 (@BILD_96) July 15, 2018

Here, I'll even give you the unedited google translate:
"For top stars it is not enough at Hannover 96 (yet). The Reds can only get professionals who have a kink in the career. As currently Kevin Wimmer (Stoke relegation) or the HSV relegated Walace and Bobby Wood.

"We also have committed players with great potential," says coach Andre Breitenreiter. "But they have not worked so well with their clubs lately."

The kink-stars get the width therapy now!

 

Bland? How can you say that?!!

https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/...p-10-bayern-munich-schalke-cologne-468512.jsp

 

Like the honesty about only being able to attract kink players although makes it sound like Bobby came out of the Hamburg red light district rather than HSV (I know, even more red light district possibilities).

 

Is Walace formerly of Hamburg at H96 with Bobby too?

 

Yup. He got punted out of the squad last year for some kinda disciplinary reason and was rumored to be headed back to Brazil, but probably no one over there wanted to put up a transfer fee, so HSV punted on Walace (and Bobby) with the double loan to Hannover.

The gist of the article is that Breitenreiter is actively working with the "damaged goods", so to speak, since they should have Bundesliga quality on paper.

 

Yup. He got punted out of the squad last year for some kinda disciplinary reason and was rumored to be headed back to Brazil, but probably no one over there wanted to put up a transfer fee, so HSV punted on Walace (and Bobby) with the double loan to Hannover.

The gist of the article is that Breitenreiter is actively working with the "damaged goods", so to speak, since they should have Bundesliga quality on paper.

 

He refused to play as a CD for Titz. Was forced to train with the U's. Everyone got in a dander. things went down hill from there.

 

Fans in the Hannover forum talking about paying his salary as stipulated post-relegation, that is €1.6m, of which Hannover would pay 1.2m.

That plus a clause to buy for €7.5m.

The fans seem cautiously optimistic but not really pushing for a buy, nor too happy about the loan.

https://forum.hannover96.de/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26934

 

Bayern Tracking Bobby!!!! (Bayern twitter that is... in English fwiw.)

USA international Bobby Wood scores debut goal for Hannover in friendly win https://t.co/3NqnyNCTu3 #fcbayern #bayernmunich

— Bayern Munich News (@bayernmunich247) July 16, 2018

And some "news" on the new signings (in German)

#Hannover 96: Wood, Walace, Asano - drei Neue, zwei Tests, ein Check | HAZ https://t.co/3uMlgMx30h

— Hannover 96 Addict (@96_addict) July 16, 2018

 

They really be pimping out the league in the English-language media now

 

It's a big market. One of the largest potential growth markets for soccer in the world. The Bundesliga knows it and would love to get more $$$ or Euros for broadcasting rights as interest grows in the league due to the number of Americans playing there. I don't think they will look to sign Americans just to try to boost those numbers, but as the pipeline of youth talent heads that way, they will want to monetize it. Other leagues know the U.S. is a potential huge market as well (both MLS and overseas).

 

I think German clubs will look to sign Americans. Not solely because of marketing, but because American youth players are free. Think McKennie at Schalke or Pulisic at Dortmund. Those two were signed for no transfer fee, and when they're sold for 8 figures, that's basically pure profit.

So long as USSF holds out on youth solidarity payments, and as long as a club is in a country with no foreign player limits, American youth players are a fantastic investment. Even if they don't pan out, all a club is losing is the time and marginal extra money spent on developing them.

 

Minor point, but the payment for a player signing his first pro contract is called "training compensation." "Solidarity payments" come when a player is transferred for a fee between countries.

 

I think the German clubs will look to sign Americans primarily because of talent. The increased numbers and quality of youth prospects in the U.S. is definitely leading to an increase in the numbers seeking to ply their trade in Europe (and the clubs are seeking them too). The lack of training compensation and marketing have always existed and are definitely a bonus for the clubs. I do hope some sort of agreement can be reached on compensation payments. it is a complex issue in the U.S. for variety of reasons (avoiding anti-trust issues, getting buy-in from the player's union; making sure the teams that receive the compensation are not just profiting on the pay-to-play model, etc.).

 

Thank you for the clarification.

 

The big Klinsmann Effect is that the Germans have realized there is enough cultural proximity with the USA to open up that market with just a little effort. They may be able to achieve what the Premiership has done, and improve upon it.

 

A poisoned chalice is there ever was one.

If they're signing our better kids by-passing our development system just for marketing reasons, we better hope FIFA expands the WC to 64 teams by 2034.

Anyway, far O/T.

 

That is exactly what I did not say.

 

Of course, the EPL was stifled by its own FA's work permit rules, at least on the player development side.

 

Well, only hard-core masochists would watch all 90 minutes of a HSV game, so there's that . . .