I don't know the whole story, but in this article: http://soccertimes.com/usteams/2002/aug27.htm It says that Frankie started 5 of 6 CL matches for BL, twice earning Man of the Match honors, then barely a sniff of the pitch after that. Is that just because the talent level at BL increased dramatically, or other factors? It seems to be a common story with YA's...see Lewis at Fulham and Kirovski at Crystal Palace, what's the dilly-o?? Sorry...I mean, the deal??
Because the starting right back is named Placente who starts for Argentina National Team. Hedjuk used to play in right wing as a three man attack team with De Roberto at left, Kirsten at center and Emerson do play making. Right now, Bayer Leverkusen has Shinader (sp?) on the right side.
i believe that would be Ze Roberto, and i think frankieboy should at least have been sitting on the bench. but i guess toppy thought otherwise
Well, I don't where the journalist found the old game stats, but Frankie unfortunately never was a big player in Leverkusen. In the first year he delivered some fresh fighting spirit which was quite helpful for the team. You've got to realise that Frankie has lacking technical and tactical abilities, and the more Bayer got closer to European top level, the more evident were Frankie's problems. Toppmöller is the final reason why Frankie completely was without playing time. Toppmöller's style is very offensive and he needs technically strong defenders for that - Frankie does not exactly fit into this category and so he soon became no 3 on his position. That and no conspiracy theories is the simple reason.
Placente played at leftback - not rightback - for Leverkusen last season and he has been on the left so far this season (he also starts on the left for Argentina). Zivkovic was the usual rightback last year. Lucio and Nowotny were in the center. Placente was not Hejduk's competition, unless Placente was the 2nd or 3rd choice rightback. Hejduk's competition for time anywhere on the right was Zivkovic, Sebescen, and Schneider. Placente wasn't in the picture. As olafgb said, Hejduk just fell out of favor after Daum left. It happens. Hejduk was brought in by Daum to play on the right as a wingback. IIRC, I think he did also play "up top" on the right in 4-3-3 (essentially a 4-5-1, thus Hejduk was a right winger) formation back in 1998-99, as Shaster said.
Frankie is a great athlete, a great guy, and a great fighter. He just doesn't have the top technical and tactical skills to play at the highest level. In other words, what olafgb said.
Early on, wasn't the official line that FH put BL over their non-EU allottment? (can you top three abbrevs in one sentence) I always thought Emerson, Placente and Ze Roberto were his competition for getting on the bench. And after a while, the team was doing so well it was obvious he was little more than an extra...
Ya, Schnieder is top notch. I've heard him described as a white Brazilian German. The point is to get away from thinking that German's don't have flair. That boys got plenty of it. Too bad FH thinks he has to stoop to playing in Switzerland.