From kicker today: ANTHONY SANNEH: A 'LOSER' OF THE UNCOMMON KIND The starting eleven of 1.FC Nürnberg is secure - deciding was the last test vs 2nd div team VfB Lübeck (1:1) which just delighted coach Augenthaler about twenty minutes, but otherwise was disappointing and therefore completely different to the 4:1 vs Blackburn Rovers four days earlier. In Lübeck Dieter Frey, Sasa Ciric and Stephan Paßlack were missing, who all started vs the English. And this was quite the formation Klaus Augenthaler has in his mind for the starting lineup vs Bochum. "In Lübeck I was confessed that my ideas were right", says the coach and also indirectly who'll be the losers of the pre-season. Take the defence and Marek Nikl. For the defensive allrounder and concerning the potential a complete Bundesliga player there is no space in the four-player-defence-chain. This will be occupied with Tomasz Kos and Dusan Petkovic in the central defence, Anthony Sanneh as right and Milorad Popovic as left backer. The 23 year old new player from OFK Belgrade confessed why he is a promising talent. He is strong in duels and playing quality, and he's got the necessary speed. There's a plain reason why he is prefered to the routined Marek Nikl (53 Bundesliga games): he's left footed. Only in emergency cases Klaus Augenthaler occupies the wings with 'wrong footed' players. Anthony Sanneh proves that seemingly winners can be losers in a special circumstance. The WC participant is continuing his good performances of the last period of the 2001/02 season, is logically seeded, but not - like Klaus Augenthaler previously announced - as head of the defence chain. He's got to play on the wing, which is not the favourite position of the US national player. But: the Club coach wants to decide depending on the opponent whether he plays with three or four defenders. In a three defender system Anthony Sanneh would be the boss in the center and Marek Nikl his 'assistant' on the half left position.
Sounds very promising for Sanneh this year at Nurnburg. Seems like he might get a start in every match, health permitting. What did the Kicker preview say about Nurnburg staying up, or basically where do they feel Nurnburg will finish? Thanks for the information, olafgb!
Spotlight on Sanneh Kicker online article from Aug. 5th: http://www.kicker.de/content/news/a...02/03&spieltag=1&spielpaarung=269332&turnier= "Dass aber auch vermeintliche Sieger auf gewisse Weise Verlierer sein können, demonstriert Anthony Sanneh. Der WM-Fahrer knüpft nahtlos an die gute Form seines letzten Saisondrittels an, ist somit logischerweise gesetzt, aber nicht wie von Klaus Augenthaler zunächst angekündigt als Chef in der Abwehrkette. Außen muss er ran, was dem US-Nationalspieler nicht sonderlich behagt. Allerdings: Der Club-Coach will je nach Gegner entscheiden, ob er mit drei oder vier Mann abwehren lässt. Und bei einer Dreierkette wäre Anthony Sanneh Chef in der Mitte, und Marek Nikl auf hablinks sein 'Assistent'." Translation: (since Olaf isn't around... ) Sanneh is an example showing how even seeming winners can also double as losers, in a certain sense. The WC-participant has continued seamlessly in the excellent form that began in the final third of last season, and finds his place in the starting eleven secure -- yet not, as team Manager Augenthaler initially indicated, as the "Captain" of the defensive line. He has to play on the outside, which does not meet with Sanneh's full approval. However: the team Manager will decide, depending on the opponent, whether the team uses a three- or four-man backline. And when the team switches to a three-man backline, Sanneh will be "Captain" in the center of the field, and Marek Nikl would be his "assistant" at "half-left" back. Conclusion: (my own... ) Sanneh is guaranteed to start somewhere on the field for his Bundesliga club. Further good news: it is likely that Kicker will ease up on Tony a bit this season, given his great form through the World Cup and into the preseason. If he plays well, as I expect, the incessant carping by the press should take a backseat to more positive press coverage of our USMNT World Cup star...
DOH! Oops. [Buff will probably merge threads.] Well, at least my analysis still applies! Can't belive such interesting news doesn't get "bumped" up with commentary more often... maybe then I would have caught the thread.