No excellent perspectives for the YA this week: FRIDAY, 7 pm CET Braunschweig vs Oberhausen Home points needed for Braunschweig to close the six points that are separating them from rank 14. Opponent Oberhausen is still having some chances in the promotion race, but on the road they are extremely harmless without any win and just two scored goals in eight games (3 pts). Thomas is expected to start on the bench as last week. SUNDAY, 3 pm CET Ahlen vs St Pauli Two teams in the relegation zone, but Ahlen is the big favourite. This game will find huge media interest as it is the first home game of Ahlen's star coach Werner Lorant. A loss would mean being at least 8 points down for St Pauli, which is taking some hope from scoring a last minute goal against Frankfurt last week. Gibbs is still expected to be out with bruised calf (never heard that this lasts more than two weeks...) MONDAY, 8.15 pm CET Trier vs Mainz Trier is the best promoted team that still has little chances to promote also this year. Mainz has the much better perspectives though as with a win they'll climb to a promotion spot in any case, as the second and third ranked Frankfurt and Freiburg meet each other tonight and are both just one point ahead. Some injury trouble might be the chance for Gibson and/or Duhaney to finally make the bench again and maybe get some playing time from there. It might be possible that the one or the other game will be cancelled as the winter returned to Germany today.
And meanwhile the Braunschweig was indeed cancelled, as well as another game in Duisburg. The top game Frankfurt vs Freiburg should remain for tonight though as Frankfurt has a lawn heating.
Gibbs surprisingly played full 90 in a 3-2 loss for St Pauli at Aachen. St Pauli almost was not existing in the first thirty minutes getting two goals against - both without Gibbs being involved. They returned to the game, tied it in the middle of the second half and missed the game winner in the 88th when Diaye hit the post - instead Ahlen scored with a free kick in the 90th. Now St Pauli is already 9 pts behind the rescuing 14th rank
If they are relegated Gibss is essentially gone, isn't he? Considering the new rules for the 3rd division and below(1 foreigner?) and all, his stint with St. Pauli would likely be over.
No foreigner, but it can't be valid for old contracts. Also, as I said somewhere I don't think that it applies for US citizens, but I'm not sure. Does anyone know if Norkus has a second citizenship (otherwise Siegen couldn't have signed him if there was no special right for US citizens)?