Sorry Keith, I know much more about this Rosicky story. Hoeness was seriously interested in Rosicky. Dremmler, scouting chief of Bayern, scouted Rosicky for more than 2 years. When FCB prepared transfer negotiations BVB, having scouted him also for quite a long time, jumped in and outpriced Bayern. Honess was furious like hell as he and Hitzfeld wanted Rosicky like sh!te. The big difference is that Hoeness knows how much he can spend while BVB was "spending money like a drunken sailor". He could have outpriced us easily but he is much more interested in spending only the money he has at hand instead of making debts. Other examples are Christian Wörns (boy, what a contract BVB offered him) and especially Karl-Heinz Riedle. Riedle was actually ready to sign a contract with FCB when Dr. Michelle Puller of BVB jumped in and signed him right away from Lazio. Till '97 this "strategy" worked. But as the successes weren't there anymore, the squad became much too expensive.
Keith's Response: Thanks Manoj. At that time, I myself had also been looking at Rosicky for a friend of mine who's a scout at a "Southern" club. I had more Czech contacts and did his work for him. This is how I was writing to BVB about Rosicky before they ever took a look at him. It's also how I tried to help Sebi when he was getting information on a probable Milan Baros transfer. My friend is the one who told me that Bayern only wanted to drive up the price Dortmund paid for Rosicky. I don't know myself. I could actually believe either of you. Keith
According to Wednesday's Sport-Bild (semi-serious weekly sports magazine) BVB is interested in: - Philipp Degen (FC Basle) - already signed on a Bosman transfer from next summer on, maybe he will be bought this winter already for 250.000 Euro - Mark van Bommel (PSV Eindhoven) - many clubs want him; though BVB is not a top club at the moment but he could still keep his house in Eindhoven where his kids go to school; Bosman transfer next summer not likely; 2 Mio Euro price tag this winter - Patrick Helmes (Sportfreund Siegen) - young striker with an impressive record in the Regionalliga South (3rd division) - Jörg Hahnel (Erzgebirge Aue, 2nd Bundesliga) - young promising keeper that is likely to become No.2 behind Weidenfeller from next summer on; Bosman transfer; Warmuz won't get a new contract - Johan Elmander (Bröndby) - Young striker that shined during the U-21 Euro in Germany this year; already played at Feyenoord and Djurgarden; rumoured price is 1-2 Mio Euro (IMHO he would cost much more....2-3 Mio Euro)
Keith's Response: Manoj, Torsten already posted to our list that Elmander has a 2M Euro buyout clause in his contract. All BVB has to do is meet that figure and sign the player.
kicker.de's opinion who will leave the club at the end of the season Short translation: ---------------------------------------- Warmuz: is No.2 at the moment, solid, not very spectacular, just an average keeper, doesn't win matches for the team, will have to look out for a new club Evanilson: bad price/performance-ratio, BVB won't draw their 2-year-extension option Demel: was praised as the mini-Viera, but had a slow start at BVB. Due to his versatility (defence, holding midfielder) and salary (low) he could get a new offer by BVB Madouni: not the big hit as predicted by Jürgen Kohler, neither a great central defender nor a great defensive back, his advantage: he isn't very expensive, what could make him move on is that he doesn't want to be a back-up only player Bergdolmo: was a panic buy, haven't proved that he has quality, weak when defending long passes, will have to go Dede: in midfield not as effective as a left-back. Has to be careful not to push his luck to high in contract talks, will stay only if he accepts wage cuts Oliseh: has an option for another year (manoj: if he makes 26+ matches), Michael Meier is an fan of him, van Marwijk doesn't rate him very high, looks like bye-bye. Addo: if he returns to pitch and is a factor in the team the club will offer a new contract. source: http://www.kicker.de/content/news/a...ject=307484&liga=1&saison=2004/05&spieltag=15
Borussia seem to be interested in Chinese defender Du Wei: Hertha Berlin trial for Zheng Zhi (25/11/04) ...It has also been reported that highly-rated Shenhua defender Du Wei could join either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund, while Liaoning's Xu Liang has been linked to Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. source: http://www.sinosoc.com/news822.htm
Keith's Response: I think Mrs. van Bommel is our only chance of getting him. Mrs. van Bommel being the daughter of our trainer BvM. BVB has the potential to make a second half surge, but we need an on the pitch leader. MvB would be perfect for the job, but to think he would want to join this sinking ship is beyond reality whether the trainer is his father-in-law or not. Keith
Keith's Response: I think it's a bit soon to speculate about players coming in. We can't really tell anything until we have a better understanding of where the club will finish in the Bundesliga this season and what players will be outgoing. We can't really buy players anymore. None for more than 1 or 2M anyhow, depending on where we finish in the table. You know we already have Swiss U-21 international wingback Phillipp Degen coming in from FC Basel. We have another good young wingback on loan at 1. FC Koln named Timo Achenbach. He may be called back. Especially if Dede departs as many of us suspect he will. But having said that, I'd also reach out to Schalke's former starting wingback Joerg Boehme. After the way he was treated there, I'm sure he'd love to stick it to Scheisse by scoring against them every opportunity he gets. Manoj once said the fans "would never accept" him, but once upon a time, the fans tried not to accept Jens Lehmann and he perfomed very well for us. I think Boehme could do the same thing. But, we'd have to see about his attitude. A friend of mine told me Boehme is also interested in going back to his former club Arminia Bielefeld. BVB was interested in Sweden's U-21 striker Johan Elmander, but Elmander has already stated he has no intention of leaving Brondby Copenhagen just yet. Elmander was being seen as a possible replacement for Jan Koller, who is one of the most "valuable" players on the roster for sale. I'm hoping BVB will try to bring back USA international Conor Casey. Casey was BVB property until this season when he was sold to Mainz for next to nothing. BVB should be able to get Casey back for about 1M Euro or a bit less even if Mainz are able to stay in the 1. Bundesliga. Or even a player & cash swap. What player, I have to be honest, I don't know yet........ And another reason we may not be so active is that we've had a few of our own young players show some promise. My problem with that is that I think too many of them are "too similar" as players. And when I say that, I mean Sahr Senesie, David Odonkor and Salvatore Gambino. If we can bring back Casey, I'd love to see Casey playing up front with Senesie while Odonkor and Gambino play as attacking midfielders. Ewerthon would be sold if I had my way. I don't think he's playing for the club anymore. I think he realizes that his boys Dede and Evanilson will more than likely be gone next season and he will want out too. I honestly believe he already wants out. That's just some of the ideas I have now, but again, I think it all depends on where we finish at the end of the season. I think this team still has a good second half run in them. Not "title" on "Champions League" run, but we can perhaps sneak into fourth or fifth (UEFA Cup) or even six through eighth (Intertoto Cup). I also feel some teams ahead of us will not keep up their first half pace. I'll even be specific about who those teams are: Wolfsburg, Hannover, Bielefeld, Mainz, and Nuernberg. As I said on my list and this will surprise some of you, I think VfB Stuttgart will fall back too. Their players will realize that Matthias Sammer is nowhere near the teacher and tactician that Magath is. Playing Magath's game has gotten Stuttgart this far, but when adjustments need to be made and this team finally faces some adversity, Stuttgart fans will learn what BVB fans learned the hard way. That Matthias Sammer as a teacher and tactician is practically clueless. One thing I beg fans to realize is that this season is ONLY just about half over. BVB has the potential to be as good in the second half as they were bad in the first half. Yes, we'll probably lose the next two matches (at Bremen and home to Schalke), but we need to snake three points in that final match in Rostock and I think we can. Hell, even if we can pull a draw or upset Bremen or Schalke, that would be a bonus. After the winter break, BVB should get back the following players from injuries: Salvatore Gambino, David Odonkor, CHRISTOPH METZELDER, Guy Demel and yes, even Sunday Oliseh, who can be helpful if someone puts a boot in his a$$. As you can see, I'm not quite ready to give up on this team. I wish so many didn't give up so easily........... Keith
Noone should give up on the team. They will not be able to challenge for the title i think but a UCL place and a respectable finish is not out of reach! Too many talented players to miss Europe again, if they do, Borussia Dortmund will spiral and lose most of their stars and perhaps end in a Leeds United situation. Rosicky, Metzelder, Koller, Ewerthon, Odonkor, Dede, Kehl, Gambino, Worns, Evanilson, etc are too good to let this team fall away this season, depending on what happens in January the club's intentions will be then known, but noone should give up on Dortmund just yet, just hope it gets better sooner rather than later, which will be too late!
Keith's Response: Dude, I appreciate your spirit. However, the UCL is completely out of reach for this team. However, UEFA Cup and Intertoto Cup places are not completely out of reach. Also, that's a good list of players you gave there. Just drop Dede, Ewerthon, Evanilson and most likely Koller, and you'll have the building block for the new BVB team. Dede and Ewerthon are not helping the team in any way right now. Their minds are elsewhere already. Evanilson hasn't done jack s#!t for this team in about three years. Honestly, I think we'll have a hard time holding on to Rosicky for one more season. Don't be surprised if Lars Ricken FINALLY gets his place in the center of the BVB midfield by default. Anyway, I think this team has the potential and the talent to make a run in the second half of the season. We just need to get rid of the "dead wood" on the roster. Keith
BVB was in transfer talks with Mainz' long-time goalie Dimo Wache. A deal was nearly done but today BVB announced that both sides couldn't agree on the contract details. It is rumoured that Wache wasn't sure whether he would get a fair chance to become No.1 at BVB.
Two interesting stories I found: - Juan Ramon Fernandez (who has returned from his 1-year loan deal with River Plate) was scouted by Feyenoord when Bert van Marwijk was coach there. He wanted him but the player (or his adviser) opted for BVB. jonam: Maybe BvM knows how to get the best out of Fernandez. Would surprise me, but you never know. - During this winterbreak BVB were in talks with two "friendly" Italian big clubs with the aim to get some players from Italy to strengthen BVB's squad for the return leg of Bundesliga. These deals collapsed as those players now decided that they have a realistic chance of getting playing time at their current clubs. jonam: One of those "friendly clubs" is probably Juventus, I guess.
Just read that Lars Ricken had an offer from Glasgow Rangers and denied it. Why? I dont understand him.
One of those clubs was Juventus and they offered Kapo for free (BVB only would had have to pay for part of his salary). Unfortunately the player refused as he wants to take his chance in Torino. The other club was Inter Milano but also there the player (we don't know what player exactly) wanted to take his chance at Inter.
How long is his contract? I dont think, that he'll leave the club before it expires (regarding his paycheck, I guess, I'd do the same )
At least the Kapo rumour I have from two different sources (1 online, 1 offline). Plus I am pretty sure that BVB had contract talks with Azaouagh as I have for this also two different sources.
Interesting rumour: Real Madrid has Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund) on a 20 men target list. Source: http://www.realmadrid.dk/news/article/default.asp?newsid=5799 IMHO: I don't see that happening.