Nik Ledgerwood plays the last 25 minutes today for 1860 Muenchen full side vs Werder Bremen. The Bundeliga 2 side downs ex-champs 3-1. 1860: 1 Hofmann – 2 Lamotte, 44 Hoffmann, 7 Costa, 35 Schäfer – 13 Cerny, 19 Lehmann, 3 Meyer, 26 Milchraum – 9 Reisinger, 18 Agostino. Bremen: 18 Wiese – 15 Owomoyela, 16 Andreasen, 3 Pasanen, 27 Schulz – 6 Baumann, 22 Frings – 10 Micoud, 24 Borowski – 11 Klose, 17 Klasnic. Wechsel: Szukala für Hoffmann, Krontiris für Reisinger (beide 46.), Ledgerwood für Lehmann, Janker für Schäfer, Gebhardt für Milchraum (alle 65.), Baier für Meyer, Shao für Agostino, Vucicevic für Cerny (alle 72.) – Davala für Owomoyela, Vranjes für Frings (beide 58.), Zidan für Klose, Lagerblom für Borowski (beide 70.).
There's a torrent for this match if anyone is interested: http://www.bitenova.org/download.php?id=b4369aa96a800bbad9cae003fab6d5333f554c00 Its 533.6 MB.
Looks like Nik has an excellent chance of making the full team this season. He did not look out of place at all against the stars of Werder Bremen. Very complimentary article on him today at the 1860 site.
Kevin McKenna made his debut with Energie Cottbus yesterday, playing central midfield in a 15-0 laugher over a lower level Polish side. He scored himself in the 75th minute. Daniel Imhof had 65 minutes in midfield before being subbed off in a 2-0 win for VfL Bochum over Danish side Brondby IF on Saturday.
Here is Canadian, Ive Sulentic, playing for St. Pauli. The following is a nice article from the local newspaper. Of course, Hamburg is a huge town, so local is relative. http://www.abendblatt.de/daten/2005/07/20/461100.html (don't have time to translate, but maybe there is a German speaker floating around these parts)
I'll see what I can do when I have some time myself. I see you support SC Freiberg; a young Cdn (mother is Cdn, Dad German) is with their youth teams, Robert Kerek, was U17 last year. Cheers.
Kevin McKenna played 90 minutes for Energie Cottbus today, again at midfield. Note that young Amir Haroon has move up to the amateur (U23) team pre-season at least. I will be watching Cottbus more closely this year. Looks like Canucks in Germany might as well be retitled Alberta Boys in Germany this year.
An article from the "Lauzister Rundschau" on Kevin McKenna dated yesterday. Liberal translation: HOPING HIS PERSONAL GOOD FORTUNE SPILLS OVER ON TO THE FIELD Newcomer Kevin McKenna wants to be with Energie Cottbus in the the 1st league He has only been in Cottbus since Saturday, and already, in his first game in the Energie jersey, he scored twice in the 15:0 win over a Polish amateur team on Sunday in Drebkau: Kevin McKenna, the 25-year-old captain of the national team of Canada. Four years ago he left FC Energie Cottbus in order to try to further his soccer career in Scotland with Hearts of Midlothian, after he had been brought into the team under Eduard Geyer for the first two Bundesliga games (Bremen, HSV). Now he is back and team manager Petrik Sander is happy to have him. Sander had some early praise for him, saying "Kevin can be used in different positions, both on defense and offense. He is strong header of the ball and I am sure that he is a good addition for us". And also McKenna is obviously happy to be back in Germany. "I love German soccer because it's different from the Scottish game. In Scotland they play long ball, which makes the game very fast. In Germany there's more play with the ball, and there's tactical subtleties." Moreover influencing his decision to come back to Germany was his relationship with coach Petrik Sander. "I've known Petrik for a long time. He is a good trainer and I communicate well with him." And the Canadian, who already at the age of 24 is captain of the Canadian national team, has a dream. "My goal is to make the first league. That is a lofty goal, but not unrealistic." And so he hopes his personal good luck, he got married on Majorca on the June 1st to Claudine the daughter of the Lausitzer cycling legend come Hans-Joachim Hartnick, carries over with his pro career. "I know that I've achieved a lot already, but I think a pro should always try to be the best." He has quickly become part of the team, especially since he knew three players, Tomislav Piplica, André Thoms and Gunnar Berntsen, from his playing days before going to Scotland. He does not want to say what is his favorite position: "I can play at the back or as a defensive midfielder, or if need be as a striker". He played as a striker for Canada against Germany over a year ago in a friendly and scored to give the North Americans a 1-0 lead. "I like looking back on that. The game against Germany was a highpoint in my soccer career", he recalls. Naturally he has not yet given up hope to participate with his National team in a World Cup. "The train for 2006 in Germany left without us. Yet four years from now, we have a realistic chance. I'll be 29 years old, the best age for soccer." He remarks on the unity in the Canadian team that few countries could match. "We need more games. But with our players working as pros in Europe, the distance we have to travel for each game is a problem." But here and today only Energie Cottbus matters for him. I think Energie Cottbus has put a good team together. I like what we've got. I've already said what I want personally". Wolfgang von der Burg
Nik Ledgerwood ("Ledgi to his teammates) will now likely start in the Regional League. The sporting director of 1860 Muenchen was very impressed with Nik and his German U20 teammate Christoph Jancker but he feels they will progress better with games under their belt in the Regional League. Both are right now sure prospects for the senior team when needed and are likely soon to be offered full pro deals. From an online interview with sporting director Roland Kneissl this past Wednesday: Kneissl about the youngsters Christoph Janker (20) and Nikolas Ledgerwood (20): "With both players one sees we have excellent prospects within the organization. Christoph and Nikolas made a very good impression in Sterzing, both in the training and in their short amount of playing time against Bremen. ... Both are highly talented players who mainly need game experience more than anything else, and they can get that experience in our second team in the regional league. In the course of the season, they will regularly train with the professionals, and who knows, perhaps very soon they will make the jump into the second league. We are quite happy to have two more talented players in our reserves with Christoph and Nikolas.“
Great reports as always CF. Can't be long before Ledgi (nice to see german athletes are just as weak at nicknames as Canadian athletes) is getting full caps. Who knows with Yallop though. Any word on happenings with Canizales? Is he back from his injury? Interesting use of McKenna as a defensive mid. Wonder if that will stick.
Thanks for the compliments. Canizales is back from injury but it now looks like he might be back in the reserves for the time being. He was not on the bench for Hannover in the last friendly early this week. Given his limited playing time last season with the reserves, it's not such a bad thing. He also made a very good impression with his limited time with the pro squad so it's up to him to keep working hard and he may well get a chance. I think McKenna may have a break out year this season. I think he wanted out of Edinburgh some time ago and will relish playing regularly in Germany.
I was happily wrong on Canizales. Played 90 minutes in midfield with the Hannover team B (still a step up from reserves) in yesterday's 1-1 draw with NAC Breda. I will keep my eye out for further news.
Kevin McKenna scores the opening goal in a 2-0 win for Energie Cottbus vs SV Neuruppin yesterday. He started in the back four and moved into midfield later in the 2nd half.
Looks like Dylan Hughes is history at Jahn Regensburg. Serves him right for playing for the rubber boot crowd (Welsh). As a longtime Pynchon fan, would have liked to cheer for a team with Thuern & Taxis for a sponsor but life goes on. Coach Basler figured he had too much competition at striker; his release is confirmed by www.transfermarkt.de.
Kevin McKenna did not dress for today's friendly with Energie Cottbus winning 3-1 over Oberliga side SC Babelsburg. Press reports say he was out with a swollen toe but also have him favoured to crack the starting lineup as a central defender for the season opener in 10 days time. Nik Ledgerwood's 1860 Muenchen team look strong in preseason. After beating Bundesliga power Werder Bremen, they've got back to back 1-1 draws with EPL sides Blackburn and West Ham. Today's game against the London club was the first time the clubs have met in 40 years. They played at Wembley in 1965 in the final of the Cup Winners Cup. Daniel Imhof played 90 minutes in the right midfield spot (4-3-3 formation) in today's 2-0 win for VfL Bochum over FC OFI Crete, their 7th straight exhibition win. Tam Nsaliwa was in central defence for FC Saarbruecken in a 4-1 win over SC Hauenstein (Oberliga) today. He replaced a trialist in the 2nd half.