German Football 21/22 | Gladbach sign Farke

No. It's very simple. He took money as a referee, he can never referee a minute of football again. Period, whether he comes clean or not.
There's loads of other things he can do in his life, where public trust in one's morality is not part of the job requirement, it's not a death sentence. Hoyzer for example has a perfectly nice job at Idealo or Zalando or something like that (morality definitively not needed there), after being DoF at a couple of local 4th division clubs. And he even went to jail, which noone says Zwayer would have had to do.

Of course the problem is not Zwayer as a person, but the DFB handling of the whole thing over decades. Fröhlich can get fecked, he "has questions"? :lol:
Laughable.
 
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stefan92 said:
True, that's why I limited my statement to the last year, since they dropped out of the CL.

In general I think clubs are useful if they are entertaining in a certain way - due to an interesting approach, due to spectacular results or whatever.

So I do have to admit that Hannover in that regard is also useless for the league as such, sadly we are quite irrelevant today.
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So you're talking about usefulness to the enjoyment or interests of neutrals, I suppose? Cause I imagine that, as a fan, Hannover is 'useful' to you (and all other Hannover fans).
 
Cheimoon said:
So you're talking about usefulness to the enjoyment or interests of neutrals, I suppose? Cause I imagine that, as a fan, Hannover is 'useful' to you (and all other Hannover fans).
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Exactly that. Obviously as a fan I follow my own club, but in the league there are clubs I enjoy watching and those I don't care about. Gladbach mostly moved into the latter category for me, except that they are still Bayern's cryptonite.
 
While taste and enjoyment are of course subjective, I think that's a bit harsh on Gladbach: they try to play good football, they gave progressive coaches like Favre and Rose the chance to really establish themselves, they always find interesting players, they brought Scooter to football and they have one of the most outspoken executives in Eberl.

And they always take one for the team, when it comes to helping Dortmund against Bayern to finally create a proper title race again.
 
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I guess even if they don't end up selling Ginter it wouldn't be too bad squad wise, since they have played a lot with a back three and usually had to let Bensebaini help out there. Friedrich just turned 26, which I guess on one hand is good, because they will get him during his prime years, but on the other hand it reminds me a bit of Dortmund's typical flops: players, who have been late bloomers and sign their first and last big contract, Friedrich has done very well in Berlin, but compared to Gladbach that was a low pressure environment and there are very few clubs in Bundesliga, who make life easier for their CBs than Union.

It also really sucks for Berlin that they have to sell their head of defence when they are two points behind fourth place, and despite what I wrote earlier, I wonder how much of a difference Friedrich is going to make to Gladbach's season if Ginter is not sold. With Corona they probably have to think twice about every cent they spent, so it would be unfortunate if they pay a fee and half a year worth of wages on Friedrich just to finish in no man's land anyway, when they could have gotten him for free in the summer. But then again, maybe Friedrich would have had other offers in the summer or they would have had to pay a bigger signing fee, so what do I know anyway..
 
do.ob said:


I guess even if they don't end up selling Ginter it wouldn't be too bad squad wise, since they have played a lot with a back three and usually had to let Bensebaini help out there. Friedrich just turned 26, which I guess on one hand is good, because they will get him during his prime years, but on the other hand it reminds me a bit of Dortmund's typical flops: players, who have been late bloomers and sign their first and last big contract, Friedrich has done very well in Berlin, but compared to Gladbach that was a low pressure environment and there are very few clubs in Bundesliga, who make life easier for their CBs than Union.

It also really sucks for Berlin that they have to sell their head of defence when they are two points behind fourth place, and despite what I wrote earlier, I wonder how much of a difference Friedrich is going to make to Gladbach's season if Ginter is not sold. With Corona they probably have to think twice about every cent they spent, so it would be unfortunate if they pay a fee and half a year worth of wages on Friedrich just to finish in no man's land anyway, when they could have gotten him for free in the summer. But then again, maybe Friedrich would have had other offers in the summer or they would have had to pay a bigger signing fee, so what do I know anyway..
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I guess the move makes sense for Berlin as they just signed a new CB a few days ago (Heintz from Freiburg). So for them it keeps the squad balanced to let another CB leave, maybe they already knew Friedrich was going to leave now.

If all this makes sense for Gladbach and Friedrich himself know? You raise valid doubts about that, but I guess as bad as Gladbach defense was lately it can't harm to sign someone who has recent experience how a defense works well.
 
stefan92 said:
I guess the move makes sense for Berlin as they just signed a new CB a few days ago (Heintz from Freiburg). So for them it keeps the squad balanced to let another CB leave, maybe they already knew Friedrich was going to leave now.

If all this makes sense for Gladbach and Friedrich himself know? You raise valid doubts about that, but I guess as bad as Gladbach defense was lately it can't harm to sign someone who has recent experience how a defense works well.
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Freiburg have five (!) CBs on their books who played more minutes than Heintz this season, I'd be surprised if anyone expects this to be anything but a very clear downgrade. So it has to be that they really need the money Gladbach will pay for Friedrich, even if it might hurt their chances of finishing in an CL/EL position. Which is disappointing.
 


Emre Can starting at CB again. Entertainment is all but guaranteed. Freiburg are missing two of their stand out players in Schlotterbeck and Flekken as well.
 
Freiburg just went from 18 GA to 23 GA. Their impressive defensive record defaced.
 
That was one of the most confident performances I've seen from Dortmund this season, they were in complete control for 70 mins of the match. For 20 mins in the second half though they looked fragile again, Halaand's goal was definitely against the run of play and knocked Freiburg out.

All set to lose next week.
 
Blackwidow said:
One assist more for Müller - goal was from Tolisso!
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and what a goal it was..

It's strange how there's a general underwhelming feeling about Tolisso yet ..

-conceding as always-

... when he's played he has never been disappointing
 
Such a silly way to lose their goal for Cologne. Not that I blame him for it, but Uth could've just let Modeste take the ball and it would have been all but impossible to miss anyway.
 
do.ob said:
Such a silly way to lose their goal for Cologne. Not that I blame him for it, but Uth could've just let Modeste take the ball and it would have been all but impossible to miss anyway.
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Looked to me like both were offside?
 
Wasn't that just a foul from Boyata? Strange they didn't take the time to VAR it.

Now that I've seen a few more angles I understand that call even less, but on the other hand Hertha's goal probably shouldn't have been called off either.
 
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I don't know what happened to Sané this season but I absolutely love it
 
do.ob said:
Wasn't that just a foul from Boyata? Strange they didn't take the time to VAR it.

Now that I've seen a few more angles I understand that call even less, but on the other hand Hertha's goal probably shouldn't have been called off either.
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That's not Boyata by the way. ;)

Terrible game as expected....I'm not surprised by Hertha since that starting lineup just lacks any kind of quality but what's Wolfsburg's excuse? They have some good players on the pitch yet they look like a club that could really get into trouble if they don't turn it around soon.
 
uamini said:
That's not Boyata by the way. ;)

Terrible game as expected....I'm not surprised by Hertha since that starting lineup just lacks any kind of quality but what's Wolfsburg's excuse? They have some good players on the pitch yet they look like a club that could really get into trouble if they don't turn it around soon.
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oops :nervous:


I think Wolfsburg's excuse goes something like this:
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Both Friedrich and Jantschke starting over Ginter. Seems a bit harsh :lol:
 
Acrobat7 said:
Nagelsmann happened. He is playing him more centrally than Flick and he is also further away from his ACL tear.
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The position is surely part of the reason, but it's even more his confidence, his body language and the way he fights for the ball, that is really impressive to me.
 
Isn't it bad enough that Fuss gets to commentate just about any big match on Sky? Why does he also have to show up to the pre-game panel and why the hell is he collecting miniature mascots for his kid, I'm sure he can afford plenty of toys on his own.
 
Im surprised how much pressure Gladbach create with their rather depleted looking starting lineup.
 
do.ob said:
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Leverkusen look like they might have a shot at finishing top four.
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I would not bet on that...

But like most of the times the team that beats Bayern sucks in the next match...
 
Blackwidow said:
I would not bet on that...

But like most of the times the team that beats Bayern sucks in the next match...
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I was actually joking. While they obviously still have the capacity to mess things up for themselves, Leverkusen should be the safest bet for third place - at least in theory, because Hoffenheim strike me even less as a consistent team and Union/Freiburg will always bleed draws with their defensive approaches.

I missed the second half of the match, but just looking at the team sheet you can see that Gladbach are in a very dire state and I thought that they actually did quite well to create a fairly even game, even if a bit low quality from both sides, considering what they had to work with.
 
The promotion race remains absolutely wide open:
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Just three points between 3rd and 9th place. Even Karlsruhe aren't out of it if they were to somehow go on a streak.

King Kendrick said:
https://www.ruetir.com/2022/01/13/r...ve-a-non-promotion-of-fc-schalke-financially/
interesting little article about the sponsorship income of Schalke. could they potentially become insolvent if they stay in 2.BuLi for more than a year or two?
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It's not exactly a hot take to say that Schalke's finances are wrecked. ;)
But the article does a good job of listing most (if I remember correctly there were a few more) of the sponsors, who stepped up to help the club from going bust right away. They also have a sizeable bond due in 2023.
So yes, they really better win back promotion fast, otherwise it will be a race of cost cutting and begging for help vs financial obligations and revenue losses. But on the positive side Schalke have a huge and loyal following, so I wouldn't rule out entirely that they could stabilize in the second division.
 
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If the result in Bielefeld vs Greuther fürth stays like this even the relegation race in the 1st league should stay interesting. A win will warp Bielefeld on 20 points and out of the relegation ranks.

There is just 5 points between rank 11 and 17

11th VfL Bochum (N) 23 points
12th Bor. Mönchengladbach 22 points
13th Hertha BSC 22 points
14th VfL Wolfsburg 21 points
15th Arminia Bielefeld 20 points
16th FC Augsburg 19 points
17th VfB Stuttgart 18 points
18th SpVgg Greuther Fürth (N) 6 points

And there is only 5 points between 3rd and 10th... - so wins can catapult you up very fast - so can losses...
There is 14 points between 1st and 3rd - and 14 points from rank 3 to 17...
 
Poor Bielefeld are going to get relegated by their inability to beat fecking Füth.
 
WI_Red said:
ref in the Augsburg game absolutely saved from an all time blunder by VAR.
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Following up on this it might be one of the worst refereeing moments I have ever seen. It was a cascade of errors

1. Augsburg player falls down and...
2. Ball rolls immediately to Pepi who scores, but..
3. The ref had inexplicable whistled for a penalty as he was shooting, but..
4. The foul was actually outside the box, but...
5. It was actually a foul on the Augsburg player as slow motion showed he had missed the ball and kicked the Freiburg player.

Had VAR not saved his ass by showing he got it wrong and there was no foul on the Augsburg player I am guessing that instead of a goal (by Pepi) or a penalty, Augsburg would have ended up with a free kick outside the box.
 
King Kendrick said:
Just out of curiosity, did some research, S04's bond rating has moved up to a stable B-, irrespective of their ability to get promoted again because of "their implementation of cost disciplines" and selling off most of their external assets like their League LEC slot (which side note I didn't know sold for that much holy shit). I guess with the large fanbase they can try and rise funds for the bonds due, but outside of that and promotion (transfers too), they dont really have much left to raise funds with apart from selling off Knappenschmiede?
source: https://creditreform-rating.de/en/r...b-gelsenkirchen-schalke-04-e-v-konzern-4.html
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Well yes, they have gotten rid of all the decision makers, who were (partially) responsible for getting them in such dire straits and aside from Ralf Fährmann (who, in true Schalke fashion, they have since demoted to second choice GK) they got rid of all players on big contracts - even if Ozan Kabak and Amine Harit are only loaned out for now. And they stopped the expansion of their club facilities halfway through the project.
So there's definitely a rigorous effort for financial discipline now. What they also tried before is creating a new bond to pay off the old one.

"Knappenschmiede" (which roughly translates to "miner's forge", as in the place where they "forge" themselves new "miners", because the club leans heavily on the region's mining past for folklore) is just the name they have given their academy. It's not something they can sell and as far as I'm aware the top talents go elsewhere these days, so there probably aren't any Neuers or Özils in the pipeline.
However what I forgot to mention in my previous post is that they are one of the few clubs in the country that proudly kept the legal status of a "non profit" member's association (e.V.), so they still have the option to change that legal status and start selling off the club itself, even if it's a bit unfortunate to do that when you're at your lowest and people can take advantage, rather than from a position of strength, as e.g. Bayern or Dortmund have done.
 
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