One question that often pops up in the English football themed chatter that I have with my mates in the pub is “Which country should we go to, to watch a football game?” Whenever this has been posed in the past, the answer that we usually settle on before our plans ultimately fizzle out due to lack of funds or the inability to get the time off work, is Germany. What could be better for a match day experience than being able to sample excellent beer (even at your seat!) and excellent food amongst the back drop of a full stadium and a cracking atmosphere? If you factor in the friendly nature of the locals and the reasonable ticket prices for a Bundesliga game, then it looks a match made in heaven for any football fan looking to sample the perfect match day experience.

When this question was posed recently however, as we looked to plan a European jaunt for next season, whilst the agreed destination was the same and the aforementioned reasons were all still valid, I found myself citing “The quality and the excitement of the football” that is played in the Bundesliga as another reason for why we should all jet off to Germany. Remarkably, nobody disagreed with me, and it would seem a point that on reflection is very difficult to argue with, as German football has undergone somewhat of a resurgence over the last decade or so. A resurgence that has had repercussions for the Bundesliga, the German national side and the rest of European football (including the Premier League).

So how and when did German football suddenly become an exciting spectacle? The process began after the German side limped out of the European Championships in 2000 in Holland and Belgium. The abject performances the side produced in that tournament were the final straw for the German FA. They saw fit that it was time for a complete overhaul of the entire country’s football system. They introduced a new protocol which saw the emphasis being placed in the development of youth players from many different cultural origins. This was the “Extended Talent Promotion Programme” which was introduced in 2002, assigning more coaches and better facilities, to all teams at all levels. Since the initiation of the new programme, an extra €10 million per year has been invested throughout the German footballing pyramid. The programme also saw that every league club in the country was to open a centre of excellence, to aid in their development of youth players.

This turnaround in mentality became evident as Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006, and the nation took pride in a more fluent German side that reached the last four of the competition. The side was lead by Jurgen Klinsmann and he began to blood future household names like Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski. This investment in youth began to bare further fruit three years later. In 2009 the rest of Europe marveled at a young German side that trounced everyone in their path on their way to securing the U21 European Championships. What was most peculiar about this success was how they did so in a considerably un-German fashion. The team played with a flair, a pace and an attacking intent that the country had not seen before. A far cry from the rigid and stagnant team that ignited this whole overhaul nine years earlier.

Since this new brand of youngsters began to emerge in 2009, the Bundesliga sides began to adapt their own styles and systems to accommodate these flair players. Before the World Cup in 2010, Werder Bremen built their team around a relatively unknown Mesut Ozil, whilst a youngster by the name of Thomas Muller was looking seriously impressive at Bayern Munich. Hamburg was also making strides towards the Champions League, inspired by the youthful exuberance of Jerome Boateng and Piotr Trochowski. It was only after the World Cup in 2010 that the rest of the football world stood up and really took note of this new brand of footballer that Germany was producing. Under Joachim Low and his 4-2-3-1 system, the combination of skill and flair that these new youngsters possessed, mixed in with the solidity and experienced qualities of the old guard, resulted in the German side exceeding all expectations as they reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, easily disposing of Argentina and England on their way. Now, a decade on from the initiation of the ETTP, Germany go into Euro 2012 as many peoples favorites to win the tournament.

The refocusing of the German FA has had a considerably positive effect on the domestic front too, as the Bundesliga has also gone from strength to strength. Most Bundesliga teams have adapted the national sides system and play with a sense of adventure and vigour which has given them recent success on all fronts. Schalke 04 defied all odds reaching the Champions League Semi Final in 2011, in turn leading to the development Manuel Neuer who is now lauded by some as the world’s best stopper. This year, Bayern Munich have the chance to win the trophy on their own patch and Chelsea now stand between them and a fifth European Cup. Borussia Dortmund have now also secured the Bundesliga title for two seasons consecutively. They seemingly have a proverbial conveyor belt that keeps on producing top German “wunderkids” such as Mats Hummels, Sven Bender and Mario Gotze, all of whom are pushing for first team places in the national side. Gotze in particular is hailed as the best young prospect in the world alongside Neymar, and with the emergence of Marco Reus and Toni Kroos through the club academies, some of the top young talents in the world are now plying their trade in the Bundesliga.

It’s for this reason that Arsenal and Chelsea fans can look at their respective signings Lukas Podolski and Marko Marin with a sense of optimism. The Bundesliga now offers a perfect foundation for any players looking to trade the Germany for the Premier League and new imports from the Bundesliga have already shown signs of succeeding in the English game. Whilst in the past not all transfers from the Bundesliga sides have flourished in the Premier League, most recent January imports Papiss Cisse and Gylfi Sigurdsson have proved to be fantastic pieces of business for Newcastle and Swansea respectively. Cisse has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances since his arrival from Freiburg and has adapted superbly to the physical nature of the Premier League. His seamless transition has put pay to the cliché that foreign strikers struggle to adapt to the forceful nature of the Premier League. Sigurdsson meanwhile has been a key cog in Swansea’s ‘total football’ type approach, leading to some of Europe’s elite sides taking a good look at the Icelandic international. Edin Dzeko has also had success after his arrival from Wolfsburg in January 2011, scoring some crucial goals for City on their way to the title this season, including four against Spurs in a 5-1 win and twice against United in the famous 6-1 derby.

But what is encouraging for the German domestic game that top talents are choosing to stick it out in the Bundesliga. Retaining established players like Arjen Robben, Shinji Kagawa and Frank Ribery can only mean good things for the league, whilst world stars in waiting such as Reus (who has recently signed for Dortmund) and Gotze are choosing to remain in Germany, whilst they could jump ship for more lucrative offers elsewhere on the continent. The development of Dortmund as a genuine title challenger has also increased the entertainment value at the top of the table, as Bayern now have a serious rival in their quest for domestic success, whereas they have often strolled to the title in recent seasons.

Things are certainly looking up for the German game and the progression shows no signs of slowing up. I think I’ll definitely start saving up for next season.

Follow me on twitter @13mattj13

Bayern Munich have a date with destiny this Saturday as they face Chelsea in the Champions League final. The Bavarian side have been eyeing this year’s tournament since the venue of the Allianz Arena was decided, and smart football betting tips have the Germans as favourites. Despite a determined opponent in the form of Roberto Di Matteo’s men, here are five reasons why the Bundesliga giants should be victorious.

Home advantage

The chance to play a major final at home is an overwhelming advantage, and the German side will look to make the most of this fact. Jupp Heynckes’ men have been imperious at the Allianz Arena this term in Europe, winning all their fixtures at home, including victories over Manchester City, Napoli, Real Madrid and a 7-0 mauling of Basel.

Chelsea’s depleted defence

Chelsea have been determined in defence this season, thwarting the likes of Barcelona in getting to the final. However the Blues’ backline will be severely depleted for the game against Bayern. John Terry was shown a red card against the Spanish giants in the semi-finals and thus will be unavailable, and Branislav Ivanovic, arguably the side’s best defender, is also suspended.

Mario Gomez

Finals are often cagey affairs, with the odd goal deciding the fixture in one side’s favour. The predatory and clinical nature of Bayern centre forward Mario Gomez could well be the difference between the teams, as the Germany international looks to continue his rich vein of form. The hitman finished with 26 goals in the Bundesliga this term and with 12 strikes in Europe, Gomez has proved himself as one of the continent’s most lethal marksmen.

A winless season

Due to Borussia Dortmund’s domestic dominance in the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, Bayern quite simply must win to salvage their season and avoid two trophyless campaigns. Being crowned as European champions would be sure to take some of the limelight away from Jurgen Klopp’s men and give Die Roten’s fanbase something to cheer about.

Penalty preparation

With two evenly-matched sides competing in this year’s finale, there is every chance that the victors could be decided on penalties. German sides have an enviable record of success when it comes to spot-kicks, especially against English teams, and in Manuel Neuer the hosts have an excellent shot-stopper. Given Bayern’s elimination of Real Madrid on penalties in the semi-finals, and the Blues defeat to Manchester United in the 2008 final, the Germans would fancy their chances if it went down to this stage.

Bayern Munich are 90 minutes away from a home Champions League final, with a massive Bavarian fanbase praying that this year will end an eleven-year wait to be crowned European champions once more. Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu is as daunting a fixture as any in world football, and the German visitors will be up against it from the first whistle. The side’s attack has given them and advantage; it is now down to the at-times criticised backline to secure progression.

Jupp Heynckes’ men showed their worth in the first leg of the crunch tie, with a no-fear and attacking outlook resulting in a slight but deserved victory. Goals from Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez, who secured victory in the dying moments, mean that the Bundesliga giants take the smallest of advantages to the Spanish capital.

Die Roten’s ability on the offence has never been in doubt; with the likes of Gomez, Ribery, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller at their disposal, Bayern’s prowess on the front foot is rightly respected by all in the game in Europe. However, despite the team’s defensive efforts improving from last term, there are still question marks over the back four and the organisation of the Bavarian rearguard.

Traditionally Bayern’s approach was based around a solid backline, with the Allianz Arena outfit recording countless 1-0 victories on the back of a hard-fought early goal and a dogged defensive effort. However, the class of 2012 do not give the club’s followers the same confidence as teams of the past. Jerome Boateng has been brought in to solidify the centre of the German defence and although the side has leaked less goals than previous campaigns, the reformed full back and Holger Badstuber have come in for criticism, specifically aimed at their concentration and positioning. They will be severely tested on Wednesday, but given an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong on the biggest stage.

In Cristiano Ronaldo the hosts have arguably the form player in world football, and with the likes of Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria in support, Los Blancos have set records and all but won the Primera Division title back this term. A 2-1 win at Camp Nou on Saturday, no mean feat, will mean that the Santiago Bernabeu crowd will be baying for German blood in midweek.

To successfully negotiate this tricky task, Heynckes must get his tactics right and the starting XI must show discipline and play to their strengths. As the game progresses, if Bayern can stave off Madrid’s attacks, the crowd could get edgy and the home players slightly desperate. The likelihood is that the Bundesliga outfit may well need an away goal (or two) to get through, and to achieve this the likes of Ribery and Robben must take advantage of the positional mediocrity of Madrid full backs Fabio Coentrao and Marcelo or Alvaro Arbeloa.

Finally, rumours that Robben and Ribery had a falling out and came to blows at half time of the first leg must be firmly banished; a monumental team effort is needed for the German club’s dream of participating in a Champions League final at the Allianz Arena to come to fruition.

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Borussia Dortmund won the 2011-12 Bundesliga Saturday after defeating Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 to seal the title. It’s Dortmund’s second successive Bundesliga title and the fifth overall that the club has won.

Goals from Dortmund’s Ivan Perisic and Shinji Kagawa clinched the win and title. Now Dortmund can look forward to Champions League football again next season, where they’ll battle the best teams in Europe.

Congratulations to Borussia Dortmund. Deserved 2011-12 Bundesliga champions!

I was born in Chicago, the youngest of three, and a son of German parents. My father was a diplomat and stationed at the German consulate in the Windy City. As was the case with his career, we moved to a new city in the world every three to five years. These cities included countries such as Italy, USA, South Africa, Estonia, and, of course, Germany. One of the challenges facing my parents was to ensure that we children understood German culture and had a bond with Germany itself, without (at least in my case) ever spending much time there. Some of this was addressed by speaking German at home and visiting our home region in Germany almost every year, but this only conveyed some of what it meant to be German. The one constant that always created a sense of community and bonding was football, particularly the Bundesliga variety.

However, one problem was that we were not living in the year 2012 where global communication and the exchange of videos, images, and information were easy. We lived in the not so distant 1980’s — a time when football was rarely ever seen on American television. My first true and distinct memory of football was when I was seven and one of my uncles had sent a video tape of the Sportschau (the German version of the Premier League Review Show) and its recap of the final match day of 1985. It was an exciting thing to behold, even for a seven-year-old. The title that year was to be decided on the very last day between Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen. This was also the first time I was to behold my future love, Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund actually played a vital role that day. By defeating Bremen 2-0 and with Bayern winning against Eintracht Braunschweig, the Bavarians secured their first championship in four years (a crisis for that club). It was the first time I saw the south stands in what was still called the Westfalen Stadion. That match day also featured games with the likes of Arminia Bielefeld, Waldhof Mannheim, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer Uerdingen, none of which play in the Bundesliga today. Given the goals, the players, and the atmosphere in stadiums shown to my seven-year-old eyes that day one thing was clear: I was hooked.

I would have to wait another year before witnessing another grand spectacle of the game I was beginning to love dearly. It was the World Cup final of 1986. Though the outcome was anything but grand for us Germans, and the fact that I had to see the match on a Spanish language channel (no US station carried football then), the passion shown on the pitch and in our home will always stay with me. Despite the abridged airings of the 1990 World Cup in the US, I was able to see the final in Germany. I was twelve then and understood much more about the game that one hardly got to see in the US. It was also that summer that I first ventured into a proper football stadium. It was a warm-up match for the next Bundesliga season between FC Cologne and Preussen Münster. Even though this match did count towards Cologne’s title aspirations or Münster’s hopes of staying in the second Bundesliga, the atmosphere was electric. I could not wait to see more of the Bundesliga, and when we moved to South Africa later that year, my wish was granted.

All throughout our time in Africa, we could watch Bundesliga matches live on one of the three stations that country had at that time. I became witness to the rise of our club, Borussia Dortmund with their new manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld. The weekly ritual of watching Bundesliga matches and round-up shows was more than a tie to our country and the family we missed, but it also strengthened the ties much closer to home. The year 1992 was when my pleasure of watching the Bundesliga was altered into pure obsession. Believe it or not, Borussia Dortmund, an also-ran in the 1980’s, was vying for the title. Once again it came down to the last day of the season. It was a three team race between Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, and VfB Stuttgart. After all the matches were done, Stuttgart, to my everlasting dismay, won the title. In the seasons that followed my boys in yellow and black would always play near the top, but never quite reach their ultimate goal.

Then in 1994, my father (and of course all of us) was stationed back to Germany. It was a dream come true for me, the football fanatic. I could not only finally play for the same local club my grandfather played for, but was within close proximity to my beloved Dortmund, who won two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in the next few seasons. Upon graduating high school, I moved back to the USA for college and did whatever it took to see Bundesliga matches. The drama of the 2001 final day when Bayern won the title in the 92nd minute, “robbing” Schalke of their first league title since 1958 was the sort of drama that drives the passion for any Bundesliga fan.

Each trip back home to visit my family now includes ritualistic viewing of the Sportschau and a trip to the stadium of our home town (some would say village) team on Sundays. On one visit back home in 2003, I was finally able to walk into the Westfalen Stadion and watch as my Borussia Dortmund destroyed Hannover 96 in a 6-2 game. An incredible experience I shared with my father and something we talk about every time I fly back to visit.

Today, living in the USA with my wife and young son, watching Bundesliga matches together with him on ESPN3 and then the German wrap-up show on Bundesliga.com, I not only maintain my relationship with my country, but I get to pass on the culture, passion and traditions to my son in the strong belief that he too will see the Bundesliga as his German home.

Borussia Dortmund is without a doubt the hottest team in the Bundesliga at the moment, and possibly all of Europe. Having not lost in 18 league matches and winning eight in a row (10 if you count the cup) to start the second half of the season (club record), Dortmund have expanded their lead at the top of the table to seven points ahead of struggling Bayern Munich. (Get Bundesliga title odds on the FreeBets sports betting blog).

This last weekend’s demonstration of brilliant, fast-paced, attacking football against a Mainz squad that had some good moments, truly showed their class. The only weakness to be seen was the lack of utilizing the high number of chances. The 2:1 score line is closer than the game truly was. Had Kagawa and Lewandowski put away absolute sitters, a four or five goal thrashing would have been a given.

Another great sign for Dortmund is that all players have truly gelled and are playing as an attacking unit that does not get exposed in defense. Though wunderkind Mario Götze is still out injured, his replacement, Polish international Jakub “Kuba” Blaszczykowski is playing lights-out football at the moment. His link up play from the flanks with fellow Polish teammate Lewandowski are giving opponents fits, plus he is scoring goals as well. Even players that have taken longer to truly integrate into the squad, such as Ilkay Gündogan are giving great performances. When Mario Götze does get back into the squad, this Dortmund lineup will be even more potent and pose significant problems for whomever they face.

Dortmund began the season rather slow (disregarding the opening day win versus a horrid Hamburg team), and the team completely disappointed in the Champions League. The main factors for the early season woes were the fact that Dortmund underestimated the effect the departure of Nuri Sahin would have and that Gündogan could not fulfill the Sahin role yet. Since then, all of this has changed. The early exit from Europe has freed up the squad and reduced the strain of playing in three different competitions (league, cup, and Europe). Two of their main rivals for the Bundesliga crown, Bayern and Schalke are still battling it out on the European stage, which has hurt them and helped the yellow and black rivals from Dortmund.

Borussia Dortmund even exorcized their cup demons this year after beating Düsseldorf in a thrilling penalty shootout and now only have second tier Greuther Fürth standing between them and a trip to the final in Berlin, where they could face either Bayern or Borussia Mönchengladbach, another one of the four rivals for the title.

Of course Dortmund have their weaknesses. The greatest one being their inability to capitalize on the high number of chances they produce (much like an Arsenal of the past). That being said, they have scored a blazing, best in the league 52 goals this season, but it should be much more. This low conversion rate could come back to haunt them, but if the other teams that are in the hunt all continue to struggle and lose their form like last weekend, Dortmund should capture their second straight Bundesliga title (8th overall). Every team that has had a lead of five or more points at this point in the season has become champion.

This season’s Bundesliga campaign has already been as exciting and enthralling as any in the recent memory, especially given the tightly contested title race. At the time of writing champions Borussia Dortmund sit top of the pile, after a great run of form has made up for a sluggish start. Bavarian giants Bayern Munich have an unbelievable amount of talent at their disposal and want their top flight crown back at the Allianz Arena. Meanwhile, last season’s relegation escapees Borussia Monchengladbach have defied the Champions League betting odds by challenging for top spot with a rock solid defence. But where is the Bundesliga title going in 2011/12?

Borussia Dortmund

After an impressive campaign last year where Jurgen Klopp’s young superstars won the German top flight at a canter, a very slow start to this campaign had many questioning the longevity of the relatively inexperienced group. However, after Champions League expulsion, the Signal Iduna Pak outfit have been able to solely focus on domestic matters, and are now top of the Bundesliga by four points.

Die Borussen have won 12 games in a row in all competitions, and their attacking stars such as Shinji Kagawi and Robert Lewandowski are impressing suitors in Germany and further afield. A blow for the holders has been the injury to key playmaker Mario Gotze, but the side have not missed the Germany international too much as others have stepped up to the plate. Most certainly the team to beat, it is Dortmund’s title to lose with 11 games remaining.

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are Germany biggest and most successful team, but when things don’t go to plan the Bavarian team and fans gets rather restless. After losing their first game of the season, Jupp Heynckes’ side hit their straps and bulldozed their way to the top of the standings in impressive fashion. With Jerome Boateng and Manuel Neuer adding defensive steel to the attacking prowess of Arjen Robben, Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery et al, Bayern looked like a shoe-in for the title.

However, inconsistency and defeats against the other two challengers for the league have seen the Allianz Arena team drop to second. Add to this the fact that they are still in the Champions League, and Die Roten need to up their game, starting with a tricky away fixture against Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena this weekend. The fixture against Dortmund on April 9th could well decide the destination of the crown.

Borussia Monchengladbach

Currently in third place, Borussia Monchengladbach have had a fantastic season to date, and even if they do slip away from title contention must been applauded for going toe-to-toe with the big boys and more than holding their own. Lucien Favre’s side’s success has been largely based around their stellar defensive abilities; the underdogs have only conceded a miserly 14 goals in 23 fixtures this season. Whether or not they can on to finish in the Champions League qualification places or even win the division is in the balance; they are currently in third, five points off the pace.

A downfall to a smaller club’s success is that the inevitable purging of players starts to take effect, and this has been the case at Monchengladbach. Undoubted star Marco Reus is on his way to Dortmund in the summer, Roman Neustadter is heading off to Schalke, whilst Bayern court Brazilian defender Dante. One thing is guaranteed; if Monchengladbach finish first or tenth they should be saluted for their captivating form this season.

With New Year’s come and gone, all Bundesliga teams have ended their brief winter vacation and have traveled to training camps in much warmer climates than Germany. Many teams have already played warm-up test matches and have begun running out their newest winter signings. The second half of the season begins with match day 18 on January 20. So with a new year many teams are looking at the rest of the season with hope and optimism, while many other teams look at it with dread and consternation.

Bayern Munich are still and will continue to be the prohibitive favorites. With midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger training again and expected to make his first team return in the next few matches, there is much to be upbeat about in Bavaria. No giant winter signings are expected, even though I would not be surprised to see a much needed top-grade central defender move to Munich before the transfer window closes this month. The key for Bayern will be staying healthy through all three of the major competitions they are still engaged in; league, cup, and Champions League. If all stay healthy then Bayern should not have too many issues regaining the league championship. However, should Robben continue to be unreliable in terms of health and Schweinsteiger suffer a setback, then the pack following Bayern will be eager to pounce.

Champions Borussia Dortmund seem to have hit their stride (in the league) prior to the break. They made headlines by announcing the signing of wunderkind Marco Reus (though only after the season). The champs too have injury concerns. Superstar Mario Götze and defender Nevan Subotic are dealing with injuries, as are captain Sebastian Kehl and German international Ilkay Gündogan. Another worry for BVB is unhappy striker Lucas Barrios. If they are unable to move him during the transfer window he could pose a potential distraction. All that being said, Dortmund are clearly Bayern’s greatest threat for the title.

Dortmund’s bitter rival FC Schalke 04 are also making a push for the top. With Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Raul in splendid form they will certainly be a menace to the afore mentioned clubs. The biggest concern for Schalke is a defense that at times has proven to be a bit shaky, especially without a top-class keeper. Their saving grace is their attack and as soon as Jefferson Farfan is back to full fitness, no team will relish the thought of facing the “blues.”

Rounding off the current Champions League spots is the surprise team of the season; Borussia Mönchengladbach. With one of the most exciting players in Europe, Marco Reus, Gladbach are always menacing on the counter attack. They sit back and wait for the opponents to over-commit and then use their incredible speed to strike. They also have the second best defense in the Bundesliga. The question remains if last year’s miracle survival team can continue to play well above their expectations. My guess is not, but I still see Gladbach as being a team for the European spots, but probably not Champions League.

Always entertaining due to their unpredictability are Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen. Both teams have a shocking goal difference for teams wishing to play in Europe next season. One game they dazzle and the next they fizzle, which in Leverkusen has already led to much speculation about first year manager Robin Dutt. If Leverkusen can find an attack and any level of consistency, they are the most likely candidate to snatch the final Champions League spot. They have achieved respectable results against the other top-six teams, only losing to Bayern, but it is horrible losses to the likes of Cologne (1:4) and Nuremburg (0:3) that have many people worried. Bremen, on the other hand, have been consistently abysmal against the top clubs. They have lost against all other top-six clubs, scoring only once and conceding 17 goals. Defense has never been their strength and as such they will continue to struggle breaking into the Champions League spots, but a Europa League spot is certainly a possibility.

A surprise team from last season, Hannover 96 are making a push towards the European places again this season. With respectable outings in the Europa League, the Lower Saxony club have regained their composure and are making life difficult for their opponents. No longer the purely counter attacking side, Hannover play a swift moving, ball control style of football. Their biggest concern has to be the lack of depth at the striker positions. Moa Abdellaoue is recovering from injury, Jan Schlaudraff is still out with injury and Didie Ya Konan is heading to the Africa Cup of Nations. Hannover tried unsuccessfully to craft a loan deal with Bayern for Nils Petersen, but neither the player nor the club were interested. Should they solidify their attack, Hannover will continue to put pressure on the clubs above them, but it is very doubtful that they will have enough depth or talent to end the season in the top-six.

VfB Stuttgart, on the other hand, do have the depth and talent to make it to European qualification. Rumor has it that they are interested in acquiring Srdjan Lakic from Wolfsburg. This would be an inspired signing for the attack, with a player that has proven his worth in the past with Kaiserslautern, even though Felix Magath never gave him a chance in Wolfsburg. Stuttgart’s greatest liability is on the bench in the form of manager Bruno Labbadia. Though he did an outstanding job in rescuing what was left of Stuttgart’s season last year, he does not have the track record to push highly talented teams beyond mediocre and inconsistent play. That being said, the talent is too good for Stuttgart not to at least contend for a top-six finish.

Hoffenheim, Cologne and Berlin are teams of inconsistency and potential turmoil. These clubs could either stay right where they are or make a disastrous run for relegation. Hoffenheim is the least likely to fall, but manager Stanislawski seems to be losing his St. Pauli magic and his team is reflecting his uncertainties by delivering too many uninspired performances for a squad full of talent.

Cologne and Berlin, though filled with young talent, as well as relegation battle veterans have off-the-pitch issues to worry about derailing their seasons. The transfer saga surrounding Cologne’s star Lukas Podolski will likely drag on through the rest of the season and could pose a major distraction for both club and player. The sooner this gets resolved, the better for all parties. Hertha Berlin have dealt with their soap opera involving the unseemly departure of Markus Babbel. All will now hinge upon the new manager’s (Michael Skibbe) ability to not sink the ship, like he managed in previous stints at Frankfurt and Leverkusen. In all likelihood, both Cologne and Berlin will be fighting off relegation for the rest of the season, but I doubt that even Skibbe will be able to drive Hertha back into the second division.

Following this group in the table are two clubs that I predict will finish much higher than their current positions; VfL Wolfsburg and Hamburg SV. Felix Magath, the king of transfers, is already adding (and subtracting) to his squad. This go-around though, he is adding more talent and lesser known commodities rather than just big name stars. His best signing (talent wise) has got to be 19-year-old Swiss left-back Ricardo Rodriguez from FC Zurich. If Magath can will his talent laden squad to actually play up to their potential and deliver better results than in the first half of the season, Wolfsburg should begin to overtake the clubs currently still positioned above them and make a push for the European spots.

Hamburg, after a disastrous start to the season seem to have steadied the ship. New manager Thorsten Fink came from Basel and instilled tactics and confidence in a side far too talented to be facing relegation. Bit by bit the team came together and began accumulating positive results and more importantly, points. Given a full training camp and more time with his squad, Hamburg fans should be confident that Fink will have their team well out of the relegation battle soon enough. Top-six might be too much to ask for, but finishing the season in the top half of the table should be in the cards.

Mainz and Nuremburg will be battling for survival for the rest of the season. Mainz probably has the best shot to stay up, but the antics of manager Thomas Tuchel are starting to wear thin and he is not getting the same results out of his players as he did last season. Granted, he does not have Holtby, Fuchs or Schürrle this year, but this season’s biggest disappointment team still has a strong core of players. Tuchel needs to find the right recipe fast; otherwise Mainz will be in a dog fight for survival. Nuremburg too has lost many key players from their surprise squad of last season. The big question is whether Dieter Hecking can save another Nuremburg season as he did in 2010, and I have my doubts. Down the stretch, when things were very tough at Hannover and Aachen, Hecking could not survive. This time though he has much more talent at his disposal. Nuremburg will be in survival mode for the rest of the season, but should narrowly escape the drop, especially if they can achieve results like the 3:0 win against Leverkusen.

The bottom three you see now (Kaiserslautern, Augsburg, and Freiburg) will most likely be there after the last match day. None of these clubs have the resources to truly bolster their squads in the transfer window and due to a lack of strong overall talent none of these teams should be able to pull off the same miracle Mönchengladbach did last season. Kaiserslautern just always seem to find a way to lose matches, Augsburg are content with their tour of top flight stadiums and Freiburg is in complete disarray. Having sacked their manager, ostracized many of their players and sporting the worst defense in the league, Freiburg is almost certain to finish the season in an automatic relegation spot. Their only glimmer of hope is striker Papiss Demba Cisse. But the Senegalese star is off to the Africa Cup of Nations and also does not want to be in Freiburg much longer, which will once again pose a certain distraction.

When I first started watching football as a child in the mid-1980’s FC Cologne (1. FC Köln) was one of the traditional powerful clubs of the Bundesliga. Cologne was the first champion of the Bundesliga in 1963/64 and in 1978 won the “double,” which to this day is the pinnacle of success in the Rhein city. During the first three decades of the Bundesliga, Cologne produced many of the best German football stars. Stars that included the likes of Wolfgang Overath, Toni Schumacher, Bodo Illgner, Bernd Schuster, Pierre Littbarski, and Thomas Häßler, all of which won World- and/or European Cups with Germany.

 Following this tradition, Cologne produced its greatest star of the modern era; a Polish born speedster with a canon for a left foot named Lukas Podolski. Back in 2003, during a season that saw Cologne relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga, the then 18 year-old Podolski made his first team debut. Less than three years later he was named “Best Young Player” during the 2006 World Cup and transferred to Bayern Munich. His three seasons at Bayern were a tortuous affair for the young star who, despite great performances for Germany, rarely saw first team action for the Bavarians. So when the prodigal son, affectionately known as “Prince Poldi” returned to Cologne in 2009 for the sum of around 10 million Euros, the euphoria was great and so were the expectations. Equally great was the disappointment when the team and the Prince sputtered during his first season back, largely due to a cast of teammates far below his quality standards and a manager, Zvonimir Soldo who never really had much of a plan. The following season went better, but Cologne still was not producing the quality of football that the fans expected. During this season, where Podolski was named captain, the Prince expressed his frustration with the club and the fact that management had led him astray with false promises of squad investments to both compliment his quality and achieve past club success.

After a rocky start to this season, where another new manager, Stale Solbakken, controversially removed the captaincy from him to free up his play, Lukas Podolski has proven what a vital asset he truly is. Cologne currently sits in 10th spot and Podolski has been involved in 19 of the clubs 27 goals, scoring 14 of them himself. With regular center forward Milivoje Novakovic out injured since match day 8, even more of the team’s fortunes rest on Podolski’s shoulders. Prior to Novakovic’s injury, Podolski was mainly playing behind the lone striker and had scored 4 goals and given 4 of his 5 assists. Since becoming the main target he has been on a tear, scoring 10 goals in 9 matches. Lukas Podolski truly is the main reason why Cologne is not in the heat of the relegation debate at this time.

The dilemma facing Cologne and Podolski is not the here and now, but rather what to do this next summer. The star’s contract ends in 2013 and with the club’s financial constraints they cannot afford to keep Podolski unless he is willing to take less money. Therefore, before letting him go on a free transfer selling him after this season might be there only shot at getting a good transfer fee for him. Some rumors have him moving on this January, but that seems highly unlikely since Cologne desperately need him to have a chance of steering clear of relegation and finding a few adequate replacements in January is more than difficult. The question many people are asking is where he might go. Out of the Bundesliga, Schalke has expressed some interest in the attacker. There is also strong interest coming out of Italy from the likes of Lazio and AC Milan, as well as from Russia and Turkey. I personally think Podolski would also be a great fit in England, thanks to his pace, rocket shot and physical toughness.

The greatest hope most Cologne supporters have is that Podolski will elect to take less money and stay at the Rhein club. Though nobody can be sure that he will take this route, there are some grounds for hope. Podolski is a player that thrives in atmospheres where the manager and fans believe in- and support him. He is not the same 21 year-old that made the money move to Bayern. That bad experience helped him mature and prioritize his life, a big reason why he chose to come back to his beloved, yet struggling Cologne. Moving to another mega-club where he would be one among many stars might not seem as lucrative, regardless of money, when he can stay where his heart is and where he is adored as “Prince Poldi.” Cologne undoubtedly need him and if they wish to resign their Prince, they need to show some investments in other quality players. This would be the only way that Podolski might entertain taking less money, but achieving success and happiness both on and off the pitch.

Well it’s happened again. Not even a full season back in top flight football and the “old dame” Hertha has been embroiled in a soap opera of daytime TV proportions, where nobody ends up looking good. Manager Markus Babbel and Sport Director Michael Preetz were entangled in a war of words where one was trying to paint the other as a liar and claiming who did or did not say what, when. Markus Babbel, for reasons known only to him, did not want to extend his contract and the club did not want to continue with a manager that was not committed to them in the long run. What could have been resolved quietly and without both parties acting like petulant children, instead exploded into a battle fought in the media. So what was the end result? Hertha ousted Babbel after the 17th match day, but before the cup match against Kaiserslautern. Not allowing Markus Babbel the dignity of at least managing the cup match smacked of vindictiveness and immaturity. A quiet parting of the ways during the current winter break would have been the more elegant solution. Luckily for Hertha, they beat up on a lowly Kaiserslautern team, winning 3-1 and moving on to the quarterfinals where they get to tussle with Marco Reus and Borussia Mönchengladbach.

So what is next? As with any messy divorce, those left paying the price are the innocent bystanders, or in this case the fans and the team. Not only has the club been largely ridiculed in the German press and in talk shows, since Markus Babbel is generally quite well liked, they have decided to bring on a new manager who is anything but a top candidate for any serious Bundesliga club these days; or so I thought. The knight in shining armor is none less than Michael Skibbe, returning from what can only be described as football exile. After famously leading a safely positioned Eintracht Frankfurt team from 7^th in the table at the winter break (with 6 points more than Hertha have now) to an unprecedented negative streak that saw 2 points out of 8 matches and only 1 goal scored. How did that nightmare end? Well, Skibbe got sacked and Frankfurt was relegated. After that disaster, the great hope for Hertha has spent the last few months as the manager for Turkish side Eskisehirspor, a team that reportedly has had issues paying its staff and players on a regular basis.

Michael Skibbe has been a mediocre manager at best, with poor leadership and motivational skills, despite a good tactical background. As a young manager he failed at Borussia Dortmund, was part of the coaching staff for the disastrous Germany squad during Euro 2004 and had no true success with a loaded Bayer Leverkusen squad either, missing both the Champions League and Uefa Cup places after a horrible second round of matches following the winter break. His biggest success; he won the Turkish Super Cup with Galatasaray, but was later sacked due to not qualifying for the Champions League.

If I were a Hertha Berlin supporter I would be very worried. Not only have 1 ½ years of hard rebuilding work been tarnished and a popular manager given an unceremonious exit, but his replacement cannot instill any sort of confidence in squad or fans. In fact, the latest troubling occurrence is that Markus Babbel’s assistant, Rainer Widmayer, has no interest in staying at the club, but will instead wait for Babbel to receive a new job and work for him then. This raises the greater and much more troubling question that has to be asked: What is wrong at Hertha? What has driven a popular young manager and his assistant to prefer temporary unemployment over continuing the good work they had started in the German capitol?

Hertha is the biggest football show in town. Union Berlin is in the 2^nd Bundesliga and most likely won’t see top flight football anytime soon. With success, Markus Babbel could have been the talk of the town, especially after working together with the not so easy to work with Preetz in rebuilding the club’s fan base and local reputation. Despite some financial constraints from being in second tier football for a season, the club’s infrastructure is decent and the relatively young squad has plenty of potential and talent. Part of the reason for Markus Babbel’s unwillingness to extend his contract is the fact that he never truly felt at home in Berlin, travelling back to Munich every week he could, to spend time with his family. Fact is that club hero, Michael Preetz is known to be a bit difficult, which certainly grated on Babbel. Another downside is the fact that the club, tight on cash, seems to not be in a position to make many higher priced investments in the squad and instead had to settle for raw talents and cast-offs, e.g. Thomas Kraft, Tunay Torun, Andreas Ottl, etc.

At the end of the day though, only Markus Babbel himself knows why he chose to leave what seemed like a good situation. Those closest to him and former teammates commented that it is in his nature to be completely honest and not want to stay in a hopeless situation where the future would not reflect his visions or expectations, because after all, Markus Babbel was a winner as a player coming from Bayern and certainly has the same drive and commitment to success as a manager. It is just a shame that it had to have such an acrimonious ending in Berlin for him.

With a new year upon them, Hertha BSC Berlin is looking into an uncertain future. Will a young squad work through the drama and prove resilient? Possibly. Will the new manager inspire them to end the season well clear of the relegation zone? Unlikely. Will more drama and frustration haunt the supporters? Most certainly. All in all, Hertha Berlin is back to its roots of drama, instability and frustration. The good thing is that Hertha has a few weeks to get used to a new manager, who can hopefully prepare them for a turbulent second half of the season.