German football and the battle for it's soul

Epps, you did not swear in German..!!

Sie hätten also St. Pauli anstelle Ihres geliebten und gefährlich nahe am Abstieg Union..?

To be clear - not third from bottom, but in the bottom third... They were on SkySports Mix Wednesday. Bloody awful 1st half against Koln. Rallied a little in the 2nd half and took their 2 chances well. Koln looked absolutely clueless.
Union are re-developing the Stadion An der Alten Försterei next season. Capacity should rise from 22,000 to 37,500. Not clear how much of the additional will be seats - I would imagine not much! They'll be playing at the Olympiastadion that season - so tickets will be available for all league games. Flights to Berlin cheaper than getting the train to Bristol...

Union Berlin fans throw chocolate coins in Bundesliga investor protest..by Samuel Draper For Mailonline..

Union Berlin supporters vented their frustration over Bundesliga's financial plans by throwing chocolate coins and tennis balls on the pitch during their away game in Bochum.

However, Bochum striker Takuma Asano saw the funny side of the protest, and elected to eat one of the chocolate coins - before scoring his side's opening goal in first half stoppage time.

Union Berlin went on to lose the game 3-0, suffering back-to-back defeats after Tuesday's Champions League loss to Real Madrid.
In his post-match interview to Sky Germany, Asano revealed: 'I saw the chocolate and ate it. The chooclate energised me, so it was a good decision.'

The German Football League (DFL) has decided to allow a private equity investor for the next 20 years, an issue that had sparked backlash from fans of Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs.

The DFL insisted they were looking to boost its business model and international marketing with the €1bn (£859.6m) income, with the investor having no say in sporting matters - but there were still protests across the country, including at Bochum, with their fans displaying a banner hitting out at the league's plan.

Union Berlin fans threw tennis balls and chocolate coins on the pitch, briefly interrupting the game in the 12th minute while the game was still goalless - but Asano took it in his stride, with footage of him picking one of the sweet treats up off the grass, before unwrapping it and eating it.

Asano, 29, proceeded to score the game's first goal five minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Goncalo Paciencia and a Kevin Stoger penalty ensured that Bochum ran out 3-0 winners, moving them to 13th in the Bundesliga table, while Union Berlin sit 16th.

Stoger credited the whole team post-match for their creditable play, but on the subject of the chocolate coins, added: 'I definitely would have had one too if it brought me good luck.'

Union Berlin were joined in their protests by the Bochum fans, who also displayed a banner hitting out at the Bundesliga for their plan.

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Eintracht Frankfurt are close to agreeing a loan deal with Wolves for 26-year-old Austria striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

Donny van de Beek: Manchester United midfielder completes Eintracht Frankfurt loan deal..By Simon Stone, BBC Sport.

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Donny van de Beek won the Eredivisie with Ajax in the 2018-19 season

Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek has completed his loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 26-year-old will join the Bundesliga side for the rest of the season, with an option to turn the transfer into a permanent deal.

Van de Beek has made just six Premier League starts for United since signing from Ajax for £35m in September 2020.

Manager Erik ten Hag said recently the Netherlands international needed a move to revive his career.

It is understood Eintracht will pay United a loan fee and are covering the majority of his wages.

Should they want to make the deal permanent, the fee is set at 11m euros (£9.5m), with an additional 3m euros (£2.6m) in add-ons.

Van de Beek has made 62 appearances for United across all competitions, scoring twice.

He had a loan spell at Everton in 2022 before returning to United, and missed the second half of last season with a serious knee injury.

Eintracht are sixth in the German Bundesliga table, nine points off the top four, and are in the Europa Conference League play-offs.

The Bundesliga is on its winter break and Eintracht's next match is at RB Leipzig on 13th January.

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Sasa Kalajdzic: Wolves striker joins Eintracht Frankfurt on loan..

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Kalajdzic has scored winners for Wolves against Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League this season

Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic has joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season.

The Midlands club signed the Austria international for £15m from Stuttgart in August 2022 but he suffered a serious knee injury on his debut.

The 26-year-old returned this season and has scored three goals in 13 outings, which included three starts.

"Sasa has been incredibly unlucky," Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs told the Premier League club's website.

"He got injured on his debut having come back from a bad injury. He worked hard to get back fit, but the form of our forwards has meant his game time has been limited.

"After the best part of two years out injured, the best thing for Sasa and us long-term is for him to go and get lots of football, in a league he knows well and one which is similar to the Premier League in terms of physicality and style of play.

"Sasa has shown he's a natural finisher, but after his injuries, he needs to trust his body again. I hope he goes there and does really well, plays lots of games, and is able to help us next season."

Ian Maatsen: Chelsea defender agrees loan transfer to Borussia Dortmund..By Alex Howell, BBC Sport.

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Ian Maatsen made 42 appearances on loan at Burnley last season, helping the club win the Championship title

Chelsea full-back Ian Maatsen has agreed to join Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old will sign a contract extension with Chelsea before linking up with the Bundesliga club.

The deal does not include an option for Dortmund to make the deal permanent.

The Blues are likely to be open to selling the 21-year-old in the summer as they look to comply with Financial Fair Play rules after heavy investment in the past three transfer windows.

Chelsea accepted a £31.5m bid from Burnley for Maatsen last summer, but he did not want to make the move.

The Netherlands Under-21s defender has made just three starts this season, with a further 12 appearances from the bench.

During a loan stint at Burnley last season, Maatsen played an important role in the Clarets winning the Championship and was named in the league's team of the season.

Chelsea are open to signing a striker in this window but are unlikely to spend the money it would take to bring in Victor Osimhen from Napoli or Brentford's Ivan Toney.

Former England striker Gary Lineker said on X, formerly known as Twitter: Very sorry to hear that Franz Beckenbauer has died. One of the absolute greats of our game. Der Kaiser was the most beautiful of footballers who won it all with grace and charm. RIP.

Rudi Voller, director of the senior Germany national team has said: "I am incredibly sad, the news of his death affects me very much.
"I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer.
"Our time together with the national team were crowned with the 1990 World Cup title in Rome, a title that would never have been possible without his outstanding coaching performance.
"The 'Kaiser' was an inspiration for more than one generation, he will forever remain the shining light of German football.
"With Franz Beckenbauer, German football is losing its greatest personality, I am losing a good friend."

Bundesliga, the national league in Germany, said on X, formerly known as Twitter: The Bundesliga family is devastated to learn of the death of Franz Beckenbauer. A true icon, then, now, and always. RIP, Der Kaiser.

Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Borussia Dortmund mourns the loss of a great German footballer. Rest in peace, Franz Beckenbauer. 'The Emperor' will forever be remembered. Our thoughts are with his family and all relatives."

Sir Kenny Dalglish on X, formerly known as Twitter: "It fills me with deep sadness to hear about the passing of Franz Beckenbauer, a true icon of the game. It was a privilege to share one of my proudest moments with him when he presented my 100th cap for Scotland. My thoughts are with him and his family at this time. RIP Der Kaiser."

Bayern Munich, where Franz Beckenbauer spent 14 years as a player and had two spells as manager, have shared the following statement:
The world of FC Bayern is no longer what it used to be - suddenly darker, quieter, poorer: The German record champions mourn Franz Beckenbauer, the unique "Emperor", without whom FC Bayern would never have become the club it was and today is.
Franz Beckenbauer died yesterday, Sunday, at the age of 78, surrounded by his family in Salzburg.
FC Bayern stands in mourning alongside his relatives, friends and companions, especially his wife Heidi and his children Thomas, Michael, Joel Maximilian and Francesca Antonie.

Honorary president of Bayern Munich and former team-mate Uli Hoeness said: “Franz Beckenbauer is the greatest personality FC Bayern has ever had. As a player, coach, president, person: unforgettable. Nobody will ever reach him. People can say they saw football in Franz Beckenbauer's time. He was a friend to me, a unique companion - and a gift to all of us. Dear Franz, rest in peace!”

Former Bayern Munich chief executive and team-mate Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: “I am deeply shocked. Franz Beckenbauer rewrote the history of German football and left a lasting impact on it. He was my captain at FC Bayern, my coach at the national team, our president at Bayern and in all of these roles he was not only successful but unique. As a personality, he impressed with his great respect for all people - because everyone was equal before Franz. German football is losing the greatest personality in its history. We will miss him more than painfully. Thank you for everything, dear Franz!"

Bayern Munich chief executive: "This is one of the saddest days since this club was founded. The story of FC Bayern and German football cannot be told without Franz Beckenbauer. We mourn the loss of one of the great personalities of this country. His influence on FC Bayern was unprecedented. Whether as a player, coach or president - Franz Beckenbauer was unsurpassed in everything. He will forever be remembered and in our hearts as the only 'Emperor' of German football.”

Franz Beckenbauer's former New York Cosmos team-mate Dennis Tueart: "It was a pioneering job. He followed Pele. He used to love walking around New York and be Franz the person. He was the first one who really worked on the possession game.
"You see the rondo, when we first went into New York Cosmos, we did that and my word, could he pass a ball. He played midfield for us and he had more room on the ball. To have him with more time on the ball, I made a run and I knew I would always get the ball."
"I would put him in the top 10. He invented playing out from the back and he did it naturally. You talk about all this reinvention of the tactics, he started it."

Franz Beckenbauer: Bayern Munich light up Allianz Arena in honour of German legend..

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Bayern Munich have lit up their Allianz Arena stadium in honour of Franz Beckenbauer.

The German legend, who was nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', passed away aged 78 on Sunday.

Beckenbauer won four league titles with Bayern and was captain when the German giants won the European Cup in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

"Thank you for everything, Franz Beckenbauer," said Bayern in a statement.

"In memory of the 'Kaiser', the Allianz Arena will light up with the words 'Thank you Franz' in the evening hours of 16:30 to 22:00 CET over the coming days.

"To finish, the special illumination will also be seen from 16:30 to 00:30 on Friday night, during FC Bayern's home match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

"FC Bayern is mourning the loss of Franz Beckenbauer."

The Germany great, primarily a defender, played 582 times for Bayern Munich and, in two managerial stints at the club, helped them win the Bundesliga title in 1994 and Uefa Cup two years later.

He was also the club's president from 1994 to 2009.