TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

Is a PERFECT example of what can happen if Saints get a decent financial backer:

 

They are top of the Bundesliga, they very only just lost to Bayern Munich last night 2-1 and their squads age range is 17-23 with mostly players they have brought through themselves.

Edited 6 December, 2008 by Thorpe-le-Saint

[Colinjb]

Yes, If we can get a decent backer.

 

Also worth mentioning that club football in Germany is not of the same strength as football over here. (It is however still of a very good standard.)

[Guided Missile]

I was thinking the same, when I read this.

 

I particularly liked this part:

 

"He is treating the club as if it were a start-up company. The management group is in place and a decision has been taken not to hire any player over the age of 25. Mr Hopp’s scouts are already picking up bargains – their Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo cost €100,000, less than some Bundesliga players pay for their cars."

 

I hate SAP software, though, where the €100M came from, that Hopp has invested in the team...

[Colinjb]

I was thinking the same, when I read this.

 

I particularly liked this part:

 

"He is treating the club as if it were a start-up company. The management group is in place and a decision has been taken not to hire any player over the age of 25. Mr Hopp’s scouts are already picking up bargains – their Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo cost €100,000, less than some Bundesliga players pay for their cars."

 

I hate SAP software, though, where the €100M came from, that Hopp has invested in the team...

 

Ugh, same here.

 

'Suspend All Production.'

[St Landrew]

Can't help but love stories like http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article5295451.ece provided by GM.

The established hierarchy of football can't accommodate clubs like this one. At some point this story will undoubtedly turn sour and boring normality will be restored. Then the Bayer Leverkusen's and Bayern Munich's of the this world can go back to sleep, secure in the knowledge that nobody is rocking the boat anymore.

 

We could seriously do with more of those over here. Both Cities, Hull and Stoke are doing a grand job, but are hardly setting the football world alight, quality wise. There's is a football style which is fundamentally Championship in style, with a sprinkling of Premiership. But we could do with another Arsenal. A total football style sweeping all before it. When it works, it's just the best thing in the world to watch. It's like snippets of that 4-0 pummeling of Spuds, but all the time. So why not Saints..? We do have the setup. In fact, we can't really do anything else now.

[theyin]

Did anyone, not the committed of course, they'd be on their way to the game, see the feature on FF about TSG 1899 Hoffenheim yesterday? Very enlightening. How did we miss out on Brazilian's for £100,000?

Isn't someone out there able to fund a winter trip to Southern Germany for a training match/friendly to transfer some winning mentality from their lads to ours?

I've tried to see if JP or MW have any connections career wise with their coach Ralf Rangnick to no avail, but they're all around the same age so you never know. Can't someone suggest this within the club?

[Colinjb]

How did we miss out on Brazilian's for £100,000

 

Work permit regulations, thats how.

[SW5 SAINT]

Yes, If we can get a decent backer.

 

Also worth mentioning that club football in Germany is not of the same strength as football over here. (It is however still of a very good standard.)

 

In other words it hasn't been ruined by the something similar to the Premier League being set up!

[wiltshiresaint]

It's not just money. Hoffenheim play a completely different style of football to anyone else in the Bundesliga - no patient build-up play, just all out attack, and the other teams have no idea how to deal with it.