TSG Hoffenheim

[storysham]

I had never heard of this team until today on Football Focus even though they are top of the Bundesliga. Just about got beaten by Bayern last night.
Amazing story.

Link to the Football Focus piece http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7768679.stm

[Eoin]

yeah, saw that alright. Fair play to them. 7 promotions in 17 years or something like that.

[ebenezer]

I had never heard of this team until today on Football Focus even though they are top of the Bundesliga. Just about got beaten by Bayern last night.
Amazing story.

Link to the Football Focus piece http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7768679.stm

No such thing.

--------------

I could be wrong, but the amount of times Bayern have come from behind to win this season is very good.

P.S. Bayern will win the Champions League this season.

[afeencalleddan]

They played some good stuff last night, weren't afraid of Bayern at all. Ibisevic is their biggest revelation so far - 17 goals in 16 games I think plus plenty of assists too. They have other players who contribute too though - Obasi, Ba, Salihovic and a South American chap in the middle of the field (can't remember his name). The omens are good seeing as they're still right up there after 16 games and played so well away to Bayern. They have a great chance of a champions league place if they can keep going.

[rockyoc]

Carlos Alberto or something isn't it?

Easy when you have a Sugar Daddy backing you.

[afeencalleddan]

Easy when you have a Sugar Daddy backing you.That's why they went out and bought players from the likes of Alemannia Aachen so, is it?

[rockyoc]

They had the money to buy the players good enough for their level. No point in them trying to sign Ronaldinho in the German 2nd division.

I'm not slagging them, fair do's for what they've done!

[afeencalleddan]

They had the money to buy the players good enough for their level. No point in them trying to sign Ronaldinho in the German 2nd division.

I'm not slagging them, fair do's for what they've done!That's the whole point though. Ibisevic was nothing special in 2.Bundesliga last season and now he's a revelation. It's not like they ditched these guys and threw money at bigger names.

[rockyoc]

yer true. I'm not an expert on them by any means. I guess the manager knew what he would need and built his team accordingly.

[afeencalleddan]

I'm not an expert on them by any means.Neither am I, I just know where to find the relevant information. Ibisevic went from 5 goals and 2 assists in 31 games last season to 18 goals and 7 assists in 16 games at a higher level this season. That's got to be down to good coaching and management, or maybe he needs a visit from the drug testers.

[raZor]

Buddy of mine is big into the German league was teliing me about them at the start of the season. The lads behind SAP are responsible for this as well.

[ho chi feen]

Always with the SAP, eh Razor? ;)

[doppellanger]

German football is pretty much in the doldrums these days, though.

It shows up the lack of quality in the Bundesliga that a team just promoted can be challenging for the top spot.

They (German clubs) don't have the big money that other European clubs have and they don't look really competitive in Europe.

Aside from Ballack, there are basically no Germans footballing abroad. I find this a bit surprising because Germany has something like 3million registered footballers (including myself, admittedly).

And the national side is being wracked by a squabble between Ballack and Löw.

[xvis]

ANVIL has never heard of them.

...he wouldn't want them in the CL next year.


Do they even have an international airport?

[afeencalleddan]

ANVIL has never heard of them.

...he wouldn't want them in the CL next year.


Do they even have an international airport?It would be meltdown point if they got drawn in the same group as Villarreal and Cluj.

[xvis]

It would be meltdown point if they got drawn in the same group as Villarreal and Cluj.

Total car crash.

..And what the fock are the Green Bay Packers doing in the NFL? by the same logic ...


**

I suppose you had a piece of Sunderland yesterday at 22's?

[afeencalleddan]

I suppose you had a piece of Sunderland yesterday at 22's?Nah, I was out for dinner. I don't like having bets on live games when I can't manage my position in-play. Wouldn't have backed them anyway. I'm not really crazy about betting on games involving the top Premier League teams although there was quite a bit of money to be made out of Arsenal games recently. If you've been backing the outsider blind in Arsenal games this season you'd be laughing. Easy to say that in hindsight though.

[STEVIEG]

Pity they couldn't beat Bayern the other night they are having a great season

[KD Langer]

Nah, I was out for dinner. I don't like having bets on live games when I can't manage my position in-play. Wouldn't have backed them anyway. I'm not really crazy about betting on games involving the top Premier League teams although there was quite a bit of money to be made out of Arsenal games recently. If you've been backing the outsider blind in Arsenal games this season you'd be laughing. Easy to say that in hindsight though.


yes you would and i believe you still will be come the end of the season.villa were 7/1 a few weeks back. crazy price for such a good team. i'd back them at that against any team, never mind one as inconsistent as arsenal.

[raZor]

Always with the SAP, eh Razor? ;)

Can't get away from it I tells ya!

[parrotbait]

How does any self-respecting football fan not have heard about Hoffenheim? They've been big news in Germany for a few years now, listen to Raphel Hogenstein or read his articles in the Guardian and you'll have heard about them

[ho chi feen]

Yup, Honigstein's been telling all since the season kicked off.

I like the idea- local boy done well sells his stock, buys local club. Takes them up the divisions, spends money but in a way geared to lay the foundations for future success- scouting, coaching, etc.

Will be interesting to see how they go over the next few years.

[shamoverhere]

Always with the SAP, eh Razor? ;)

the man speaks the truth, it was the SAP cash that gave them the financial clout to go so far. And that's grand. I watch the bundesliga here with a german buddy of mine from time to time and was a Frankfurt fan during my years in Deutschland. We've been admiring their rise.

Fair fucks to them. Anyone but 'Scheisse Bayern'

[Rebelred]

good article on them in todays Independent.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/the-village-people-1582463.html

[ho chi feen]

good article on them in todays Independent.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/the-village-people-1582463.html

"Does Rangnick believe the ownership structure stops German success in the Champions League? Seven years have passed since the trophy was claimed by Bayern Munich, who are in the UEFA Cup this season."

I'm NEGGING Lawton for that.

[STEVIEG]

Oh dear, The SFI's favourite journalist of last week should really have done his research on that one

Good article though

[Redshirter]

I heard that all their players are under 25 years of age or they sign nodody over 25 years of age true or false

[Philby]

Not strictly true but in the article above they give a bit of an insight into their transfer policy


The average age of the first team is under 23.


After the promotion to league two, we said, 'Now we completely concentrate on the younger ones'. We only looked for players aged between 17 and 23. The oldest we've signed in the last three years was Per Nilsson (a Swedish defender). He was 24. All the others we signed were 19, 20, 21."

[afeencalleddan]

Oh dear, Ibisevic is out for the rest of the season with torn ligaments. There may be a dose of reality after the winter break.

[SenorCarlsberg]

I heard that all their players are under 25 years of age or they sign nodody over 25 years of age true or false

That was always my strategy in Championship Manager (RIP as we know it) back in the day.

Oh dear, Ibisevic is out for the rest of the season with torn ligaments. There may be a dose of reality after the winter break.

Yep, proper fucked. Hopefully the SAP lads will stump up a few more million to bring in a replacement