 |
| Picture credit to the owner. |
Ok, ok, the title is a little over the top, but it got your attention. But if you're like me who scan through, spox, bundesliga and just about all the other team websites of our foreign based players, I couldn't help but notice a disturbing trend.
Has anyone noticed that most of our foreign Azkals teams are or on the opposite side of winning? No not mid table but on the shitty end of the stick? At first I thought it was just one or two teams but hell, its just about all of them!
Hopefully it isn't a curse, maybe a coincidence or just "things-that-look-like-coincidence-but-is-totally-random" after all I'm a fan of each and every player I write about.So here we go. You be the judge:
As of Aug 27 2012:
Roland Müller/MSV Duisburg/2.Bundesliga/Germany(2nd tier)
You want the good news or the bad news first? Ok bad news, yesterday after only three league games the team fired its coach and assistant coach! Want more bad news? After the last home game defeat against Dynamo Dresden fans rioted and tried to attack the team, if it weren't for the police! And yes it was a home game!
 |
| Yes that's Coach Oliver Reck leaving the team facilities |
As if that wasn't bad enough, the Zebras are 18th and last place in the league right now. Not good as they finished at least mid table last season. Want more bad news? If you're an Azkal fan unless it's a FIFA release date, you can kiss Roland goodbye. READ MORE ( HERE ).
But like everything there are two sides of the coin. The good news is:
Roland was just promoted to #2 goal keeper.
It is very early in the season for MSV Duisburg and it isn't impossible to fight back out of the hole they're in right now.
Felix Weidwald, the goal keeper ahead of Roland is one of the best in the 2.Bundesliga at least the team has solid foundation to start its rebuilding program.
Stephan Schröck/Hoffenheim/1.Bundesliga/Germany(1st tier)
It isn't really BAD for Hoffenheim or Stephan right now but a loss is a loss, and a loss is alway bad.
The bad news: The team lost its first game albeit against an always dangerous Borussia M'gladbach and Stephan was a forgotten player left on the bench.
it makes one think of all the Greuther Fürth players who played a day or two ago. They beat Schröck to the punch, while he waits his turn in Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim stand at 13th out of 18 teams with a 0-0-1 record.
The good news? It's only one game and Hoffenheim isn't going to win the 1.Bundesliga, but looking at their personnel on paper, the team should be finishing midtable again and good 'ol Schröcky will certainly get his chance to shine... but not yet.
Manny Ott/Ingolstadt II/Regionalliga Bayern/Germany(4th tier)
Ok bad news first: After 9 games the team is still on a slide down the rankings. They are at the 14th spot in the 20 team league and still falling.
Their record stands at 2-3-4 at the moment. From what I have seen, the team is just too inconsistent but on the verge. They alternate from win to draw with alarming regularity. Inevitably, if they cannot earn 3 points and rely on a draws one point, this will eventually further their decline in the rankings.
The good news? Manny Ott has played in 8 of the 9 games played so far. He's got a two year contract and it seems the team is happy to give him the chance to fight for an eventual senior roster spot. If not, there's alway Global FC!
FROM BAD TO WORSE!
Jerry Lucena/Esbjerg/Superliga/Denmark(1st tier)
Esbjerg is 7 games into the season after spending last year in tier two. They dominated there but are again the "small-fish-in-a-big-pond".
The team is in last place(12th) with no win to their credit. Their record is a paltry 0-3-4. Although on defense, they are quite competitive, on offense they are absolutely abysmal. They have only scored 5 goals, tied for worst in the league. The reason? They lost their top goal scorer through a transfer and did nothing but pick up journeymen players to replace him.
The good news? It's early in the season, with enough luck, pride and hard work, they should finally pick up a win and up the rankings too.
Jerry Lucena? He has played in 6 of the 7 games and continues to provide veteran leadership to the team. He is a lock in the center midfield position. READ MORE ( HERE ).
Ray Jónsson/Grindavík/Úrvalsdeild/Iceland(1st tier)
If there is such a thing as an Azkals curse, Ray Jónsson's Grindavík has got it and got it bad! Its a hair width away for Grindavík to see 2nd tier. They are dead last in the league with a 2-4-11 record. Time is short and only a miracle can help them now. READ MORE ( HERE ).
The good news? Well, it more personal in nature. Ray Jónsson has seen a resurgence in Grindavík. Despite his age, he remains an important cog in the team. In 17 league games, he has played in 16.
Dennis Cagara/Karlsruher SC/3.Liga/Germany(3rd tier)
The bad news? Lots. They have yet to win a game. Record stands at 0-4-2. The team roster is in a flux as the coaching staff are adding players left and right. READ MORE ( HERE ).
The good news? Few. Cagara has a two year contract and it's early in the season...
Neil Etheridge/Fulham/Premier League/England(1st tier)
It's the goal keeper situation. It's hard to speculate about Neil's position with Fulham. A few days ago there were rumors of another goal keeper that Fulham was interested in. So where does that put Neil if it works out? There are so many variables, that I won't even try to write down. But if you ask me loan him out because he isn't learning anything if he is not playing high level games.
Paul Mulders/ADO Den Haag/Eredivisie/The Netherlands(1st tier)
Out of all the teams here, Paul Mulders ADO Den Haag is the only one on the winning side. It's quite a pleasant surprise to see the team playing well and able to score goals unlike last year. In 3 league games they have scored a whopping 8 goals, a far cry from last years anemic offense. They are actually tied for 3rd in this regard. they have a record of 1-2-0 and is 7th in the 18 team league.
Not bad right? Well yes, and maybe. They've allowed 6 goals and that porrous defense will affect them sooner or later.
The worst part is more personal. Paul has not been in the game roster in all the past games. He isn't injured either. Last year Paul saw the pitch in 11 league games and this includes him being gone for the Azkal campaign in the Challenge Cup!
So thats it! Yes it's early in the season and i hope I'm totally wrong about some of our guy's teams but is it just coincidence that not one of these guys are on a winning team and if they are, they're stuck deep in the bench? I guess we wait and see.
No comments:
Post a Comment