THE year 1974 really did belong to West Germany. Bayern Munich won their first European Cup and in the summer, the nation rejoiced as the World Cup was won. Suddenly, it was “cool” to be German and players like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and Uli Hoeneß were among Europe’s finest. Bayern were also crowned champions of the Bundesliga in 1973-74 and were just a couple … Continue reading Europe’s Champions: 1973-74 – Bayern Munich
IT’S part of popular football culture that Bayern Munich have always been the dominant force in German football. Certainly, Bayern is the country’s most high-profile club and undoubtedly the most successful football institution from the Bundesliga. In recent years, only Borussia Dortmund have challenged Bayern on a sustainable basis, but the first club to grapple with the slick Bavarians was a team from North-Rhine Westphalia, … Continue reading Great Reputations: Borussia Mönchengladbach 1974-77 – mythical rebels
A MAN wearing a VFB Leipzig hat and a Lokomotive scarf walked through the centre of town with just a little air of defiance. It was matchday at the Red Bull Arena and the bars and restaurants were gradually filling up with RB Leipzig fans grabbing a pre-match meal or beer. The Lokomotive fan was not interested in the pre-match build-up, however, for as far … Continue reading Leipzig contra mundum
THANKS to one Matthias Loffler, a Lokomotive Leipzig fan and co-author of a book telling the story of the club’s 50 years of existence, Game of the People was treated to a tour of an iconic stadium, which includes one of the oldest original wooden grandstands in Europe, if not the world. Game of the People will tell the story … Continue reading Picture Post: A morning at Lok
WE hear a lot about the democracy of German football and its user-friendly ticket policies, but not everywhere is it cheap to watch the game in the home of the world champions. I paid no less than EUR 18 to watch a game in Regionalliga Nordost, which is below the three division main structure of Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and Liga 3 – effectively non-league football … Continue reading I took U2 and found what I was looking for – floodlights and Dynamo
They do things properly in Germany, and that includes their national game. German football is on the brink of a new golden age. The national team is once more feared, the Bundesliga is thriving – average attendances 42,000-plus – and the top German clubs are doing well in Europe. Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Shalke are all poised to make waves in the Champions League last … Continue reading English football should learn from Germany and its democratic clubs
