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Bundesliga Focus - 2010/2011 Season Preview - The hare and the tortoise race
German football and all those that are affiliated with it are determined to bring some pride back to Deutschland. The World Cup showed us all, once again, that the Germans can never be counted out of the race. Die Mannschaft started their campaign in South Africa well with many tipping them to claim their fourth World Cup but suffered a disappointing defeat to Spain. The 2009/10 Bundesliga season mirrored the national team’s unpredictable journey through South Africa. Sturdy resolve and a focused approach remains the premise of German football; Bayern Munich started 2009/10 erratically and Schalke 04 mounted a serious assault on the title putting the fear into München. The Bavarians, like the national team, suffered some shock defeats but managed to restore pride, ending the season five points clear of Felix Magath’s Schalke, winning the League and Cup double. Louis van Gaal’s side may have claimed the double somewhat comfortably at the end, but the race was enthralling and for the most part hard to predict.
August 20 is the kick off of the new season but the real brilliance of the stars that come out to play will arguably not be seen till further into the season if high profile players are feeling the effects of the World Cup. Bayern Munich are arguably the most hampered by injury with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben sidelined – Ribery still recovering from a groin operation remains hopeful of returning in time to face Steve McClaren’s Wolfsburg. Worse still is the injury to World Cup runner up and last year’s Bundesliga player of the season Arjen Robben. The Dutch winger has arguably taken over Ribery’s mantle as Munich’s talisman and faces at least two months on the injury table with a torn thigh muscle.
Of course all teams would love to get off to a flying start and put the hardest games behind them early. The 2010/11 season looks to have three to four key contenders; this writer identifies Bayern, Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg as the major players. The opening day sees defending champions Bayern welcome 2009 Champions Wolfsburg to the Allianz Arena. Former defending champions Wolfsburg finished poorly last season as problems with coaching led to a downward spiral where they landed a meagre 8th. Despite this, the appointment of near-English effigy Steve McClaren could lead to Die Wölfe being a resurgent force. The prospect of Wolfsburg landing the title depends heavily on the management of McClaren and his ability to keep the star players at the club. So far the Lower Saxony outfit have managed to retain Grafite and Zvjezdan Misimović, but the key issue remains Edin Džeko. McClaren should be doing all he can to keep the superb Bosnian if he is serious about ascending the Bundesliga table.
Despite the speculation about well travelled Felix Magath finding a new club, the decorated coach has remained at Schalke and has snapped up Spanish legend Raul, hoping the former Real Madrid great can help him land the league title for the first time in 53 years. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Jurgen Klopp revolution continues with Borussia Dortmund, also on the rise, hoping to get off on the right foot and get firmly back into European competition, however, the injury to Mohamed Zidan threatens to hinder their start to the season.
Last season, the Bundesliga finished predictably with Munich sitting on top but not as easily as everyone had thought. The German titans reached the Champions League final and at least six German teams have reached the qualification stages of some European football competition this season. The revolution of German football began last year and was in touching distance, perhaps this season Die Bundesliga can swell and illustrate its full capability.
The opening clash at the Allianz Arena could be a glimpse of things to come in May. Whoever the competitors, the crippling injuries to Bayern Munich could see a few teams ahead of them by the time the ‘Robbery’ return to van Gaal’s plans. As Schalke and others look to topple München’s grip on the Bundesliga, the majority of Germany’s fans will be hoping more for a fairy tale rather than an Aesop’s fable. Schalke, Werder Bremen or any others could start their season better, but the Bundesliga could turn into another hare and tortoise race.
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