Bayern Munich will now have to go to plan D after Ralf Rangnick rejected a chance to join the club. The German giants have been on the search for a new manager ever since they <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bayern-bizarrely-allows-tuchel-to-stay-with-club-for-season-20240221-WST-490840.html">announced</a> in February that Thomas Tuchel would leave at the end of the current campaign. Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann were both offered the job. Yet, the duo, like Rangnick, opted to resist joining the Bavarian side.



Rangnick will now remain with the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/austria-national-team-tv-schedule/">Austrian</a> national team and lead the squad into the 2024 Euros in Germany. “I am the Austrian team boss with all my heart,” the coach <a href="https://www.oefb.at/oefb/News/Ralf-Rangnick-bleibt-Teamchef-des-Nationalteams-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> on Tuesday. “I really enjoy this task and am determined to successfully continue on our chosen path.” 



Austria is playing a difficult group at Euro 2024 with France, the Netherlands and Poland. 



“I would like to expressly emphasize that this is not a rejection of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern</a>, but rather a decision for my team and our common goals. Our full concentration is on the European Championships. We will do everything we can to get as far as possible!”



While Rangnick claims that he has not “rejected” Bayern, it certainly seems to be the case. Club brass wanted the coach to join the team, but Rangnick <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bayern-changes-course-on-future-strategy-with-rangnick-links/">reportedly</a> wanted certain conditions to be met. This involved having a significant say in the team’s transfers. Bayern executives, however, reportedly take nearly full control of such business. As a result, Rangnick will remain in his current role with Austria.



<h2>Rangnick rejects Bayern, Tuchel U-turn unlikely</h2>



Rangnick’s decision throws yet another curveball to Bayern. Nevertheless, the club’s fan base will be relatively happy with the news. Fans of the club recently created a petition for Tuchel to remain in his current role. The <a href="https://www.change.org/p/wir-wollen-juppel-thomas-tuchel-und-keinen-rangnick" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protest</a>, called “We want Juppel (Thomas Tuchel) and not Rangnick” has over 18,700 signatures at the moment.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240502_WST_504657_Rangnick-Bayern-job-1200x670_f1d1a6c7.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-504695" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Rangnick-Bayern-job-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Rangnick-Bayern-job-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Rangnick-Bayern-job-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Rangnick-Bayern-job.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



While a large chunk of the fanbase wants to keep hold of Tuchel, a potential U-turn seems fairly unlikely. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a> also recently revealed that head coach Xavi would be departing the Spanish side at the end of the season. However, the manager has since reversed his position and will now remain with Barca for the 2024/25 campaign.



The Tuchel situation is a bit different though. Unlike Barca and Xavi, Bayern brass has publicly criticized their coach in recent weeks. Honorary Bayern president Uli Hoeness <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bayern-icon-hoeness-reinforces-criticism-of-thomas-tuchel/">recently lambasted</a> the team’s coach for his apparent inability to develop players. The executive also claimed that Tuchel does not create a positive environment for the young players in the squad. It is safe to say that Tuchel did not appreciate the remarks.



<h2>Hoeness relative may soon become latest coach linked with Bayern job</h2>



With Alonso, Nagelsmann, and now Rangnick all off of the board, Bayern will have to move on in their search for a new coach. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/brighton-tv-schedule-where-to-watch-the-seagulls/">Brighton</a>‘s Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with a potential move to the German side practically ever since February. Although the Italian is capable, Bayern brass overlooked making an official move for him. 



The snub could very well be down to Brighton’s drop in form over the last few months. The Seagulls have only managed to win two Premier League games since early February. 



Along with De Zerbi, Bayern could turn their attention to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/stuttgart-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Stuttgart</a> head coach Sebastian Hoeness. The former midfielder has done an exceptional job with the fellow <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> club and is the nephew of the aforementioned Bayern executive. Nevertheless, the coach recently extended his contract with Stuttgart in March. Hoeness fielded questions about the Bayern job on Thursday but <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1786022808205554132" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a> that “nothing has changed” on his end.



PHOTOS: IMAGO

Rangnick rejects Bayern as club continues search for new coach

Bayern Munich will now be forced to go to plan D in their managerial search after Ralf Rangnick rejects a chance to join the club.

Bayern Munich is willing to bend on its current transfer strategy to sign Ralf Rangnick. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> club has had a tough time in its search for a new manager. Bayern brass <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bayern-bizarrely-allows-tuchel-to-stay-with-club-for-season-20240221-WST-490840.html">announced</a> in February that current coach Thomas Tuchel would depart at the end of the current campaign. Since then, the Bavarians have been linked with a plethora of potential managers.



This wish list undoubtedly started with Xabi Alonso. The former midfielder, however, shocked many by committing his future to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayer-leverkusen-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Bayer Leverkusen</a>. Bayern then switched its attention to Julian Nagelsmann. Like Alonso, the highly rated coach opted to stay on with the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/germany-national-team-tv-schedule/">German</a> national team instead of rejoining the Bundesliga side.



While <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/brighton-tv-schedule-where-to-watch-the-seagulls/">Brighton</a>‘s Roberto De Zerbi has been listed as a top candidate to join <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern</a>, the club looks to have moved in a different direction with Rangnick. And it seems as if the Germans will accommodate the coach’s demands to finally grab a new manager.



<h2>Rangnick apparently wants major input in transfer Bayern Munich business</h2>



Rumors surfaced earlier in the week that Rangnick would only take the Bayern job if he has a significant say in their transfers. Coaches typically tend to have major input on potential player moves. This is not exactly the case, however, at the Bundesliga team. Bayern executives reportedly take near full control of the transfer business in the summer and January periods.



Rangnick himself hinted at this demand on Wednesday. The current coach of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/austria-national-team-tv-schedule/">Austria</a> national team revealed that Bayern contacted him about the job opening. He was then asked if a switch to the German club would be financially motivated. “No, that doesn’t matter to me at all,” <a href="https://theathletic.com/5441445/2024/04/24/ralf-rangnick-bayern-munich-austria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replied</a> Rangnick.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240425_WST_503469_Ralf-Rangnick-Austria-1200x670_3890ed7d.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-503497" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Ralf-Rangnick-Austria-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Ralf-Rangnick-Austria-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Ralf-Rangnick-Austria-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Ralf-Rangnick-Austria.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



“For me, it’s about other things: can I make a difference? Is there a chance of developing a team and being successful? That’s what drives me. When that no longer motivates me, it’s time to retire.”



Instead of a big payday, Rangnick wants to help bring the right players to Bayern and develop them. Bayern Munich executives Max Eberl and Christoph Freund have <a href="https://fcbinside.com/2024/04/25/mitspracherecht-bei-transfers-das-haben-die-bayern-rangnick-versprochen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a> given Rangnick their word that the coach’s recommendations will be heard if he joins Bayern.



<h2>German coach has eye for talent, but has zero trophies since 2011</h2>



Rangnick previously worked with several German teams including <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/schalke-04-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Schalke</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/hoffenheim-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Hoffenheim</a>, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/rb-leipzig-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states/">RB Leipzig</a>. However, his most recent job with a club before the Austria position was at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a>. The coach took over on an interim basis following the firing of Ole Gunnar Solskjær.



Rangnick’s time with the Red Devils will go down as forgettable, to say the least. The club ultimately finished sixth that season, the exact place they were when the German joined the team in December. United only managed to win 11 of 29 total matches with Rangnick in charge.



Nevertheless, the interim coach did make several quality transfer recommendations to United brass during his time with the club. <a href="https://www.givemesport.com/the-players-ralf-rangnick-recommended-to-manchester-united/#:~:text=Ralf%20Rangnick%20set%20up%20Man,as%20these%20players%20shine%20elsewhere." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This list</a> included <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City</a> duo Josko Gvardiol and Julian Alvarez, as well as Luis Diaz and Konrad Laimer. The Red Devils failed to take Rangnick’s advice for any of these moves.



Potentially hiring the Austria national team coach would still be fairly risky. Although his eye for talent is seemingly solid, his record as a manager is not very stellar. Rangnick’s last trophy came 13 years ago with Schalke. 



However, Bayern brass is <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1783201412656083041" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a> negotiating the final details with the coach regarding a contract. If the two sides agree to a deal, Rangnick could very well bring a Leipzig school of thought to Bayern.



PHOTOS: IMAGO

Bayern changes course on future strategy with Rangnick links

Bayern Munich is apparently willing to bend on their current transfer strategy in order to sign Ralf Rangnick as their new head coach.

Jesse Lingard is making his return to Old Trafford a bit more interesting, proclaiming Manchester United delivered ‘false promises’ during his time there. After spending over 20 years at <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a>, Lingard signed with Nottingham Forest after his contract expired with the Red Devils. Forest travel to Manchester to face United on Tuesday.



While it would be an emotional day for Lingard anyway, he has made some interesting comments about his former club. The midfielder suggested United gave him “false promises” during his last season in Manchester. Lingard made just 16 total <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> appearances last campaign for the Red Devils.



<h5>Player still doesn’t know why United prevented his chances</h5>



“I don’t know why I wasn’t playing, don’t know what the problem was, whether it was politics or whatever,” Lingard told <a href="https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/12/26/jesse-lingard-interview-dont-know-why-frozen-manchester-united2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Telegraph</a>. “I still haven’t got an answer to this day.” 



“I’d rather that someone out of respect for me being there that long told me ‘this is why you’re not playing’, but I never got that. It was false promises. I was training hard and I was sharp, I was ready to play them games. When you’re working hard in training and don’t play at the end of it, it’s very frustrating.”



These promises were made by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The former Manchester United manager supposedly gave Lingard assurances that he would be given ample playing time. Prior to the 2021/22 campaign, the midfielder completed a successful season on loan at West Ham. Lingard scored nine goals in just 16 Premier League appearances for the Hammers.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Jesse Lingard has accused Man United of making "false promises" to him ahead of his first return to Old Trafford since leaving last summer 👀 <a href="https:\/\/t.co/8KW32XqONJ">pic.twitter.com/8KW32XqONJ</a>— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/FootballJOE/status/1607677895077396483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https:\/\/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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“People wanted me to hit the ground running like I did at West Ham, but it’s not sometimes like that,” Lingard continued. “I didn’t have a proper preseason and had a problem with my Achilles as I was training on my own [before the move]. I was trying to get through games and not feeling 100 per cent, but I still wanted to fight for my team.”



<h2>Lingard suffers from false promises at United</h2>



Nevertheless, Solkjaer never gave Lingard a place in his starting XI that season. The Norwegian was fired in late November of 2021 and replaced with Ralf Rangnick. Lingard’s playing time did not increase under Rangnick either. In fact, he made just two Premier League starts during the entire 2021/22 campaign.



Lingard will now face is former club for the first time since departing this past summer. He will certainly hope to show United what they may have missed out on.



PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportimage

Jesse Lingard has claimed that he was given 'false promises' by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his final season at Man United.

Jesse Lingard accuses United of 'false promises' ahead of reunion

<div id="attachment_362991" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div>Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images</div>
Manchester United depended on goalkeeper David de Gea’s dominance for several years.
He won a slate of titles individually and for the team while garnering great aplomb for his efforts. Furthermore, de Gea racked up an astonishing 45 caps for the Spanish national team.
But, for a year or two, it looked like de Gea was <a href="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/watch?v=366PGHPSJVM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfit to be in goal</a> for the Red Devils and Spain alike. In the 2018/19 campaign, de Gea only kept seven clean sheets in the Premier League. A year later, de Gea put up a mediocre season. His 19/20 season with Manchester United was reminiscent of earlier seasons, proving his Premier League dominance with a host of eye-opening stats.
Last year, de Gea missed matches due to the birth of his child. His absence meant that his understudy, Dean Henderson, would be the first-choice keeper for the Red Devils. Yet, de Gea still did well, even if he did not bring his show-stopping performances to the Premiership. He was a driving force in his runner-up finish in the Europa League.
This year, he is making a difference for the Old Trafford club. Although United consistently faces dilemmas, de Gea is deservingly <a href="https:\/\/www.espn.com/soccer/manchester-united-engman_utd/story/4545232/man-uniteds-david-de-gea-9-10ralf-rangnick-7-10-for-narrow-win-at-norwich" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving praise</a>. Performances against Villarreal, Wolves, and Norwich affirm de Gea’s dominance in goal.
De Gea is a different keeper than the youthful face that we saw patrolling the posts for Atletico Madrid. He is wiser, more dependable, and a genuine threat to opposing attackers. He ranks near the top in <a href="https:\/\/fbref.com/en/players/7ba6d84e/David-de-Gea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most goalkeeping categories</a>. De Gea is the anchor of a dreadful Manchester United defense and plays a big part in its success.
His performances could have lasting impacts for the club. On surface, they are great. However, this could handicap Manchester United a few years down the road.
<h3>de Gea’s dominance, expanded</h3>
Manchester United is sixth in the Premier League with 27 points. They await a fixture with reigning LaLiga champions Atletico Madrid in the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/12/13/champions-league-last-16-draw-at-a-glance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Champions League</a>. In the third round of the FA Cup, the Red Devils will face Aston Villa.
None of those are easy positions or matchups. David de Gea knows his role is essential in the next two months of fixtures. If things go poorly, it could spell doom for the Red Devils.
David de Gea is one of the only highlights in an injury-plagued United defense. When United fails, whether from <a href="https:\/\/www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/20/manchester-united-have-bigger-problems-than-just-solskjaer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor management or a fatigued back-line</a>, de Gea is there to rescue his side.
<a href="https:\/\/fbref.com/en/players/7ba6d84e/David-de-Gea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBREF’s catalog of stats</a> supports de Gea’s dominance. He racked up 50 saves out of 73 shots on target for a 68.5% save rate. The 31-year-old forced three out of four penalty kicks away. De Gea’s clean sheet percentage is a passable 31.
The argument for or against de Gea swings both ways. One could argue that his stats are only weighed down by his <a href="https:\/\/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-united-defence-solskjaer-record-22119586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lackluster defense</a>, another could say his stats go up because he is called into action so frequently. Regardless, de Gea is showing his class in Old Trafford time and time again.
We can look at his dramatic outing against Villarreal as proof of his reliability. De Gea <a href="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKsVe-TM_DU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saved six shots</a> to hold the Europa League champions to one goal. By contrast, Villarreal was expected to score around four goals.
De Gea saved five shots to preserve his <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/08/29/greenwood-gets-man-utd-off-the-hook-at-wolves/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first clean sheet</a> against Wolves. The performance yielded man of the match honors.
The Spaniard is playing at the top of his game, and he will likely do so throughout 2022. Look out for de Gea’s next match, as he will look to earn his fifth clean sheet against Newcastle.
<h3>Club and country</h3>
De Gea justified his position as the first-choice stopper for United. Yet, this raises questions for Dean Henderson, who has only played two senior matches for the Red Devils. He started in United’s EFL Cup defeat to West Ham and played around 70 minutes in a draw Young Boys. The 24-year-old is vocal in his desire to leave Old Trafford for greener pastures, and Henderson will likely leave. Yet Henderson has been linked with many clubs. Henderson could even <a href="https:\/\/www.planetsport.com/soccer/features/newcastle-west-ham-next-wantaway-man-utd-goalkeeper-dean-henderson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">depart in the winter transfer window</a>!
His form also raises questions on how La Roja manager Luis Enrique will choose his starting goalkeeper. De Gea is in the three-person goalkeeping rotation with Athletic Club keeper Unai Simon and Brighton stopper Robert Sanchez.
Sanchez, who has only received one cap, will not see many opportunities. Likely, de Gea will not play a lot either. Unai Simon, a talisman for club and country, will play the most out of three. He has been the first-choice keeper since Euro 2020 and will continue to be the starting keeper unless an injury forces him out of play.
De Gea will compete for playing time and more caps ahead of an exciting <a href="https:\/\/www.bbc.com/sport/football/59687769" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nations League draw</a> that sees Spain drawn against Portugal, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
<div class="ckeditor-em"><iframe loading="lazy" width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com/tracks/772983289&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true"></iframe></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk" title="World Soccer Talk Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">World Soccer Talk Podcast</a> · <a href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk/peter-drury-interview-the-heart-of-the-game-podcast" title="Peter Drury interview: The Heart Of The Game Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">Peter Drury interview: The Heart Of The Game Podcast</a></div>

David de Gea's dominance has propelled United to results. He must continue his performances to help his club reach their top-four goals.

David de Gea's renewed dominance key for Manchester United - World Soccer Talk

David de Gea's renewed dominance key for Manchester United

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Armin Veh was announced as Wolfsburg’s new manager after their title celebrations. The ex-Stuttgart manager will now try and replicate his 2008 Champions League form. It should be easier with the imminent loss of Dzeko and Misimovic.
Mario Gomez became the most expensive player in Bundesliga history, swapping Stuttgart red for Bayern red. Bayern paid €30 million for the striker. Or exactly €30 million more than they paid for either Klose or Olic. Stuttgart chairman is Erwin Staudt has been bombarded by calls from certain clubs in Bremen and Hamburg who want to know all about this thing called a transfer fee.
Diego shocked the football community by signing for Juventus. The Turin club paid Werder Bremen (yes this does wipe out that last joke) a hefty €24.5 million for the Brazilian playmaker. Seeing the Series A antics between <a>Torino and Genoa</a> this past weekend sealed the deal for the volatile #10, who loves handbags as much as football. 
Martin Jol, having secured his customary 5th place finish, has decided to move to Ajax. The Netherlands’ only affable manager has decided that he doesn’t like being loved and will take on a job where he will be hated by sometime tomorrow. 
Christian Eichner, the best left-back nobody knows, is set to move from Karlsruhe to Hoffenheim, proving once against that Ralf Rangnick has his act together.

The Silly Season (€54.5 million! What Recession) - World Soccer Talk

The Silly Season (€54.5 million! What Recession)

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I am going through the process of learning German and while finding the toilet is always nice, it really doesn’t help when it comes to the reason I want to learn the language: Fußball. So here are seven random words for you who don’t know German to learn. You will come across them on occasion. And if not written by me, there’s a good chance they will be used properly.
1. Tor) This is a goal and the name of the definitive English language book on the German game by <a href="http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk/Tor-Story-German-Football-Hesse-Lichtenberger/dp/0954013433">Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger</a>. Hertha Berlin’s sensitive fans need not learn the word as it a fairly meaningless concept to them, like teaching a dog the word for galaxy. Sure they can look up and see one in the sky, but when your biggest thrill is smelling your own crack, there’s little point.
2. Hinrunde/Rückrunde) The Bundesliga is split evenly by a very long winter break. So the first 17 games are called the Hinrunde. The second half of the season is the Rückrunde. The winter break is just called “Annoying”.
3. Meisterschaft) Championship! An approximation of the compound word is top team, although it works equally well in a cruder translation for Bayern Munich as they are a bunch of cock monkeys (schaft has the same connotation in English and German).
4. Dreierkette) This is a defense with a three-man back-line. Why is this important? Because it was the standard until, a then 40 year old, Ralf Rangnick introduced a flat back four to the Bundesliga. It is called the Veierkette and Klinsmann has been known to club baby seals at it’s uttering.
5. Jack Wolfskin) This is literally a crazy man living in the Black Forest who is into skinning wolves and self-promotion. Okay….it’s a sporting good’s chain that you see advertised everywhere. But admit it, you wanted to believe my story. 
6. Punkte) Points! But many KSC supporters will feel that Ashton Kushter is Punkte-ng them at the moment. 
7. Torschützenkönig) While Torjäger means goal scorer and you will see tables referring to the top goal tally under the banner of that name, the title at season’s end is called Torschützenkönig. It’s also a term that roughly translates into “Nice job, but you ain’t Gerd fucking Muller, are you?”

The Set: 7 Words For Non-German Speakers To Know - World Soccer Talk

The Set: 7 Words For Non-German Speakers To Know

Bayer Leverkusen returned to form and dismantled league leaders Hoffenheim in front of 30,000 at the Rhein-Neckar Arena. Scoring two minutes into the match set them up for an inspired first half and scoring again one minute into the second half sealed the three points for die Werkself. 
Hoffenheim struggled to find defensive cohesion, especially on set pieces and set out the stall with a poor tactical setup, which allowed Bayer to dominate them much as they did in week three when Bruno Labbadia’s side won 5-2 at the Bay Arena. 
Hoffenheim look set to concede the top spot in the league unless no victory is found in the weekend’s premier match between Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin. But more important than their current position, Ralf Rangnick must concentrate on finding organization in the back, a formation that will fit his post-Ibesevic squad, and a return of a fast dwindling belief.
As for Bayer 04, another excellent Friday Night performance is just the bounce back they needed after six rounds of frustration. They should be a major factor, barring injury, in the top three spots as the Bundesliga gets into crunch time. A return to the Champions League could well be on the cards for the 2002 finalists, but a draw between Hertha and Bayern could see them within striking distance of the ever-elusive championship that they have never won. 
Seven Random Things You Didn’t Know About Hoffenheim-Bayer
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There is nothing more apparently absent from the game as a well-crafted set piece when it happens. Tonight, Bayer’s 3rd goal was a finely constructed goal with Barnetta using his fake run for delivery to propel him into empty space in the box off a free kick. As Ibertsberger delayed in moving out of the wall to pick up the freed Swiss International, Kladec used the dead ball to slot to the open man. Barnetta then fired a volley across the box to the ghosting Helmes and the final play of the first half was a goal for the visitors. 
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Rangnick is still trying to figure out the best formation without Ibesevic. Considering that Ibesevic was never supposed to be a started, you would think it would be easier. For this game, Rangnick started with a 4-4-2 with Demba Ba and Sanogo up top. However this pairing didn’t work as Demba Ba pushed Sanogo out wide, which negated Sanogo’s main strength as being an aerial target. Demba Ba has proven a great partner for the crafty Ibesevic, so if using a 4-4-2, why didn’t he chose Wellington, who is coming into fitness and is the most similar in style to their top scorer.
Later when he changes to the more familiar 4-3-3, Sanogo still wasn’t given the center spot. But even more importantly facing a double-six formation from Labbadia, he retained Gustavo, a six himself who wasn’t needed after Augusto hobbled off, and who isn’t going to help going forward. So a 4-3-3 became a 4-1-2-3. It was an odd formation, and didn’t start producing any chances still until Wellington eventually replaced Sanogo. If going with a 4-3-3, he should have sacrificed his DM for a more box-to-box midfielder.
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That being said, Gustavo is the hidden gem of the Hoffenheim side. While Carlos Alberto and Salihovic are more trumpeted for their contributions to Hoffenheim’s free flowing midfield, it’s the Brazilian DM that is the center piece of their fantastic attack. Even though they lost, his contribution to breaking up Bayer’s attack and providing a starting point for Hoffenheim’s offense were excellent. In fact his excellent performance was quite easy to pick out when compared to the anemic performances by everyone else. 
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Is Ibesevic the man they are missing most or is it Vice-captain Marvin Compper? The left-back position was manned tonight by Per Nilsson, who had a bit of a shocker. Meanwhile the Hoffe were torn apart on set pieces, when Compper would have been a steadying influence. His nagging injury seems to be much more influential on the upstarts than their forward.
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Usually when you get the Setanta UK feed, you get a couple of analysts that are decent, but not great. Tonight Rafael Honigstein was the color man for the game and it was such a joy to hear someone with such knowledge of the league, providing analysis on tactics, histories and playing styles unlike any I have heard before in the English language. Here’s hoping that he’s a permanent fixture on the Friday night game for Setanta. 
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What has happened to Rene Adler? Is the pressure of being Germany’s #1 too great to bear for a 24 year old or are we seeing the ebbs and flows of youth? Yes, he made a huge mistake in this game when he took down Demba Ba when it wasn’t needed. And it cost the Werkself a goal; however, this is more evidence of a systematic breakdown in his decision making process. Last year he was so confident and always made the right decision. This year he seems prone to terrible lapses in judgment when it comes to crosses or charging. And it’s not just that. His reaction is off. Last year, he was the only goal keeper I would watch a game just to see. His reaction saves were better than most goals. Now he gets beaten by the most innocuous of balls at times. Take last week. Sure the Hammer struck the ball ferociously, but right at Adler and he still couldn’t move in time. Something is wrong with my bromance and it’s worrying.
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Atruro Vidal’s suspension may have been a blessing in disguise for Labbadia. While his workrate and ingenuity will be needed in the home stretch, his absence this week made room for a tactical change for Bruno. By employing a double-six formation (aka the Double Pivot) using both cultured holder Simon Rofles and gritty veteran Tomasz Zdebel, there is now an option if any of the more attacking midfielders like Augusto or Barnetta get a nik. It was a nice system that deployed wide and caused Andreas Beck to look poor while shutting down Carlos Alberto. And all of this without losing the attacking flair and technical play that has made Bayer a name that can be mentioned alongside Arsenal and Barcalona.
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