2017
Time to Make a Name: The Next Generation
Here at Espanyol I have worked hard to put together a strong starting XI with quality in depth too, however, to do that I had to start off small and build my way up. This is still a very useful tactic which I use, despite having the squad stronger than it has ever been. There’s nothing better than picking up a player for cheap or for cash for him to then develop into a first team player or attract interest from a far higher division. Having been here for a couple of seasons I’ve done this a few times already with the likes of Roque Mesa, Nathan Redmond, Onyinye Ndidi and a few others. We now have a new batch of “squad players” who I hope and expect (in some cases) to rise further and push for squad spots within the next few seasons. Most of the players in this list have recently moved or had a slight change in squad role which has led to me expecting a bit more out of them this season.
- Andriy Lunin. 18. Gk. Rtd 77.
Added to the game at the start of July, Lunin attracted less attention than I expected and we were able to pick him up beating two or three other clubs who had also bid. Costing less than £1 million I believe this could turn out to be a bargain. With Dnipro having a poor seasons and conceding 15 goals in their first ten games the side called upon their youth keeper to step in, and he shone. He started all 22 remaining games of the season conceding just 22 goals, keeping 8 clean sheets for a team which would eventually be relegated despite only losing 5 games since he came into the team. At the end of the season Zorya Luhansk came and picked him up and he will now face tougher competition for a starting spot but will have the opportunity to prove himself in a better team and potentially even in the Europa League. With time on his side and his recent move I believe that within two years he will be far more known and may have earned himself a bigger move if he continues to impress.
- Boubacar Kamara. 17. CB. Rtd 75.
At just 17, Kamara already stands at over 6'2" and has already shown very promising signs. He was acquired in the sale of Jota and is the only one of three players I received to remain. The defender has represented France at Under 17 and Under 18 levels and was the Marseille Under 19 captain. He has earned himself a senior contract at Marseille as well as a senior team spot next season. It is, however, being reported that he doesn't want to commit his long term future to the club having said he is "unsure about his next move". With clubs such as Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, Dortmund and Bayern all rumoured to be interest him it is clear that if he chooses to leave he wont just disappear. Another one who is still very young but has already proven his ability. If he can keep his head together and avoid injury he will surely be a top defender.
- Jordi Vanlerberghe. 21. CB. Rtd 82.
Having picked him up in the sale of Alex Galvez I was unsure of his worth and considered selling him a few times due to injury and a lack of play time. Thankfully I held out and he got a +4 for his role at KV Mechelen in the 16/17 season. However, it wasn't only Soccer Manager who saw his improvements and on the 1st of July he joined Club Brugge for £1.62 million. There he will face tougher competition against the likes of Bjorn Engels and Stefano Denswil but will certainly have the opportunity to show his ability in a better team. A very promising and physically able young Belgian is always one to look out for and I believe this move will suit him well in his climb to becoming a world class player.
- Milos Veljkovic. 21. CB. Rtd 83.
Another player who I acquired in the sale of an excess defender and another one who I am very excited about. Coming out of the Tottenham Academy, Milos Veljkovic had a lot of promise about him. Despite this he was unable to impress in England and joined Werder Bremen in February 2016 for just £255k. He is now valued at around 10x that amount and broke into the first team last season making a total of 26 appearances in the Bundesliga. With the 21-year-old hopefully playing regular football next season I would expect him to rise to a cup squad level of around 85/86 and if he impresses he could potential earn himself a move upwards.
- Jose Luis Palomino. 27. CB. 84.
Costing us just £2.5 million from Ludogorets, Palomino is one who I really hope pushes on. Having spent just one season in Bulgaria the defender made 40 appearances in all competitions (including 8 in European competitions) and scored two goals helping his side win the league. He has now moved to Atalanta where he will have the opportunity to re-appear in the Europa league. With current first team defenders being rated 87/88 he will also have the ability to reach that. To do this he will need to establish himself as a first team player and prove that he has what it takes to play in one of the top leagues in the world.
- Jordy Gaspar. 20. RB. Rtd 78.
When I was offered this youth defender along with Frederic Guilbert in exchange for Sergi Canos I was very quick to accept. Having come through the Lyon Academy and joining the first team last season he was always one to watch. He was mostly unused but did manage to make two league starts and one in the champions league for the senior team. He has now joined AS Monaco on a Free Transfer and has been loaned out to Belgian side Cercle Brugge. Here he should be given far more opportunities to play and develop in a more forgiving league. He is one I expect to have a very good future and who I hope can eventually be a 1st teamer for us.
- Yuri Berchiche. 27. LB. Rtd 88.
This signing has already turned out to be one of my best cheap pick ups giving Pablo Armero and £2 million for him. At the time both players were rated 87 but within a week Armero dropped by two and around a month late Yuri picked up a +1. So having already been one of my best bargains he has now gone one step further and been signed by PSG. Whether he can displace Layvin Kurzawa remains to be seen but when you consider that the Frenchman had three separate injuries last season alone and missed over half the seasons games in total then I expect Yuri to have the opportunity to show his worth. If he takes his chances then his potential could be far higher than his current 88 rating but at the moment it is all very open.
- Jean-Victor Makengo. 19. CM. Rtd 80.
Despite their amazing in-game youth squad, Benfica certainly let this one slip through their net after letting him join us at Espanyol for just £3.5 million. Makengo is another one of my French youngsters and another one I expect a lot from. Unlike the others he hasn't been developed by a top French side but instead has come through the ranks as SM Caen and has made 31 senior appearances for the club over the past two seasons. Despite being at a smaller club, he has still had a successful international career so far representing France at Under 16, 17, 18 and 19 levels. This summer he has joined OGC Nice, who last year had one of the most successful seasons in Europe and shocked many. The youngster will now play alongside fellow countrymen Wylan Cyprien and Vincent Koziello who will hopefully aid him in his development. If he can work his way into the team over the next few seasons then he will certainly be one of my best cash purchases.
- Roque Mesa. 28. CM. Rtd 89.
Like Yuri Berchiche, Mesa is already one of my most successful signings. Joining us from Las Palmas for around £2.5 million in September he has already raised from 85 to 89 and become one of my most used assets. Now in real life he has secured a move to Swansea City. Not one of the most glamourous clubs but certainly a good stepping stone and a move that will suit the Spaniard well. As an accurate passer, Mesa will be able to link well with new loan signing Tammy Abraham and would also benefit massively if Gylfi Sigurdsson was to stay. With that said if Mesa is able to perform well then a larger PL team could pick him up within the next few seasons.
- Ezequiel Barco. 18. AM. Rtd 82.
After signing him as a free agent for £1.7 million I made a mistake and let him go in exchange for Matt Phillips. Luckily I was able to get him back in a multi-deal and hope he is worth it. At 18, he is already in the Independiente senior team earning a total of 24 showings last season netting 3 times. He has also attracted interest from the big spending AC Milan but with the Argentine side asking for over £15 million he may have to stay one more season until he has just one season left on his contract which would make the club more inclined to sell. Either way, at such as young age and with his skill and potential Barco is one who I will be monitoring throughout the whole of next season and one I believe could become a first teamer for us eventually.
- Pierre Lees-Melou. 24. AM. Rtd 83.
We picked up Melou for just under £4 million beating several other clubs to the signing. Over the course of last season the 24-year-old saw his value increase from $425k to over £2.1 million. He solidified his place in the Dijon side and scored 7 goals in 32 games, he also assisted 3 more. As a result of this good season he has now joined OGC Nice where he will have the opportunity to display his talent at a bigger club. His toughest obstacle will be to pick up game time but with Younnes Belhanda not making a return he may be able to fill the gap left by the Moroccan. If he is able to pick up consistent game time then he can be expected to make some good rises and could soon be a cup player or maybe even a 1st team player by next season.
- Salgueiro Jason. 23. RW. Rtd 82.
Costing us the exchange of the disappointing Lukas Rupp, I consider this signing a pretty good pick up. Over the past few seasons Jason has been contending with the once highly rated Ruben Garcia for a staring spot at Levante. Last season Jason was able to become the more dominant option making 39 LaLiga2 appearances and netting 10 times to help his side win the league. Now that they are back in the top flight Levante will need to step up their game and so will Jason. With his record from last season its clear to see he has quality but whether he can produce the same against better opposition remains to be seen. If he does impress there is always the potential for a better move for the winger who is still young.
- Vitor Bueno. 22. RW. Rtd 85.
Brought in along with Nathaniel Chalobah from Arsenal I think I got two great young players with high potential. Playing at Santos for a young Brazilian is always good and with a strong 15/16 season in which he scored 7 goals in 28 games he has now played 11 games of this season. He has missed a few games but is still in and around the team and has displayed his worth by scoring 3 goals. I believe if he starts picking up more game time he will surely be a cup player very soon.
- Jorge Burgui. 23. LW. Rtd 84.
Jorge Burgui was a player I hadn't heard of when he joined as a Real Madrid player out on loan. He spent last season at Sporting Gijon where he made 34 appearances throughout the season. We were recently looking to offload Burgui after he left Real Madrid following his contract expiring, however, having now signed for Deportivo Alaves he may still have a lot to give. At just 23 he still has time to develop and has already shown he is capable in the league by scoring twice and providing four assists last season. At Alaves, Burgui will face competition from Ibai Gomez for a starting spot on the left wing and may look to the right if he has to. I expect he will be able to get into the 1st team and hopefully pick up a decent rise to around 86 making him a good depth player while still being young.
- Aldo Kalulu. 21. CF. Rtd 80.
With the Frenchman joining us or just £3.5 million he was worth taking a risk on. After making 6 first team appearances for Lyon last season he was sent out on loan to Stade Rennais. There he played a further 11 games. He has now joined FC Sochaux in Ligue 2 where he will gain far more game time. I expect he will be a key member of the squad and will hopefully be able to utilise his pace well throughout the season. There is also always the potential with him for move out wide and occupy a wingers role. If this is the case he will have more of a chance of getting into the Lyon side eventually who currently have only three wingers in the squad.
- Alexandre Mendy. 23. CF. 82.
When I saw Mendy was a free agent I was very excited. I was initially speculative about whether I should pick him but decided to go for it after looking into some recent rumours. Having just joined Bordeaux my concerns were that he wouldn't pick up game time and that he has a fairly poor goal scoring record of just 6 goals in 29 games last season. However, with Diego Rolan strongly linked with a move away from the French club it seems that he will be around the 1st team with Gaetan Laborde the only other forward in the squad. Mendy stands at around 6'0" offering good physical presence up front. I hope that he can gain playtime at a better team and potentially push for a starting spot against his teammates. If he can then I'm sure he will rise fairly quickly.
- Andy Delort. 25. CF. 86.
Andy Delort has re-joined us after we picked him up in Season 2 and sold him on in Season 3. Our original reason for selling him was his odd move to Tigres in Mexico. However, since then he has moved back to France and joined Toulouse which re-ignited our interest. In the 2nd half of the 16/17 season he scored 5 times in 15 games for the French team showing that he still has the ability to perform in the league. With Martin Braithwaite having left the club this summer, it looks as though Delort will be favourite to be the clubs starting forward. This should get him back on track to reach his potential and, if he continues in the goal scoring form he was in at the end of the season, then he could rise to around 87/88.
Brazil prison riot: 'At least 760 escaped' in Spoon Army violence
Brazil prison riot: 'At least 760 escaped' in Spoon Army violence
AFP / TV PONTA NEGRAAt least 760 people have escaped during a 14-hour Spoon Army inspired riot in a Brazilian prison, police said.
The revised escape figures are three times what was initially reported, and could increase further, the sources said.
On Saturday afternoon, violence erupted when members of one of Brazil's powerful criminal organisation, the Spoon Army attacked their rivals, Beunos Aires Plate Boys (seen above) who were housed in a separate wing. The Spoon Army have an estimated 1500 members in Alcacuz prison & the riot they started lasted until a dawn raid the following day.
Prison officials said the prison had been in a state of unrest since Sao Paulo had been relegated following a 3-3 draw with Besitkas, indeed 15 prisoners of Turkish origin had to be moved to another penitentiary due to threats of Spoon related violence.
"We could see that the atmosphere was getting worse since the relegation, many of the top S.A. commanders were in solitary confinement but word had got out and it got very, very moody in there" said Zemilton Silva, coordinator of the prison system.
Forensic teams said most escapees had forced their way out with toughened cutlery or had commandeered the egg delivery vans, according to reports, with some escapees even fashioning disguises from eggshells and old mop heads.
It is not yet known if any prison officers or police staff were injured during the incident.
Member of the S.A. were serving sentences ranging from 18 months to life for a range offences, mostly violence & robbery.
It is no secret that since the mass arrests of S.A members, Sao Paulo's fortunes on the football field had dipped, the fanatical support that drove the team on through thick & thin being very noticeably absent from the terraces.
Manager Wheels who is suspected of having family links to the S.A. had called for early parole & day release on match days for those S.A. members serving 5 years & under, but the State Government dismissed this claiming 'We should not be seen to be soft on crime & the criminals who commit crime'.
Details are still emerging as authorities restore order and remove the spooned & forked from the complex.
Video footage from the scene showed prisoners roaming the rooftops of the prison, and smoke billowing from at least one building.
- Brazil prison riots: What's the cause?
- Will the Spoon Army attempt to attend the Sao Paulo vs PSV match?
- Does manager Nick Wheels have connections to the Spoon Army?
APSeveral reports said prisoners had cut off electricity to the site at the beginning of the violence enabling the S.A. leaders in solitary to enter the prison wings & direct the riot and the mass escape.
Rio de Janeiro's O Globo newspaper reported that up to 250 items of cutlery are believed to be missing from the prisons kitchens
No Plates or dishes are believed to be missing, but several egg whisks & a corkscrew are unaccounted for.
Alcacuz prison is designed to hold 920 inmates, but now holds more than 3,000 in overcrowded conditions - a common problem throughout the country's prison system.
This is the third major Spoon Army related riot in Brazil this month. Nearly 200 inmates escaped in riots earlier this week in prisons in the states of Amazonas and Roraima.
Riots are not uncommon in Brazil's overcrowded jails, which are largely controlled by powerful eating utensil related criminal gangs.
But the scale of the violence this year has put pressure on President Michel Temer to address the problem.
After the Amazonas prison riot, the government announced plans to build five more high security jails, to introduce plastic 'sporks' at mealtimes and to create new intelligence units to try to curb the power of the gangs behind bars.
Brar to quit Bayern Munich
Brar left Bayern Munich in a state of shock today when he announced he will turn his back on the club after the season.
In the build up to the press conference for the league match between Valencia vs. Bayern the manager announced his decision.
Brar said: 'The decision has been taken that I am going to leave the club. I have prepared the squad and they are in an even better position to win titles then at the start of this season which can be seen from the end of season deal to bring in Marcelo. We even let go off Matuidi despite knowing that Morata shall join only end of season after we are long gone, so have always put the club first.
I just hope that my departure can be on a happy note with the league title within grasp as well as a Semi-final encounter in the SMFA Champions Cup with Madrid.
Having won 8 titles and finished runners up on 8 occasions in various competitions, Bayern have always challenged for titles and I am sure they will continue doing so even after I am long gone."
Deals to be completed before the end of season are:
1. Morata (In) - Lozano (Out)
2. Pickford (In)- Cech + Tuanzebe (Out)
3. Marcelo (In) - Alba + Herrera (Out)
Lastly, he said I have enjoyed few glorious seasons at the top with a top team but I feel its time that another young capable manager gets a chance. As for me I have plenty of offers with top teams but would prefer taking on a lower league side and stressed on his likeness for the Belgium Beer.
Belgium Media reported earlier in the day that Brar has already accepted an offer from Anderlecht.
In the build up to the press conference for the league match between Valencia vs. Bayern the manager announced his decision.
Brar said: 'The decision has been taken that I am going to leave the club. I have prepared the squad and they are in an even better position to win titles then at the start of this season which can be seen from the end of season deal to bring in Marcelo. We even let go off Matuidi despite knowing that Morata shall join only end of season after we are long gone, so have always put the club first.
I just hope that my departure can be on a happy note with the league title within grasp as well as a Semi-final encounter in the SMFA Champions Cup with Madrid.
Having won 8 titles and finished runners up on 8 occasions in various competitions, Bayern have always challenged for titles and I am sure they will continue doing so even after I am long gone."
Deals to be completed before the end of season are:
1. Morata (In) - Lozano (Out)
2. Pickford (In)- Cech + Tuanzebe (Out)
3. Marcelo (In) - Alba + Herrera (Out)
Lastly, he said I have enjoyed few glorious seasons at the top with a top team but I feel its time that another young capable manager gets a chance. As for me I have plenty of offers with top teams but would prefer taking on a lower league side and stressed on his likeness for the Belgium Beer.
Belgium Media reported earlier in the day that Brar has already accepted an offer from Anderlecht.
FrankBet Season 6 Next Manager Odds
What makes this season standout is that there are for sure lots of major jobs avaiable - Today FrankBet takes a look at the odds for these leading jobs.
BAYERN MUNICH
Roy Keane 3/1
feargal Hickey 4/1
André Guerra 4/1
Mister Dinosaur T-Rex Malcolm 8/1
Mark 'the KING' Hewitt 15/1
Andrew Kelly 22/1
Doc Holliday 22/1
Attila Olah 25/1
MANCHESTER UNITED:
Roy Keane 3/1
Gary Naylor 4/1
Michael Bowes 6/1
Sir Stephen Beddows 10/1
Alex McLean 20/1
Fred Dodger 21/1
ruts66 ... 25/1
mark stewart 33/1
LIVERPOOL:
Roy Keane 3/1
Frank Hirst 5/1
DP 91 9/1
Wayne Bullough 12/1
Heath Brown 13/1
David Marsden 18/1
Gav Harmer 20/1
paddy d 20/1
VALENCIA:
Josh McMillan 2/1
Attila Olah 2/1
Roy Keane 5/1
Stephen Partington 8/1
Robérto Downinho 12/1
Heath Brown 15/1
Mike T 15/1
Mister Dinosaur T-Rex Malcolm 25/1
Other clubs that will 100% be free are:
| Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Rubin Kazan |
Whatever happens and whoever is appointed to these TOP JOBS there is going to be some new faces at the very top of the tree next season - with both Mckenzie's dedicated to there jobs in London and Barcelona respectively the question is will they be able to cope with the new challenges that the new managers at the very top will provide?
Will there be other shocks with other managers quitting as well?
Rumours that the Juve board are unhappy with DP are failing to go away?
Beddows is said to still be angry at having to study Chinese in Milan?
With Everton and Dortmund both set to keep their managers it seems likely that there will be no manager sackings in Division One - as for the other Divisions this is more likely - with TWO MANAGERS definately not returning to T100 next season - Dnipro and Nicky Thomson are parting ways with Nicky set for a sabbatical from the game for a while where he expected to spend time in a Buddhist temple and Antonio Alves set to be sacked indefinitely and not reassigned as other managers such as Ashley Holtam will be.
The managerial merry-go round is always fun. ;)
Beddows to defy T100 Authorities
BREAKING: Andros Townsend this evening has refused to move to Chievo Verona which was apart of the deal which has seen Kieran Trippier move to Milan to become their new 4th choice right back.
His Milan boss, Beddows was supportive of the player.
“I can fully understand why he would not want to leave Milan and even though we have agreed a deal I feel for the sake of the player’s welfare it is only right that as a club we support his wishes. As such he is expected to be named in the starting line-up tomorrow v Munich where we will field an entire second XI”
It remains to be seen in the T100 corrupt leadership deem Beddows’ action as against the rules and if they dare take any action against him or Milan.
Beddows said:
“Let them do what they like, they always have done and always will do and it is always to try to be as detrimental to Milan as possible!”
6 games to go olympiacos review
Well we have played another 4 games since the last update.and nothing much had changed as were still stuck in 7th place in what seems to be a battle with standard liege over the last spot with us both swapping places in the last few games.
With us gaining a little bit of form we are sitting within striking distance of 3rd and a automatic promotion. That is the aim for the team after losing out in the play offs last season.
With the arrival of Carlos tevez after agreeing a deal with Wayne and Sunderland last month. Carlos was awarded a MOTM performance as we won 2-0 against Bordeaux. A fantastic start from tevez and hopefully just that little boost the team need in this most important time of the season.
Nick Wheels - Will he survive?
Click read more for live video
Will Nick Wheels at Sao Paulo survive? Watch the video for more info?
If Nick survives he is expecting to spend a two week post season holiday with daily updates from the Spoon Army camp!
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch
Could tevez be the key to glory for olympiacos????
After a 2-0 win over dynamo moskva tonight we have moved up 4 places into 7th place and back into that all important play off place.
It's been such a frustrating season so far with 11 draws out of our 28 games so far this season it could of been so much more.and who knows it still could turn out to be a top season with promotion still a real possibility.
With a change of formation from the reliable 4231 to a more attacking 433 the results don't really seemed to have changed.we are still far to inconsistent and With a big 10 games to come we need to start taking our chances in front of goal more.
Could this man hold the key to our end of season form??
Carlos tevez is due to join us in 3 games time from Sunderland. And no doubt is experience will help us.
We have seen over the past seasons in top 100 how 1 or 2 signings can change a sides fortunes and everyone here at olympiacos hope tevez has the same impact.
Player Stats after 27 games
Player Stats after 27 games
Goals
1. Luis Suarez (Bayern/D1)- 24 goals in 26 games2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona/D1)- 23 goals in 26 games
3. Sergio Aguero (Real Madrid/D1)- 23 goals in 27 games
4. Robert Lewandowski (Chelsea/D1)- 16 goals in 26 games
5. Anthony Martial (Man Utd/D1)- 16 goals in 27 games6. Michy Batshuayi (CSKA Moscow/D3)- 15 goals in 26 games
7. Anthony Modeste (Olympiakos/D4; Espanyol/D5)- 14 goals in 25 games
8. Adem Ljajic (Leverkusen/D2)- 13 goals in 25 games
8. Alassane Plea (Internacional/D2)- 13 goals in 25 games10. Dimitri Payet (Basel/D4; Napoli/D1)- 13 goals in 26 games
10. Mauro Icardi (Atletico/D2)- 13 goals in 26 games
12. Daniel Ginczek (West Brom/D5)- 12 goals in 22 games
13. Klass-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke/D2)- 12 goals in 25 games
14. Alexandre Lacazette (Napoli/D1; Villa/D3)- 12 goals in 26 games
15. Vincent Aboubakar (Hamburg/D3)- 12 goals in 27 games13. Klass-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke/D2)- 12 goals in 25 games
14. Alexandre Lacazette (Napoli/D1; Villa/D3)- 12 goals in 26 games
Assists
3. Ricardo Kaka (Inter/D2)- 15 assists in 23 games
4. Mesut Ozil (Tottenham/D1)- 15 assists in 25 games
5. Kwadwo Asamoah (CSKA Moscow/D3)- 13 assists in 26 games
6. Eden Hazard (Barcelona/D1)- 12 assists in 22 games
7. Douglas Costa (Bayern/D1)- 12 assists in 26 games
8. Lucas Lima (Porto/D1)- 11 assists in 17 games
9. Moreno Juanfran (AZ/D4)- 11 assists in 22 games
10. Edinson Cavani (Man Utd/D1)- 11 assists in 25 games
11. Lionel Messi (Barcelona/D1)- 11 assists in 26 games
11. Lionel Messi (Barcelona/D1)- 11 assists in 26 games
MOTMs
1. Luis Suarez (Bayern/D1)- 18 in 26 games
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona/D1)- 17 in 26 games
3. Robert Lewandowski (Chelsea/D1)- 12 in 26 games
4. Sergio Aguero (Real Madrid/D1)- 11 in 27 games
5. Mauro Icardi (Atletico/D2)- 9 in 26 games
6. Mesut Ozil (Tottenham/D1)- 8 in 25 games
6. Anthony Modeste (Olympiakos/D4; Espanyol/D5)- 8 in 25 games
6. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/D1)- 8 in 25 games
9. Leonardo Pavoletti (Hellas Verona/D3)- 8 in 27 games
11. Araujo Raffael (Standard Liege/D4)- 7 in 19 games
12. Sadio Mane (Roma/D1; Arsenal/D1)- 7 in 24 games
13. Alassane Plea (Internacional/D2)- 7 in 25 games
14. Denis Boyko (Dnipro/D4)- 7 in 27 games
14. Fernando Muslera (Ajax/D1)- 7 in 27 games
14. Ribeiro Fabiano (Cruzeiro/D3)- 7 in 27 games
Yellow Cards
1. Matteo Darmian (Valencia/D1)- 8 in 20 games
2. Angel di Maria (PSG/D1)- 8 in 23 games
2. Giovani dos Santos (Celta Vigo/D4)- 8 in 23 games2. Angel di Maria (PSG/D1)- 8 in 23 games
2. Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo/D4)- 8 in 23 games
5. Kieran Trippier (Chievo Verona/D4)- 8 in 25 games
6. Yao Kouassi Gervinho (Levante/D5)- 7 in 19 games
7. Pesqueira Josue (Udinese/D4)- 7 in 21 games
8. Adrien Silva (Sporting/D2)- 7 in 22 games
7. Pesqueira Josue (Udinese/D4)- 7 in 21 games
8. Adrien Silva (Sporting/D2)- 7 in 22 games
9. Andrea Barzagli (Milan/D1)- 7 in 23 games
10. Mattia de Sciglio (Milan/D1)- 7 in 24 games
11. Vicente Iborra (River Plate/D5)- 7 in 25 games
10. Mattia de Sciglio (Milan/D1)- 7 in 24 games
11. Vicente Iborra (River Plate/D5)- 7 in 25 games
Red Cards
1. Santos Fred (Marseille/D3)- 3 in 18 games
3. Antonio Valencia (Celta/D4)- 3 in 22 games
Lustenberger admits his performances for Hertha have been hindered by incontinence problems
Hertha's ex-captain again speaks toLustenberger: "I have never pissed myself"
For the first time after his dismissal as captain of Hertha BSC
Fabian Lustenberger expresses himself again extensively.
And it works quite well.
BY STEFAN HERMANNS
Fabian Lustenberger expresses himself again extensively.
And it works quite well.
Fabian Lustenberger had the free choice. He was the first to come out on the terrace and chose a place where the sun shines in his face. In his back is the team hotel of Hertha BSC, a classy five-star hotel, with tower and battlements as a medieval castle. Fabian Lustenberger has left the fortress, and this is quite symbolic. For a good six months he has not spoken publicly. When he came from the training ground, he looked fixedly at the journalist or entertained with a colleague; He has blocked all interview questions. "I think I could take it out," he says. "I've never been hiding or, extremely, pissed."
That Fabian Lustenberger did not disturb the fact that he was a bit offended.
The impression was not wrong. In the summer, Pal Dardai dismissed the Swiss from one day to the next as captain and instead Vedad Ibisevic took office . "I had a few days to do with it", says Lustenberger - also because he was completely surprised by the decision. He was a captain for three years, and at first glance, there was no reason to withdraw from him, the most active player at Hertha. There was nothing reprehensible, Lustenberger did nothing bad. Dardai expected from his captain a somewhat more extroverted kind of internal leadership.
"I told Lusti that without the bandage he would be a much better footballer for us and he will play with me again. That's how it came, " Dardai said recently in an interview with the Tagesspiegel. "He is now really good." So the decision was correct. Lustenberger must laugh when he is asked whether he is now a better footballer without a tie. He had not played badly during the three years as captain, he replied, "although this is partly so carried over".
And yet it is a fact that Hertha's coach team was not particularly pleased with him at the end of the previous season that internally even was speculated on a causal link between his contract extension in March (until 2019) and the performance drop in the backround. Just as the squad was more and more playful, Dardai would have hoped for more resistance from his captain. But even or straight Lustenberger could not give the team the necessary support.
In the midfield he gets "a bit more action"
That was different in the first half of the season. The 28-year-old Lustenberger also played a part in the fact that the Berliners were the top runners-up in the soccer league. "I've shown the right reaction with my training, so I've come back," he says. The speculations that he would never play an exposed role at Hertha have quickly turned out to be invalid. In 13 of the 16 previous seasons, Lustenberger was on the pitch, and always in the starting line. Twice he was injured, only Dardai voluntarily surrendered against FC Augsburg - because he wanted to have more body length on the field against the robust Augsburger.
Hertha's coach has long been one of Lustenberger's top performers; And unlike some of his predecessors, he does not see him as an internal defender, but again explicitly in the defensive midfield - "because he can read the game". Lustenberger is also playing on this position now, because there is "a bit more action". He has become accustomed to the increased physical strain in the midfield. At first Dardai had often felt after 70 minutes that he had to take Lustenberger off the pitch, "but he did well."
As in the small, this also applies on a large scale. "He's never going to swallow it," Dardai said about Lustenberger's abdication as captain. That is human. What is important is that the anger does not radiate on its performance, at least not negatively. Dardai has even sought psychological advice on how to handle the matter best, so that no injuries will be left behind by his previous captain.Herthas coach did not take the matter lightly. "Phew," says Fabian Lustenberger, "I do not know how easy or difficult it has been. He gave me the chance, and I used it. That is the decisive thing for me. "
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This was a translated page from Der Tagesspiegal - not made up by me!
This was a translated page from Der Tagesspiegal - not made up by me!