The word is out: Köln sucks! The Bundesliga-Absteiger looked like crap once again in their third 2.Liga outing. In the Montagnachtfussball match (“Bist du bereit für etwas Fussball?”, OK crappy translation, forget it…) two strugglers were on national display. Both Aue and Köln needed a result, since they had both stunk in previous matches. So things started fiercely, like the proverbial Chinese fire drill, but Erzgebirge then scored an early goal, which brought stability to their game. The Geisböcke instead ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, and proved to be quite toothless in their feeble attacks. Aue realized that this match was for the taking, and made things certain with a goal in the 2nd period. Deserved win for the easterners, a disaster for Köln. I’m not convinced that Aue won’t struggle all season, but they got the points.
So the relegated clubs are having a rough time. Kaiserslautern hasn’t impressed, but they haven’t lost either. Hertha has pretty much stunk (including in the Cup), but got lucky and picked up a win. Köln on the other hand looks like a rudderless ship. Legend Wolfgang Overath had come back to guide them to safe waters, but instead they ended up in a whirlpool. So Wolfie left the presidency, but the same amateur-hour appears evident. Of course, they *should* be able to right the ship, and it’s early in the season. On the other hand, they could end up like other famous clubs, Bochum and Duisburg, and just dick around. The 2.Liga is very tough, as there are usually a lot of clubs contending, so you really need to get results. You don’t have to be outstandingg to win it, but you can’t suck. Personally, I believe they’ll get their act together and perhaps make a run, but I’d have to admit that they haven’t given any evidence of that.
"Montagnachtfussball"
Erzgebirge Aue - 1. FC Köln 2:0 (1:0) 10,050
1:0 Fa. Müller (8., Rechtsschuss, Sylvestr)
2:0 Savran (55., Linksschuss, Sylvestr)
1 Eintracht Braunschweig 3 3 0 0 4:1 +3 9
2 Energie Cottbus 3 2 1 0 7:2 +5 7
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3 FSV Frankfurt 3 2 1 0 6:2 +4 7
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4 VfR Aalen (N) 3 2 0 1 6:3 +3 6
5 SV Sandhausen (N) 3 1 2 0 4:2 +2 5
6 1. FC Kaiserslautern (A) 3 1 2 0 5:4 +1 5
7 1860 München 3 1 2 0 3:2 +1 5
8 SC Paderborn 07 3 1 1 1 7:4 +3 4
9 Dynamo Dresden 3 1 1 1 6:5 +1 4
10 Hertha BSC Berlin (A) 3 1 1 1 5:6 -1 4
11 Erzgebirge Aue 3 1 1 1 2:3 -1 4
12 Jahn Regensburg (N) 3 1 0 2 3:3 0 3
13 VfL Bochum 3 1 0 2 2:6 -4 3
14 FC Ingolstadt 04 3 0 2 1 3:5 -2 2
15 FC St. Pauli 3 0 2 1 1:3 -2 2
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16 1. FC Union Berlin 3 0 1 2 3:6 -3 1
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17 1. FC Köln (A) 3 0 1 2 1:4 -4 1
18 MSV Duisburg 3 0 0 3 2:9 -7 0
I never really saw Pololski as being very bright (he interviews soooo well), but maybe he was the smartest guy on the squad afterall. And with RVP’s move, he might just be elevated into some sort of fussball Stratosphaere.
Looks like Podolski got it right.
This is something I have seen in England as well, when teams that have spent a long time in the top flight (or in Köln’s cae, going back up straight away) get relegated, if they do not go straight back up, it ends up taking them years to return. For example Leeds and Coventry in England, Düsseldorf, 1860 and Duisburg in Germany. Bochum has also now fallen into this trap (much to my wife’s disgust!) and it could be a long time before they return to the Bundesliga.
It’ll be interesting to see how Karlsruhe go this year. It was not that long ago (maybe four seasons??) that they were in contention for a European spot halfway through the season. Big drop from grace.
I think they’ll probably end up mid table and stay in the 3. Liga for a few seasons along with Bielefeld. If they do go down, with the new regionalliga set up I doubt we’d see them back for a while!