In the time of a pandemic, live football has been completely absent (unless you’re a fan of the Belarusian Premier League), which has forced fans to seek an alternative form of footballing consumption through nostalgia. Sky Sports has been regurgitating the well-known ‘Premier League Years’ daily, with ITV also deciding to replay full matches of the Euro 1996 tournament. Examples of football memories flooding our TV screens have become commonplace. However, the decision of Angela Merkel on May 7 changed all of this, with German football given the long-awaited green light. Therefore, with the return of football still largely uncertain in England, Spain and Italy, 3-At-The-Back talked to freelance Bundesliga commentator Phil Bonney and German football podcast ‘Talking Fussball’ to gain some unique and informative insights on the German game ahead of the action restarting this weekend.
THE DRESDEN ISSUE
The news that Dynamo Dresden’s entire squad had entered quarantine after two players tested positive for the coronavirus amplified that football will be constantly walking on a tight rope, even with rigorous testing and strict medical protocols. Ultimately, this news forced us to question what would happen if three or four teams entered complete quarantine like Dresden.
“The DFL have structures and procedures in place to deal with this possibility, they recently released a 50-page document dealing with the situation and the restart,” Bonney said.
Bonney, who has been a commentator on German football since 2003, added that “if three or four teams had to enter quarantine it would indicate that the country was not as far along as was previously thought by the experts.” In fact, Köln’s three positive coronavirus cases could have seen a similar reaction to Dresden, yet they decided against complete quarantine, revealing in a club statement that “FC Köln’s training can continue as planned, according to the hygiene and infection control measures that have been in place since 6 April in group training.” This shows that Dresden’s decision to quarantine the whole squad was not only optional, but also not a requirement in the DFL guidelines.
In the worst-case scenario, Talking Fussball noted that “the DFL has said that they are prepared to abandon the season and declare it done with the table as it is if circumstances arise that demand it.” However, they were quick to identify that the only things that would bring about an abandonment “are either a real preponderance of teams having outbreaks, or government order”
Nonetheless, it is vital to note that with the easing of restrictions in Germany, there has predictably been a surge of new infections with the reproduction rate now above one. This highlights an increased risk in Germany to the population, but particularly in this case to the players and staff, which could potentially cause serious moral and logistical problems for the authorities along the way.
THE DRESDEN ISSUE
The news that Dynamo Dresden’s entire squad had entered quarantine after two players tested positive for the coronavirus amplified that football will be constantly walking on a tight rope, even with rigorous testing and strict medical protocols. Ultimately, this news forced us to question what would happen if three or four teams entered complete quarantine like Dresden.
“The DFL have structures and procedures in place to deal with this possibility, they recently released a 50-page document dealing with the situation and the restart,” Bonney said.
Bonney, who has been a commentator on German football since 2003, added that “if three or four teams had to enter quarantine it would indicate that the country was not as far along as was previously thought by the experts.” In fact, Köln’s three positive coronavirus cases could have seen a similar reaction to Dresden, yet they decided against complete quarantine, revealing in a club statement that “FC Köln’s training can continue as planned, according to the hygiene and infection control measures that have been in place since 6 April in group training.” This shows that Dresden’s decision to quarantine the whole squad was not only optional, but also not a requirement in the DFL guidelines.
In the worst-case scenario, Talking Fussball noted that “the DFL has said that they are prepared to abandon the season and declare it done with the table as it is if circumstances arise that demand it.” However, they were quick to identify that the only things that would bring about an abandonment “are either a real preponderance of teams having outbreaks, or government order”
Nonetheless, it is vital to note that with the easing of restrictions in Germany, there has predictably been a surge of new infections with the reproduction rate now above one. This highlights an increased risk in Germany to the population, but particularly in this case to the players and staff, which could potentially cause serious moral and logistical problems for the authorities along the way.
Dynamo Dresden are currently bottom of the 2. Bundesliga
ON THE PITCH AND FINANCIAL FUTURES
In terms of the on-pitch issues, Bonney believes they are intrinsically linked to off-pitch problems such as the long-term financial security of many clubs in the league.
When asked about who would benefit the most when the league is played out to its full conclusion, he stated that “a conclusion to the season would benefit the clubs in financial distress, more than the ones perceived as being richer. Some sides at the bottom of the table are fighting not only for their topflight status but also for their very existence.” Talking Fussball echoed this statement by saying that ‘the teams that will benefit the most are the mid-to-lower tier Bundesliga teams. They said that the likes of Bayern, Dortmund and RB Leipzig are financially stable enough to weather the storm, whereas “other clubs really need the TV money.”
The suspension of the season has also given teams time to regroup as they fight for positions. RB Leipzig’s dip in form, which has seen them win only two of their last seven fixtures, means they have fallen five points behind Bayern Munich, who they have led for most of the season. In addition to this, their two main title rivals — Bayern and Borussia Dortmund — have been in scintillating form, both winning their last four league games. Perhaps the break has suited Leipzig and will help them reignite their faltering title push. Bonney acknowledges this, “good runs have been put on hiatus-poor ones also. The rhythm of the season has been broken and I expect the “Restart” to reflect that.” In all of this, it is important to remember that the tussle for the Bundesliga title is perhaps not as important as the survival of clubs with inferior finances. With this restart, they will just about to be able to maintain their futures. Let’s hope they benefit most out of this.
SCOUTING REPORT
Bundesliga is a league full of young and exciting talent from across the globe, and as a regular commentator, Bonney was in a good position to provide us with some invaluable insight. In response to the question of which players neutral fans should be looking out for; Bonney spoke of the array of talent and asserted that “the best way to get into the league is by watching it yourself!”
He later identified specific talents from different teams for the neutral fan to keep an eye on, and in the case of Borussia Monchengladbach Bonney cited Marcus Thuram and Denis Zakaria as prime examples. Both have been impressive this season, with Thuram notching six goals and eight assists, while Zakaria has been a rock in the centre of midfield, leading to interest from a variety of Premier League suitors.
In addition to this, Köln have some exciting youngsters in their ranks and Bonney singles out Noah Katterbach and Ismail Jakobs as the stars. The 19 and 20-year olds respectively also boast impressive figures and their progress will be closely tracked by German football fans. Another notable youngster is Freiburg’s Luca Waldschmidt, who Bonney said, “had put himself in a good light before the coronavirus.” This is proved by his three appearances given to him by the German national team in late 2019 and early 2020.
Talking Fussball also identified some talents that are often not spoken about in the mainstream media. This included the likes of Fillip Kostic of Eintracht Frankfurt who they believe “is a one man-chance-creating machine.” Kostic has registered four goals and nine assists this season in a team that has struggled in comparison to last year’s seventh place finish and Europa League semi-final exit. His statistics are extremely impressive as he boasts the 12th best figures for expected goals and assists for midfielders, only behind the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Serge Gnabry, Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus. They were also keen to highlight Matheus Cunha as an underrated talent, even saying that “on his day he is capable of turning a game by himself at Hertha Berlin.”
In terms of the on-pitch issues, Bonney believes they are intrinsically linked to off-pitch problems such as the long-term financial security of many clubs in the league.
When asked about who would benefit the most when the league is played out to its full conclusion, he stated that “a conclusion to the season would benefit the clubs in financial distress, more than the ones perceived as being richer. Some sides at the bottom of the table are fighting not only for their topflight status but also for their very existence.” Talking Fussball echoed this statement by saying that ‘the teams that will benefit the most are the mid-to-lower tier Bundesliga teams. They said that the likes of Bayern, Dortmund and RB Leipzig are financially stable enough to weather the storm, whereas “other clubs really need the TV money.”
The suspension of the season has also given teams time to regroup as they fight for positions. RB Leipzig’s dip in form, which has seen them win only two of their last seven fixtures, means they have fallen five points behind Bayern Munich, who they have led for most of the season. In addition to this, their two main title rivals — Bayern and Borussia Dortmund — have been in scintillating form, both winning their last four league games. Perhaps the break has suited Leipzig and will help them reignite their faltering title push. Bonney acknowledges this, “good runs have been put on hiatus-poor ones also. The rhythm of the season has been broken and I expect the “Restart” to reflect that.” In all of this, it is important to remember that the tussle for the Bundesliga title is perhaps not as important as the survival of clubs with inferior finances. With this restart, they will just about to be able to maintain their futures. Let’s hope they benefit most out of this.
SCOUTING REPORT
Bundesliga is a league full of young and exciting talent from across the globe, and as a regular commentator, Bonney was in a good position to provide us with some invaluable insight. In response to the question of which players neutral fans should be looking out for; Bonney spoke of the array of talent and asserted that “the best way to get into the league is by watching it yourself!”
He later identified specific talents from different teams for the neutral fan to keep an eye on, and in the case of Borussia Monchengladbach Bonney cited Marcus Thuram and Denis Zakaria as prime examples. Both have been impressive this season, with Thuram notching six goals and eight assists, while Zakaria has been a rock in the centre of midfield, leading to interest from a variety of Premier League suitors.
In addition to this, Köln have some exciting youngsters in their ranks and Bonney singles out Noah Katterbach and Ismail Jakobs as the stars. The 19 and 20-year olds respectively also boast impressive figures and their progress will be closely tracked by German football fans. Another notable youngster is Freiburg’s Luca Waldschmidt, who Bonney said, “had put himself in a good light before the coronavirus.” This is proved by his three appearances given to him by the German national team in late 2019 and early 2020.
Talking Fussball also identified some talents that are often not spoken about in the mainstream media. This included the likes of Fillip Kostic of Eintracht Frankfurt who they believe “is a one man-chance-creating machine.” Kostic has registered four goals and nine assists this season in a team that has struggled in comparison to last year’s seventh place finish and Europa League semi-final exit. His statistics are extremely impressive as he boasts the 12th best figures for expected goals and assists for midfielders, only behind the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Serge Gnabry, Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus. They were also keen to highlight Matheus Cunha as an underrated talent, even saying that “on his day he is capable of turning a game by himself at Hertha Berlin.”
Luca Waldschmidt was the top scorer at the under-21 European Championships last year
As many English fans are aware, there is a long list of wonderful young talents that play for the big two clubs of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, including Erling Haaland, Alphonso Davies, Giovanni Reyna and our very own Jadon Sancho. Bonney neatly summarised this scouting report by saying that “the list goes on and on…every club has one or two diamonds in the rough.”
English supporters may be curious how German Football fans view Jadon Sancho’s future. Talking Fussball were keen to stress the importance of Sancho to Dortmund’s success and believes that the emergence of Haaland and Reyna mean “they will be a threat to win titles next year”, as “they have the best crop of youngsters in the world.” The belief in Germany is that Sancho shouldn’t be hasty in his decision-making given that “he’ll get paid at a big club soon enough.”
WHAT ABOUT THE LOWER LEAGUES?
Ultimately the situation in the lower leagues is also complicated. Talking Fussball noted an inconsistency in the resumption of German Football in the lower leagues. “Some regions’ very low-level leagues have restarted without much fuss (and a lot of precaution), while those closer to the pro level (Regionalliga and especially 3. Bundesliga) are really struggling to devise plans that are safe and affordable.” The situation in 3. Bundesliga is extremely convoluted with many teams wanting to “abandon the season rather than foot the bill for all the testing and quarantining procedures.” The position of 3. Bundesliga is similar to the situation of lower leagues in England with League’s One and Two to be abandoned as early as this week, due to the costs of restarting again.
IS EVERYONE ON BOARD?
In a situation like this, it is almost impossible to get everyone on board given the huge risk that football is taking. The examples of Dresden and Köln obviously won’t help, but the DFL have set out a plan and are determined to pursue it. Although Bonney concedes that he has not spoken to the players directly about the issue, he does identify that “the various unions and representatives of players and back room staff have certainly not been idle when it comes to looking after their charges.” In addition to this, he recognises that “a certain amount of trust will have to be assumed and given.”
Even with the complications and apparent murmurings of discontent, Bonney finishes with the line that “players want to play; commentators want to commentate, but no one wants to be responsible for exacerbating the situation.”
Talking Fussball eluded to the fact that a lot of the players are not thrilled with the plans but are mostly keeping their mouths shut. However, there has been notable examples of players criticising the restart, including Neven Subotic and Lukas Hradecky. “We’ve seen comments from Subotic and Hradecky (two players known for their outspokenness) saying they wish players had been consulted on the league’s plans more.” Yet, it is significant that “neither went so far as to say they didn’t want to play.”
It is a tricky situation in a testing climate of uncertainty, yet the Bundesliga authorities feel they have the procedures and a plan that will ensure a successful process. They believe that they will not only complete the remaining fixtures for the long-term financial security of the German game, but also maintain player safety to the best of their abilities. All the unanswered questions will be truly answered in the coming weeks, as the Bundesliga returns on Saturday.
English supporters may be curious how German Football fans view Jadon Sancho’s future. Talking Fussball were keen to stress the importance of Sancho to Dortmund’s success and believes that the emergence of Haaland and Reyna mean “they will be a threat to win titles next year”, as “they have the best crop of youngsters in the world.” The belief in Germany is that Sancho shouldn’t be hasty in his decision-making given that “he’ll get paid at a big club soon enough.”
WHAT ABOUT THE LOWER LEAGUES?
Ultimately the situation in the lower leagues is also complicated. Talking Fussball noted an inconsistency in the resumption of German Football in the lower leagues. “Some regions’ very low-level leagues have restarted without much fuss (and a lot of precaution), while those closer to the pro level (Regionalliga and especially 3. Bundesliga) are really struggling to devise plans that are safe and affordable.” The situation in 3. Bundesliga is extremely convoluted with many teams wanting to “abandon the season rather than foot the bill for all the testing and quarantining procedures.” The position of 3. Bundesliga is similar to the situation of lower leagues in England with League’s One and Two to be abandoned as early as this week, due to the costs of restarting again.
IS EVERYONE ON BOARD?
In a situation like this, it is almost impossible to get everyone on board given the huge risk that football is taking. The examples of Dresden and Köln obviously won’t help, but the DFL have set out a plan and are determined to pursue it. Although Bonney concedes that he has not spoken to the players directly about the issue, he does identify that “the various unions and representatives of players and back room staff have certainly not been idle when it comes to looking after their charges.” In addition to this, he recognises that “a certain amount of trust will have to be assumed and given.”
Even with the complications and apparent murmurings of discontent, Bonney finishes with the line that “players want to play; commentators want to commentate, but no one wants to be responsible for exacerbating the situation.”
Talking Fussball eluded to the fact that a lot of the players are not thrilled with the plans but are mostly keeping their mouths shut. However, there has been notable examples of players criticising the restart, including Neven Subotic and Lukas Hradecky. “We’ve seen comments from Subotic and Hradecky (two players known for their outspokenness) saying they wish players had been consulted on the league’s plans more.” Yet, it is significant that “neither went so far as to say they didn’t want to play.”
It is a tricky situation in a testing climate of uncertainty, yet the Bundesliga authorities feel they have the procedures and a plan that will ensure a successful process. They believe that they will not only complete the remaining fixtures for the long-term financial security of the German game, but also maintain player safety to the best of their abilities. All the unanswered questions will be truly answered in the coming weeks, as the Bundesliga returns on Saturday.
Cardboard cut-outs were placed at Monchengladbach's Borussia Park amid the novel COVID-19 pandemic
Written by: Will Murray
Edited by: 3-At-The-Back
Edited by: 3-At-The-Back