Köln coach Steffen Baumgart was COVID positive this week. Had to stay at home to watch the Freiburg game.
Footage from his daughter shows he’s lively on the touchline **and** in front of his TV. 🤣 (HT @GEISSBLOG_KOELN)
Favourite moment? The way Steffen Baumgart’s dog provides emotional support whilst he’s shouting at his TV.
4. The voice notes sending instructions. 5. The way he looks like a golfer judging if his putt is going in or not at 19 seconds. 6. German not necessary to understand the video. 7. Even if you do understand German…how much of it is it possible to get?
For some context, here’s how Steffen Baumgart usually patrols the touchline. You’ll notice that all he was missing today was his bodywarmer. Vibes: exactly the same.
It says something about Baumgart’s popularity as coach, that he’s already on advertising boards around the city despite being only appointed in the summer. First coach since Peter Stöger I can remember getting this kind of treatment.
Anyway, back to the video. At 52 seconds, Baumgart shouts at Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck to: “Dye your shitty hair again!” 😮
The front page of Köln’s local papers on Monday? You guessed it. Not they need any invitation. Baumgart sells papers!
Even before Saturday’s game, Express made a cutout version of Baumgart’s face for fans to wear as a mask for the Freiburg game. “Today we are all Baumgart.”
This is to say Köln is a bit of a crazy place.
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- Your identity as a club becomes - do whatever it takes, just qualify for the Champions League
- Making money is prioritised over sporting success
- Leaders in the squad can't lead with performances on the pitch
- Pay them a wage that they wouldn't get elsewhere meaning it's much more difficult to be consequential with players when bad performances come
- Players are then able to turn up with a performance in the Champions League but not on a Saturday at Mainz
- Squad planning does not fit together - one example this season? Yan Couto, third most assists in La Liga last season, new right back…up against a guy in Julian Ryerson who you want to make a face of the club 🤔
What Toni Kroos said on the Lanz and Precht podcast - a thread.
It will be a long one but then you can see what was actually said and most importantly here, what wasn't said. All of this in the final seven minutes of a 1 hour 20 discussion. Bear with.
The conversation has moved onto how the Germany team is covered by the German press, about how the team is being celebrated for its performances during the Euros.
Kroos: "I still have my whole family in Germany. And yes, because you asked where we will continue to live. I still think Germany is a really great country, I really like being there, but at least it's not quite the Germany it was maybe 10 years ago when we left." 1/X
The table doesn’t show it but the scoreboard summed it up today - Borussia Dortmund have problems. A thread with a few thoughts on what’s gone / going wrong (disclaimer - not everything…I think)
I don’t think today’s result really comes down to Marco Rose or the players. Because it’s always been the coach or the players for some time at BVB. And when that’s the case, you have to look up to CEO Aki Watzke + outgoing sporting director Michael Zorc
Big, important parts of this squad look like they are overperforming at this level. Do you blame Zagadou or do you ask why he is continually put in that position? Same with Thomas Meunier. Looked down the team sheets today and was struck just by how much more depth Leverkusen had
Spoke on ESPN to Julian Nagelsmann about his jacket. I said there was a lot of chatter about it. “Really?” He smiled.
“Adidas sent that to me yesterday + asked if I could wear it today. I said maybe it’s a bit too cold but I’m moving that quick in the coaching zone, so…” 1/2
At Bayern-RB Leipzig today for @ESPNPlus. Quick flick through the local papers, starring soundman Max 🤩
Bayern go with the same XI that hammered Hertha. No spot for Dayot Upamecano against his former club after his mistake last time out. Full power front line up top 😳
RB make three changes from the team that beat Wolfsburg 2-0. Mohamed Simakan picked up a slight knee injury on Thursday. Should be ok for Köln I’m told. He’s out along with Novoa and Henrichs. In comes Nordi Mukiele, Lukas Klostermann and Dani Olmo.
Tonight: Real Madrid v Borussia Mönchengladbach. Spoke with Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl about Marco Rose, Lucien Favre + a bit on Rene Maric too for @ESPNFC. If you’re in the US, you can watch here. If you’re not, quotes in the thread
Max Eberl to @ESPNFC on how much longer he expects Marco Rose to be at Gladbach and whether Lucien Favre gets a raw deal at Dortmund.
Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl on @ReneMaric. "One metre there, one metre there." @ESPNFC