Culture Archives ⋆ An Old International

Clouds over Germany

While for many the European Championships will be a festival of football, other thoughts need to be considered, too. Many people will remember the 2006 men’s World Cup held in Germany. It was a tournament accompanied by five weeks of wonderful weather and an atmosphere that surprised hosts and visitors alike. Though the end was…

Some light among the gloom

For weeks, I’ve been thinking about packing it in: this blog has had its time, it’s never been a big thing, more on the side with a particular look on football of someone who has lived and played in three countries, wrote a book about it and often felt that football is a lot of…

Walking into a Minefield

October 7, 2023, was a dark day. Hamas attacked Israel on an unprecedented scale. The attack has drawn condemnation from all corners as it highlighted the nature of this organisation and their intentions: destroy their neighbouring country. In football, this attack has left traces as well. Fans and players alike have voiced their opinions. However,…

Club Culture

Manchester United once was a club feared for their on-pitch resilience and ability to turn around matches late, i.e., in injury time. The departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 was a landmark moment in the club’s recent history. In the ten years since he left the managerial role, United have won four trophies; in the last ten years with Ferguson, there were 18 titles! Of course, not all this is related to Ferguson, but for most of the transfers he got it right.

What a difference a decade makes! Within a year, the club has to deal with two players who are alleged to have attacked their partners/girlfriends. And although the case against Mason Greenwood was dropped, there will always be a residue remaining – on both sides. The latest are accusations against Anthony, a Brazilian player whom United signed in 2022. He faces allegations of physical attacks by his girlfriend.

It is indicative of the culture at the club, one is inclined to say. A culture of scouting that seems to give little attention to the personal development of future players. Of course, there is never a guarantee that nothing ever happens – it is, however, an unfortunate coincidence that two players in a relatively short time span at the same club have problems of this sort.

The club have to look after themselves, first and foremost, of course. That is why Greenwood’s contract was terminated. The same scenario is likely to happen in the case of Anthony. His national team, Brazil, have dropped him over the issue and United are once more under pressure for all the wrong reasons.

a few words to think about

England may not have won the World Cup at the Women’s World Cup this year but their coach, Sarina Wiegman was named coach of the year in Monaco at a ceremony held in late August 2023. After receiving the award she politely asked if she could say a few words. And those words were remarkable.…

The talented Mr. Reus

Marco Reus is a fantastic player. Unfortunately, injuries have stood in the way of him winning silverware. Tom Ripley is a fine human being with a dark side: he is deceptive and manipulative but gets away with it. While the former misses out on trophies, the latter never misses his chance to escape. The fictional…

DFL – Developping Fumble-free Leverage

The German league association DFL fear that they will be left behind by the Premier League and other European leagues. The idea to bring in fresh money from external sources did not convince a large swath of clubs, shipwrecking the bid of the DFL. Just days before the most exciting season in a decade, German…

1. FC Magdeburg – A Sonnet

FC Magdeburg have managed to stay in Bundesliga 2 despite a shaky first leg of the season. Time for some praise. In Magdeburg, where warriors don their crest, A football team, renowned throughout the land, 1. FC Magdeburg, by fate’s behest, A tale of triumph, noble and grand. Upon the hallowed pitch, they take their…

Hertha’s best Pal

Hertha BSC have been struggling in the league not only recently, but throughout the season and for the best part of the last two at least. If the successful play-offs against Hamburg at the end of last season saved them from the drop, this time round, the inevitable seems inevitable (The preventable is unavoidable): Hertha…

a not so well aged post

This post has aged within a day of its conception. Read for yourself. Just a few years ago, Rostock was the envy of Magdeburg supporters. For one, the most successful coach Magdeburg had post-1990, Jens Härtel has guided Rostock to promotion to Bundesliga 2 in 2021 and managed to stay up the following season. This…