The link between football and pop has not always been the best, particularly in German where Schlager seemed to dominate the PA systems of the Bundesliga grounds between Hamburg and Munich. There are highlights however, that seem worth re-playing decades later. This video is one such example.
Udo Jürgens, who has passed away last Saturday aged 80, sang an ode to Helmut Schön after the German national coach retired from his position. This is German Schlager at its best almost.
Paris is a city full of people, occasionally too many. There’s hardly a time or place that it is not crowded. Visit any park as soon as spring comes and you won’t be able to find a quiet spot. What a difference a visit in the Stade Charlety makes. Read more →
The function of a lighthouse is to guide ships safely through the night. Football clubs could fulfil a similar task, metaphorically. Read more →
…we’ll settle for nothing later… Rage against the Machine appeared to be the right sountrack for the day when it must have become clear even to the last person with the slightest interest in football, that something is rotten at the core of the organization claiming to represent football: FIFA.
The report into the investigation of Michael Garcia as presented by the German Judge Eckert turns everything around: FIFA are not corrupt nor were the countries bidding for the right to host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022 applying any measures deemed to be corrupt or unlawful. However, before this turns into a rant that surely is necessary, the document itself is provided as evidence of the gross misjudgment.
Statement Eckert on the bidding process for 2018 and 2022
How can it be that all of a sudden England are accused of breaking the rules of conduct? According to Eckert, it is simple. Their mistake: they co-operated with the invrstigator Michael Garcia. The excuse of the Russians, that the hardware was only borrowed and thus the emails that could prove any corruption are no longer accessible, beggars belief.
This lie, so blatantly sold as the truth cannot, must not be accepted. If we don’t take action now…
In the last week of October, FC Magdeburg had their biggest game of the season: a Cup tie against Bayer Leverkusen, a team from the top range of the Bundesliga and regular Champions League participant. It was a fight David vs. Goliath with an unlucky ending for the small club. It was however, a sign that the team is still capable of playing excellent football. And that not all hope may be lost. Read more →
The Ch’tis are coming to Paris and they were in celebration mood: the atmosphere around and in the Stade de France was almost festive ahead of the match. Lens had swapped their ground for the biggest game in every other club’s season against Paris Saint Germain. The Parisians meanwhile seemed to be in their home neighbourhood in the banlieue of Saint Denis. Read more →
There has been a trend appearing recently: blogs on football that used to provide excellent content are being discontinued for various reasons.
An Old International will also take an extended break. You may have noticed that since July there have been less posts than the usual a-post-a-week. This was initially only seen as a summer break as I did not intend to cover about the World Cup. Well I did anyway but it was not as much as say for the EURO 2012.
Be not alarmed, however. This blog is not going to be discontinued. Rather, the break is necessary now as I am in the midst of finishing my research project. All energy and focus are on this now and I hope to submit my thesis by late September. I have tried to put posts together but my mind drifted off to the editing task of an 80000-word PhD-thesis. Writing 1000+ words on football history or a comment does not go together with a full-time academic task. The exception will be match reports on an unregular basis; I need to get out some times and also guest posts which will be highlighted. Anything else will have to wait. I have forbidden myself to save any drafts except for hand written ones. My notepad is seeing some ideas develop; sprinkled on it with my Waterman.
Over the past six years my research has accompanied me like a good friend and a pain in the back side at the same time. I want it to remain a friend and a source of inspiration for An Old International. Seeing it coming to an end will be a relief. It will open up capacities to research more on topics hitherto not covered here. Hence this break.
There are ideas for the future, rest assured. An Old International will not vanish.
My dear readers, be patient. Thanks for your comprehension and your trust.
The biggest sporting event in June/July 2014 saw Germany emerging as worthy winners. Worthy, because their development over the past decade has been very positive. The team has evolved enormously since the exit of the group stages of the Euro 2004 in Portugal. This was Germany’s 4th title and if certain criteria are met, there’ll be another World Cup win within the next quarter century.
Read more →
Since Magdeburg have won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1974 40 years have passed; years during which the club has not seen the best of times. Since 1989 the club appears to be in a loop of promotion, insolvency and scandals. ‘Quo Vadis?’ thus seems to be the appropriate question in 2014. Read more →
It is the first encounter between East and West in 1974 and almost 3 quarters of the game have passed without any major incident. And yet, for many unnoticed, Georg Buschner, the East German coach has pulled his secret weapon from his sleeve: Erich Hamann. Read more →