#and some people may say it's a weak championship compared to the euros ...

[nadalffc]

no cause someone commented on madrid post that toni's trophy collection is complete and someone replied "euro?" lmaoool

[kevkesblog]

Translation: kicker magazine profile about Julian Brandt (July 27, 2020)

By Thomas Hennecke and Matthias Dersch

Had he made this artistic pass during the corona pandemic with empty stands in the stadium, it would have been a pity. A week before Christmas however, there is almost no free space in the Signal Iduna Park left. Everybody is ripped off their seats – except the RB Leipzig fans – the moment Julian Brandt marks the second goal. Brandt digs deep into his toolbox. Receiving the pass by Sancho, processing the ball, shot. Three actions in one fluent move, south American suppleness with ice-cold efficiency, a master class. Goal of the month December.

This cool blonde with the jersey number 19 – he is a man for the special moments. A player who makes a difference. And a gambler. A footballer having fun and who lets the difficult things look easy and made his relaxed demeanor a trademark. You can guess why he named Diego (the Bremer, not Maradona”, like Brandt said in BVB-TV) is his idol. The Brazilian used to have the blessings to do great things on the pitch. Diego also had a dream goal in his repertoire: 62,5 meter distance on April 20, 2007 against Alemannia Aachen. End score: 3:1.

The fact Brandt coolness also comes from a sometimes fatal way of risking things, relativizes his actions. You are torn a bit. People who appreciate show, spontaneity, art and creativity will love him more than people adding statistics and all mistakes and how they translate onto the pitch. The ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ looks beyond that and celebrated Brandt as a “Player with the Wow-Effect”. Brandt plays passes, so precise they will find almost every gap. As if they were managed by an electronic brain. He celebrates chop passes which look good and find their goals. But he also screws up counter chances with sloppy passes. He gives goals to his opponents with carless back passes. Or he shoots x-times against the goal, without a slightest danger to the goal keepers.

2019 is the second year with coach Lucien Favre and the so-called “restart”. BVB manager Zorc took a lot of money into his hands, in order to optimize the team. Looking back he wouldn’t be as passionate about some transfers as he was back then – but the 25 million euros for Brandt are still a good and useful investment, Zorc thinks: “Julian is a talented football player and has a lot of potential. He is very active on the pitch, demanding the ball, plays in a self-confidend way and doesn’t hide.”

Then follows the “but”. Zorc follows everything very closely from his box seat on the team bench. He sees mistakes by Brandt, unnecessary mistakes – calles “unforced errors” in tennis. “He still does a lot of them���, Zorc complains. “He has still work to do when it comes to working against the ball, Julian knows that best himself.” Indeed one doesn’t have to look far to find weaknesses. He himself is his biggest critic, the professional once claimed. Yet, he never lets that sort of self-reflection get out of his hands: “I always question myself, whenever I’m not performing well. But I never question the fact that I still can do it.”

It’s easy to spot: this Brandt-guy is not Mr. Perfect nor a football-playing robot. Rather he is an un-adjusted fine spirit on the pitch. Always in a good mood, with a fresh quote on his lips. During the USA-journey to Seattle last year, he was walking interested through the Museum of Pop Culture where Borussia was celebrating its “Black and Yellow night”. He had some small talk with journalists, he seems relaxed, approachable and cool. The opposite of the footballer clicheé of being arrogant. Brandt is “a fantastic guy” says Captian Marco Reus, “he’s a funny and open guy”.

As engaging, positive and uncomplicated his persona comes across: sometimes however Brandt appears to be less serious about stuff. It’s seems as if an extra scoop of ambition is missing, based on his body language. Unlike many other professionals. “I heard from many people before, about me looking like I’m sort of listlessness I embody”, Brandt said during an interview with the former BVB-player Patrick Owomoyela. Yet he assures: “My inner drive is always there.”

Brandt shows both faces during the game against Leipzig. Magical and faulty. He serves Timo Werner the 2:2-goal on a silver platter with his horrible wrong pass. “Perhaps someday there will be the award: wrong pass of the month”, says the 24 year-old. “I’m sure, I’ll get into the top 5.” BVB-boss Hans Joachim Watzke is face-palming on the stands in that moment. With some distance he likes Brandt’s way of playing. The BVB-boss says: “Julian makes extraordinary mistakes, because you can only play extraordinary if you take risky passes or have risky ideas.”

Five months later, both major teams in Germany play against each other on the evening of May 26. Borussia against Bayern; light house 2 against light house 1. Dortmund has to win, otherwise the Bundesliga title will be gone and Dortmund starts in a rush. Erling Haaland gets the ball in the midfield after 17 seconds, by winning a head ball against Joshua Kimmich. From the back Brandt storms in front like a speed train, captures the situation, speeds up the game and passes over to Thorgan Hazard with his left foot. The clock ticks – 19 seconds into the game – Manuel Neuer gets out of his goal and saves the situation for Bayern at the last moment. But he passes the ball into Haalands feet. His shot rushes through Neuers feet until Jerome Boating saves it for Bayern on the goal line. Brandt goal celebration dies on his lips. The blitz goal after just one minute – it would have been his act as well.

Same game, 43rd minute. Mats Hummels defending for Dortmund, the ball moves a few meters to the left. Kimmich gets the ball, looks up, sees Roman Bürki standing a bit too far away from the goal, shoots and scores. The guy standing the closest to Kimmich: Brandt. It would have been unfair to make him responsible for the goal alone, half of the team is responsible as well. Yet some people who’s heart is beating for black and yellow would have preferred Brandt at least trying to hinder Kimmich on making his genius shot. He does: nothing.

He's a day dreamer, Brandt once said. Day dreamers keep strolling through their thoughts. A study found out: day dreamers are capable finding time to dream because their brains have enough space left. In the past day dreaming was understood as a sign of lack of concentration and attention – today people see it as a sign of intelligence and creativity. Like a lost professor: brilliant, sharp mind, yet sunk into his own world.

 It is however no explanation for him being passive in front of the goal in May that basically pre-decided the German championship. Brandt made his day dreamer confession in a different context – when asked about a career plan. He doesn’t have one, he said: “Everything that happens in my life, happens spontaneously. I don’t even know what I will be doing in three weeks from now.” Brandt lives his live as free and individual as possible and as disciplined as necessary. He likes to sleep long in the morning and only leave “shortly” in order to just barley making it on time at the training ground. “Every minute is sacred” he says with a wink of an eye. “I don’t know how often I had to pay a penalty for being too late.”

A year Brandt is employed in Dortmund. The statistics are showing respectable numbers. 42 games, seven goals, 13 assists, ten second-pass assists. The season prior in Leverkusen he had seven goals and 15 assists – just in the Bundesliga. He added six scorer points in the DFB Cup then and the Europa League. “I had to find my place during the first months. I played on many positions and didn’t know many of the boys yet. It’s why it was a bit un-harmonic”, says Brandt. “Nevertheless, now I’m “in”. I had a nice year with great moments. I have to say: I’m really satisfied. Everything can get much better. However its was fine for the first year.”

Brandt wanders through the BVB team, gets put into five different roles. The center midfield is the place where he can show his class the best – whenever he has the game in front of him. He can put his instincts and creativity into force and can create chances with his passes. He is basically a lost force when playing way in front. Except against Slavia Prag in the Champions League he confirmed with two assists, Favre decision putting him into the front as a striker. His abilities are also limited once he plays on the wings.

He never has a lack of commitment and engagement. Brandt is running on average 11,85 kilometers in 90 minutes. Nobody of the permanent Dortmund players is running more. He wins 52,4 % of his one-on-ones – more than Sancho (45,6%), Marco Reus (44,6%), Hazard (42,0%) or Haaland (41,4%). His passing with a 84 percent accuracy however still has room for improvement compared to the other specialists like Axel Witsel (94,1%), Dan-Axel Zagadou (91,1%) or Raphael Guerreiro (89,2%).

Brandt is brilliant in games like against Gladbach (DFB Cup, kicker-grade: 1,5), against Fortuna Düsseldorf or Schalke in the Bundesliga (both 1,5). He has personal low points in Freiburg (sub in and out of the same game; grade: 5), in Munich (grade: 6) and against Milan in the Champions League, where he basically loses the ball in almost every scene. Every game becomes a personal balancing act for the highly skilled national player: he dances on a high wire – here and there he loses his grip and crashes down.

His time in Dortmund started with a glitch. He makes a mistake and drives onto the parking lot of the youth time at 7.45am in the morning. A BVB employee has to show him the way. Brandt decided to leave the comfort zone Leverkusen on purpose. “Dortmund” – he says, “Dortmund is much bigger in terms of media interest, the stadium, the number of fans and in terms of pressure. It’s a different game here. It could make a mark on me and will serve me good.” And then there is the wish to win a title which made him to transfer to Dortmund. It’s about a basic attitude in sports, Brandt said a year ago, “everybody should have the drive to win every game.”

Because Dortmund only won 28 of their 46 games this past season (seven draws, eleven defeats) a lively debate about coach Favré heats up as well as a discussion about the mentality of the team. No fans will get together in Dortmund and celebrate the fifth second place finish of the team since 2013. Nobody will fill extra pages in historic club chronicles, some BVB players are now suspecting. “We are not satisfied to finish second”, Brandt confesses. “We aren’t angry, but also not satisfied. We want more.” He then sticks up for his colleagues who get criticized for some bad performances and whenever there are doubts about their mentality and the harsh criticism: “We want to the big price. The team is hungry, they are in for it to win titles. The team is capable of that. You have to always aim high.”

Children who are having their first day of school this year, have lived a life only knowing Bayern Munich as German football champions. In order for them to understand that other teams can be successful as well, Dortmund needs to win the “all-or-nothing”-games, Brandt thinks. The duels with the other Bundesliga havy weights: Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen. “You have to win those games, if you want to stay on top”, he says. “Yet you also have to take smaller teams seriously. Something like a 3-3 draw against Paderborn is fatal.”

Borussia Dortmund gave the players four weeks vacation. This Thursday the team will come back together well rested. The months during the corona crisis, the tough hygiene rules of the German Bundesliga, left a mark on Brandt. “It does something to you”, he confesses, “you don’t see many people. You see your family, perhaps a few friends. Otherwise: nobody. You are happy to be able to go out and have some freedoms again.” Now he can go out again – at least a bit.

[torentialtribute]

MARTIN SAMUEL COLUMN: If Inter’s black players refused to play, would it finally stop monkey chants?

What kind of Inter Milan & # 39; s to clear up for Romelu Lukaku or another black person who might be confused by all the strange noises, what exactly does racism do in Italian football.

Apparently no monkey singing. No rough comparison between a human and a monkey. This, as Lukaku has experienced this weekend in Cagliari – and many black players in the stadium before him – is only a form of respect.

A distorted respect, you might think, as it seeks to dehumanize the individual; to publicly humiliate, thwart and intimidate him. But these disgusting sounds, these humiliating taunts, the echoes were hard to explain, were only & # 39; manners & # 39; deployed by Italian fans & # 39; to help our team & # 39 ;.

Romelu Lukaku suffered the hands of Cagliari fans when he played for Inter Milan

Not taking into account how racist abuse of a black opponent can make a black player with the shirt of his team feel. No understanding of how insulating and baffling such an action could be.

The cretins who claimed to have welcomed Lukaku in Milan were indeed not in vain of events in Cagliari – if he were grateful for this simple courtesy – do not rule out the same & # 39; manners & # 39; to blacken players when they visited the San Siro. They have even admitted that they have used racist singing in the past to force black opponents. Heaven, no. And the crowd in Cagliari either. They just made a very good impression of them.

Now you would think that it is black people who define racism, not white knuckles, but this is what happens when an entire football culture is too timid to confront the issue and its protagonists.

Italy has been weak for racism in football for decades. What unfolded in Cagliari should not have surprised anyone, given that fans can carry out racist attacks throughout Italian football without significant consequences.

Series A has long yielded to the echo and their damaged concept of loyalty and service. When Moise Kean, formerly from Juventus, was abused in the same way last year in Cagliari, the authorities decided that the singing & # 39; objectively limited reference & # 39; whatever that means.

No action has been taken since Lukaku was the target on Sunday, either, with disciplinary representatives asking for more evidence before making a decision. Even if Cagliari was accused, since these are repeated offenses, history suggests that nothing special would happen.

Cagliari faced punishment from Series Last season after fans Moise Kean racially abused

Atalanta was fined just over £ 30,000 in 2014 when very finite evidence of racism – bananas thrown at Milan players Kevin Constant and Nigel van Jong – was clear.

So the authorities are the culprit. But self-serving, misleading, outright racist dribbles, statement-cum-reading from Inter & # 39; s Nord Curve on Facebook is unsurpassed.

& # 39; We are really sorry that you thought what happened in Cagliari was racist & # 39 ;, Lukaku was told as if he had missed the broader subtleties of a bunch of white boys making monkey sounds in his direction . "You have to understand that Italy is not like many other Northern European countries where racism is a real problem."

And it went on, ripe with costly self-justifications and ridiculous attempts to occupy the high ground, the pig's important statements piling up.

& # 39; Consider this attitude of Italian fans as a form of respect … they are afraid of you for your goals that you could score against their teams, and not because they hate you or are racist & # 39; So again, Lukaku must be flattered to be compared to a chimpanzee. It is really praise. Don't get it, the stupid, fat, n –

Let's stop there. Because ultimately the racists reveal who the real victims are. It is not the black people who have insulted and humiliated them. They are it. The ultrasound. The poor little echo. Oh, it's a shame. Will they not think of the ultrasound?

& # 39; If you state that racism is a problem to be fought in Italy, you are simply helping repression against all football fans, including us … & # 39; Lukaku is up to date. "Please help us to clarify what racism really is and that Italian fans are not racists."

Now this clarification may be difficult for Lukaku, who has moved to a new club and may not want to get the most out of himself vocal, most ardent, most – ahem – racist element so early in his career.

Lukaku posted this statement on Instagram and hit those who racist him

He probably thought that his statement in which he regretted the behavior in Cagliari was not controversial and no group, certainly not apparently by his side, would have imagined what he was trying to justify. had heard. But if clarification is needed here, it goes here.

Monkey singing is racist. If you make that noise at a football game, you are too. If nobody has anything to do with you, they are. Just don't confuse yourself with a real supporter, an intellectual thinker or even an observer with a valuable contribution.

You have no & # 39; manners & # 39 ;, you don't help your team, your rationalizations are completely worthless.

And if any black Inter Milan player refused to take the field in the next game against Udinese on September 14, and every week thereafter until there was at least one apology, the Nord Curve would pass on the message to their fat, ignorant, er, racist heads?

Maybe, maybe not. But it is certainly worth trying now.

Tammy has class to shine for England

Tammy Abraham was born in Camberwell. He was with Chelsea at the age of eight and has represented England from under 18 to senior level. And while Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham – to give him his full name – undoubtedly has the Nigerian heritage, it would be a big mistake to change nationality now.

& # 39; Tammy has a better chance of playing for us regularly & # 39 ;, the Nigerian federation announced President Amaju Pinnick, but what does that say about how he views Abraham?

Pinnick implies that Abraham is not good enough for England and should take a less challenging route – but Gareth Southgate's support does not support that. If Abraham wants to play for people who believe in him, he must abide by the land of his birth.

Tammy Abraham is wanted by Nigeria but must remain with England at international level

Maybe Souness knows more than all keyboard warriors

Isn't it a shame if bad things happen to be perfectly infected Twitter storms? Take the comments from Graeme Souness about Moise Kean. He expressed his shock that Juventus was willing to sell such a fine young player at the age of 19 to Everton.

He is not alone in that. There was a big surprise that one of the best young talents in Europe could leave.

Kean had rejected a new contract with another year over his current deal, but Juventus still had 12 months to work on him and it was not like Everton & # 39; s money was a game changer. Tottenham may feel indignant about missing Christian Eriksen's £ 80 million, but Kean costs around £ 26 million. Juventus could certainly have gambled on their persuasiveness with those margins.

The error of Souness speculated that there was a motivating issue around Kean, outside the field. He made a comparison with Emmanuel Adebayor, a maintenance-friendly character who left Arsenal in his prime. Different age, different club, but the point was worth it: sometimes there is a logical explanation for what the outsider seems mysterious.

Souness has obviously done Kean a bad service. He didn't seem to have a problem with Juventus outside the field. Yet Souness is a football man and football men hear things. They mix in insider circles.

Maybe Souness brought two and two together and got five, maybe he just repeated knowledge.

Everton & # 39; s purchase van Moise Kean was examined by Sky Sports expert Graeme Souness [1945905]

However, the reaction was not entertaining for a second that a man who had played and played throughout Europe would be better informed than the average keyboard warrior. Souness, the man who brought Mark Walters to Rangers, was racist. Souness made assumptions about Kean because he was black.

Then Roberto Mancini revealed that Kean and teammate Nicolo Zaniolo had been left out of Italy for the Euro 2020 qualifications because they were late for a team meeting at the European Under 21 Championship in the summer. It is not the crime of the century, but perhaps Souness had indeed heard some vague details about it.

Given his background, it is certainly possible that he knows a few people in Italian football. In all probability more than the average Twitter user, although in our push button world we are conditioned to handle all opinions like these days.

Cowley can do it better than Huddersfield

There is nothing surprising in Danny Cowley's decision to refuse the Huddersfield job. He is a smart man and can do better. Indeed, one glance at the championship table explains everything.

We hear a lot about yo-yo clubs, but just as often they come to free fall that have been relegated from the Premier League. Look at League One: Ipswich, Bolton, Blackpool, Coventry, Sunderland and Portsmouth, all former Premier League clubs that have plunged into two divisions.

In the championship, teams such as Charlton, Leeds, Blackburn and Wigan all known what it was like to fall to the third layer. At the bottom of the championship table is Stoke, above them Huddersfield, both in serious trouble, both recently Premier League. Huddersfield gambled on a German management model that did not pay a second time.

The environment for a new manager can therefore be enormously problematic, but expectations remain high after the taste of elite football under David Wagner just a year ago

Cowley is right to stay with Lincoln for the time being . He is a very talented manager and his chance will come, but Huddersfield is a huge risk for any coach who takes a first step beyond the lower leagues.

Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley chose to refuse the vacant Huddersfield Town task

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