Down in the football dumps

So, I have managed to witness Rot Weiss Essen being relegated twice in two seasons, since I started supporting them in October 2006, I feel slightly guilty. It's obviously not my fault but I can't help thinking that my intrusion into the world of lower league German football was in some way to blame.

It had all started so promisingly with a 4-4 draw which I mentioned in a comment on the excellent Bundesbag although that game should have hinted about what supporting Rot Weiss Essen is about - the equaliser for the opponents came in the very last minute.

This season, having looked dead and buried, RWE came with a storming late run to put the issue in their own hands on the final day. Victory at Magdeburg meant they just had to win the final game against lowly Lübeck. Despite dominating the game and having many chances, Lübeck survived (and played well despite having nothing to play for) and won the game late on as Essen pressed forward.

The fans did not know what to do at the end of the game. Some wanted to attack the Lübeck fans, others wanted to attack the players while they should really have been attacking themselves because I partly hold their complacency partly responsible.

With debts of around 11 million Euros there is a possibility that the 1955 German Champions will not survive in their presnet form. Certainly the new stadium project will be put on hold and with the prospect of having to pay up to nine reserve sides in the Division 4 (North) next season there are not going to be many days at the Hafenstraße next season full of atmosphere.

I have avoided looking for another team to watch since moving to Berlin in December. I went to watch Union twice but was put off by them serving non-alcoholic beer and a general lack of atmosphere depite them having everything to play for. Other options for next season include Babelsberg, Tennis Borussia and possibly Hertha Berlin.

I'm not really looking forward to Euro 2008 with England not being in it. I may have a bet on the championships and become another nationality for a few weeks.

No booze and you lose

A fine win on Saturday gives Rot Weiss Essen a great chance to qualify for Bundesliga 3 next season but a win for Magdeburg at Union Berlin (which I attended) makes it more difficult.

Magdeburg currently lie in the coveted 10th place on 50 points. RWE are in 11th on 48 points, level on points with with Dortmunnd Reserves.

It's all in the mathematics (as Sir Mark Prescott would say) and it leaves Essen basically needing six points from their last two games. The crunch game is against Magdeburg next Saturday 24 May and I hope to be attending my first match since nearly missing my brother's wedding to watch the cup defeat against Hamburg in January.

It was my second time at Union but the experience was disappointing due to them selling non-alcoholic lager. WTF (I've learned that recently). Yet another human rights abuse. It was all a bit shady because they advertised it as 'Leicht' and the signs were not clear. The colour just didn't look right.

I can imagine them selling non-alcoholic beer at a Who concert but not a football match. Therefore, the crowd were a bit subdued. It's all wrong. The good thing to come out of the day was that Magdeburg were pretty poor.

So anything less than a victory, like the one we secured against Magdeburg in November, will make it a very long 1hr 40 mins journey back to Berlin on Saturday evening especially with the non-alco piss water swilling through my body and the likelihood the toilets on the regional German trains will be out of order. Wasserlassen ist verboten!

Rot Weiss top of the league

Yes, Rot Weiss are top of Regionalliga 3 (Nord) however it is not Rot Weiss Essen but rather Rot Weiss Ahlen. Second place is filled by Rot Weiss Oberhausen and it would have been a near clean sweep if Rot Weiss Erfurt had not conceded a late equaliser against Dynamo Dresden last Saturday.

Rot Weiss Essen scored an important away victory the same day to give them a slight chance of reaching 10th place and the soon to be formed Bundesliga 3. They now trail the team in 10th place by six points with five games remaining.

Results needed this week are for RWE to beat the struggling Hamburger SV II at home on Wednesday, Braunschweig to lose at home to the struggling Lübeck, Wuppertaler also to lose at home to the struggling Cottbus and Madgeburg to be beaten away at struggling Babelsburg.

If these unlikely events take place, I may go and watch Union Berlin play Dynamo Dresden on Thursday evening.

**UPDATE** Struggling Lübeck managed a 3-3 draw with Braunschweig on Tuesday evening.

4. Liga, Essen ist dabei!

It showed how much attention I've been paying to Rot Weiss Essen when I discovered they had sacked their trainer a couple of wekks ago and I did not even notice.

The change has not had the expected positive effect. First a 4-0 defeat against Rot Weiss Erfurt and then a 3-0 home defeat - ironically against Union Berlin (the team I should be watching now I'm in the German capital).

The depressing thing for fans of the club is that the result leaves them seven points adrift from 10th position. Finishing 10th would mean Essen would play in the new Bundesliga 3. A finish outside the top ten would mean a season in the regional 4th division -and with only one team per season getting promotion from that league it is a very dangerous position for the club. Sponsors will leave and it is possible it could be the start of the end for the former German Champions.

It's all very depressing and I'll do anything to change things around.

The capital of Liverpool culture

Rot Weiss Essen are stuttering again (like myself) having won one, drawn one, lost one and had one game called off since the return from the winter break. I think they will still make the tenth place cut-off but some momentum may have been lost on Saturday -conceding two late goals to lose 2-1. Could have gone to the match in Braunschweig but it would have involved a three and a half hour train journey there and back. If I had gone it would have been there, watch the match and come back again. What's the fun in that?

Liverpool have improved as I expected. The end of the season should be interesting anyway.

Anyway, here's a poem from Emma. While Essen 'celebrates' it next year, Liverpool has the 'honour' in 2008.

You've never sung it like that before

It's possible that the song "You'll Never Walk Alone" was getting a bit stale at Anfield. It used to bring goose bums (die Gänsehaut in German) to my skin when I was younger and standing on the Kop.

But its effect declined over the years.

My last burst of going to match regularly was back in 2001 and great days they were. Meeting in the Birkey a few hours before the match, buying bottles or cans to drink in Bernard's people carrier; into the Albert to laugh at the miniature Ron Yeats before scurrying across Stanley Park with a take-out trying to walk quickly and drink at the same time.

We rarely got in for the You Never Walk Alone and I didn't miss it.

A few times they would play it at Rot Weiss before the game and it got just as good a reaction as it would at Anfield and I had a bit of nostalgic Gänsehaut.

Before the Inter Milan match (only the new middle class wanker supporters just call them 'Inter' cos they've read a book on football history) there was the longest rendition I have ever known. It usually fades out shortly after Gerry Marsden (over the Tannoy) has sung the last line followed by a self-congratulary round of applause. However, this version on the video here carries on for ages and must have had an effect on the Milan players because they were shit and we won 2-0. Roll on Moscow.

Weight lifting Olympics

This, to my mind, is the perfect sporting/comedy Youtube clip -basically because it's less than 30 secs long and made me laugh out loud.

Viral marketing at its best...and I've fallen for it.

Bored by score at Essen

Goals at the start of each half put paid to Rot Weiss Essen's Cup bid in what proved to be a disappointing evening at the Hafenstraße. The first sell-out crowd of around 21,000 were unable to help their team but RWE were not outplayed by any means and can be proud of their performance considering they had so many first team players out injured.

With a bit of luck things could have been different but the two goals followed by a third with half an hour to play spoilt the game as a spectacle. All credit to Hamburg who put in a professional performance and rarely stepped out of second gear.

A scoreboard appeared for the first time that I can remember at the end where there is no stand. Never really liked them myself. If you are at a game you should at least know the score unless perhaps it was against Cologne last season.

For those in the slightest bit interested I can be seen on the picture above. If you can spot me then you are a better man than me.

Anyway, had a few beers after the game in the club bar and it proved a good night but was totally knackered after my travels to England to see some friends in Leeds and for my brother's wedding. He upset K by thanking people who had travelled from various parts of the world but not us. I couldn't really care.

Torlos in final game

Considering my first RWE match was a pulsating 4-4 draw, I suppose it was some sort of karma that the final match was a 0-0.

It was far from a disappointing match with Essen dominating a very poor (though good defensively) Dusseldorf. We had plenty of chances, hit the post and the bar a couple of times and I think I am leaving a healthy club. Although only 10th in the table, Rot Weiss are just five points behind the leaders and if I was a betting man I would be tempted to back them to get automatic promotion.

On Wednesday I will be moving to Berlin. Mixed feelings about going - will miss certain people and obviously the football. I have always enjoyed going to watch football where ever I have lived. The ticket prices in England made going less enjoyable so in the past few years in England I have only tended to go when the tickets were free and spent many enjoyable days at the likes of Man City, Crewe, Huddersfield, occasionally Newcastle and embarrassingly Everton.

German soccer was a bit of a culture shock for me and it has reminded me of going to watch Liverpool in the mid-1980's when we could stand! The crowds are alot better here - more vibrant and real. It feels slightly more dangerous. English football has been taken over by the middle classes. I expect German football will go the same way but for time being it's the best place in Europe to watch soccer. imho.

Three points from top two points from safety

A comfortable home win over 1974 European Cup Winner's Cup winners Magdeburg (2-0) was followed by a last minute victory away to Lubeck (2-1) which leaves Essen just three points behind automatic promotion. However the league is so tight that despite being so close to the top they are also only two points off position 11 (from where they will not automatically be in the new Bundesliga 3).

Close by Oberhausen is likely top be swamped with Rot Weiss fans on Sunday and hopefully I will be among them. They beat us 4-1 at home on the opening day of the Rot Weiss season and it will be nice to get revenge. From what I remember of that game we played fairly well and they had two chances and scored four goals.

With the move to Berlin impending the game against Düsseldorf on Saturday December 8th could be my last for a long while.

On a brighter note my football ringtones website has started to pick up again slightly after spending far too long in the doldrums. It's just a shame no-one buys ringtones any more.

Went to see Brian Auger earlier this week in Duisburg - though he is probably only known to people who love the hammond organ.

Essen's first away defeat of the season

Rot Weiss lost their first game of the season - away from home on Saturday losing 1-0 in a scrappy game against Verl. For pictures and stuff check out the link on the left hand side "excellent RWE site".

So away draws against Dusseldorf, Dortmund and Union Berlin were bettered on the road with victories at Bremen, Hamburg, Babelsburg and Wolfsburg optimism was high and more than half the supporters at Verl were Essen fans.

However, a goal midway through the second half ended that record and by all accounts it was a game no worth dwelling upon.

Not sure what the knife is about in the picture but some mother is short of something to cut the Sunday roast with now.

Got a decent response on the RWE forum about my wedding dilemma with some of the answers to sensible for my linking. Thanks to anyone who who contributed. It seems a well populated and well run forum - though a fight did break out halfway through the thread.

So the threat of not making it to the Bundesliga 3 remains. The main problem with not making it is that the promotion issue will see it very hard for relegated clubs to return.

Magdeburg next week at home who have achieved something Liverpool never did -they won the (now defunct) Cup Winners Cup doing so in 1974 beating AC Milan in the final 2-0. Liverpool famously lost to Dortmund in the 1966 Europapokal der Pokalsieger beaten after extra-time in a game played at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Electric Essen held by Dynamo

To further strengthen the case for missing my brother's wedding, Rot Weiss Essen played their best match of the season on Saturday though could only manage a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Dresden.

Poor finishing ultimately cost them in a match that had almost everything - a missed penalty (Dynamo), a disallowed goal (Rot Weiss), a sending off (Dynamo) and bad refereeing. The crowd loved it and so did I. It is what football is about and I'm pretty hopeful for the rest of the season if the team can reach similar levels.

The day had started badly when the bottle opener I'd 'borrowed' off a friend a few weeks earlier was confiscated by the security guards on the way in. I tried to keep the incident quiet but the bloke holds it aloft and makes a scene about this very recognisable opener not being allowed in. I'd only brought it along to give it back to him as he was having a party that night but I'm sure he thought I'd nicked it off him.

The game would have been so different had the penalty gone in to make it 2-1. It seemed a little harsh and justice was done. Those with long memories will remember Ray Clemence saved a penalty against Dynamo Dresden in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1976 so Daniel Masuch's save provides a very tenuous Liverpool link.

Talking of German goalkeepers, there is a discussion going on about Jens Lehmann joining Man City. Don't really care whether he does but here is for a fantastic clip of him playing in goal for Schalke against Rot Weiss many years ago.

Tempted to go to the game against Verl next week but, although it is close, public transport issues could be a problem.

Rot Weiss or my brother's wedding?

"Rot Weiss oder die Hochzeit meines Bruders"

Essen's victory over Kaiserslautern in the German Cup has left me with a difficult decision to make.

With the next round of the cup taking place on the last weekend in January - should I go to the game or attend my brother's wedding back in England scheduled for January 29th?

I'll let you decide so please add your thoughts in the comment section. If we had been playing Schalke the decision would have been alot easier.

One point in my favour about staying for the game against Hamburger SV is that technically it is not his wedding. He married last week in California or somewhere and this day at Blackpool is just a place for him to celebrate with family and friends. 1-0.

The celebration takes place in Blackpool. Not the most glamorous of locations and I always thought the place smelt of chips (Pommes). 2-0.

He's my brother. 2-1

I don't really like weddings. I usually get put on a boring table and end up discussing insurance while the evening function is normally a banal affair accompanied by dreadful cheesy disco music. 3-1

My brother will no doubt do his 'breakdance' routine. 5-1.

Another away win for the 1955 Champions

After a dire loss at home to bottom-placed Cottbus II (couldn't bring myself to blog about it), Rot Weiss recorded a splendid 3-0 away victory against Hamburg II to maintain their position in the top half of the table and are not too many points behind the surprise leaders Emden

"The team has returned impressively," said RWE-Trainer Heiko Bonan with his Google translate English improving slightly: "The boys have shown that the defeat against Cottbus is a setback, but not a total knockdown. We are now back in the right lane."

Just over 80 watched the game which is fairly sad and is another reasdon why these reserve teams should not be playing in this league at all. The picture tells its own story and after watching RWE play against Dusseldorf and Dortmund in souless big stadiums, I'll make a point of not doing it again despite both those games being well attended.

Liverpool or Red White

I'm actually thinking about giving Rot Weiss Essen a miss on Saturday and watching Liverpool - a big club against Everton in the Merseyside derby. Alan Stubbs' comments were quite pathetically picked up by the newspapers in an attempt to stoke things up but it's the derby so things like this aren't needed.

So Essen are playing Cottbus reserves. OK, a win would be great to maintain the promotion bid but it's hard to get worked up for these sort of games and with it clashing with the game at Anfield. I know what I will be doing. Just hope there are no bluenoses in the pub. Last season I had to watch the game with some horrible Everton fans (I don't mind good ones) and that was in Manchester.

Not sure about watching Johnny Wilkinson and the Rugby World Cup Final. We shall see.

Lorenz out for season

RWE did not escape relegation last season but the following clip is of one team who does and the reaction of one fan watching at home on TV. If you have five minutes to spare it s worth a watch and anyone whose team has been close to relegation may understand the mentalism of it all.



Found the clip on the US soccer website so can't claim it as a great find of my own.

Bad news for Essen this week was reports that club captain (and the slightly balding) Stefan Lorenz will be out for the season with cruciate knee damage. Got a text message while at the language course which just said "S.Lorenz mit Kreuzbandriss". I didn't know what it meant but feared the worst.

I thought he was one of the most consistent players last season and it could spell the end of any promotion thoughts.

The next game is on October 20 against FC Energie Cottbus II whose first eleven we beat to reach the second round of the German Cup. The date has been announced for that second round match and we will play FC Kaiserslautern on October 31 (kick off at 7:00pm).

Werder best

While the fortunes of Liverpool continue to stutter the mighty Rot Weiss Essen have gone from strength to strength winning their latest game 4-0 away to Werder Bremen.

OK, it was only their reserve side but a clean clinical 4-0 victory is nothing to be sniffed at and Rot Weiss now lie in sixth place with their eyes on an automatic relegation spot.

"That was a strong appearance of the entire crew", coach Heiko Bonan said after the game in Google translate English - and announced confidently: "We will work in the next weeks and months to climb in the table still further upward."

The man's a genius.

The team still lies in only third place, however, in my fictitious RED WHITE league behind Rot Weiss Erfurt and Rot Weiss Oberhausen but above Rot Weiss Ahlen.

With the next two games against reserve sides Cottbus on October 20 and Hamburg the following week there is every chance of Essen being in a challenging position for the top two places when Dynamo Dresden visit on November 3 -which promises to be one of the best games of the season.

Spent a few days in Berlin (the Stasi Museum is worth a thought provoking visit) last week as K had a job interview. It's entirely possible we could be moving there as soon as early November and could see me spending my Saturday afternoons at Union Berlin.

Not good really.

A proper game of football - at last!

I always like watching football when there is a light drizzle and when your team plays well, wins and the referee has a good game then it is almost the perfect day. Rot Weiss Essen 1 Wuppertaler 0.

This is possibly the first match of the season I have really enjoyed with good football being played throughout, both teams trying to win and the fans in good voice. A few beers and the right to smoke on the terraces helps as well.

There was a decent size crowd (probably smaller because of the rain) and plenty of away supporters though that is not surprising seeing as the opponents were top of the league.

Strange scenes after the game with the players celebrating as though they had won the league. Lining up hand in hand in front of the north stand they received the applause of the crowd before going down to the Kop equivalent and all sitting down.

Seated patiently, they was some sort of strange ritual shouting performed by the crowd then the players left the pitch. Quite strange but Germany is a strange place at times.

Premiership ticket prices

Expensive tickets prices are what really puts me off English Premiership football so I have been happily surprised with how cheap football is in Germany.

An English football blog dared to critisise Arsenal's high ticket prices with the amusing part being the comments section. The little fat Gunner fans are seen to be condoning the prices - some even suggesting that they get value for money!

Some bloke calling himself Gazzup is first up "I sit in an average seat, which costs about $75 per game. Given some of the ridiculous incomes of Londoners the price is a fair one, as proven by the 40,000 on the season ticket waiting list"

Just because there are 40,000 other mugs waiting in the wings to be mugged by leeching capitalists doesn't make it a fair price for 90 minutes entertainmentt. No wonder the minicriminlast Alisher Usmanov is attempting to squeeze into the club.

Cliff then chips in with "If there was not a sense of "value-for-money" the stadium would not be full for every game." Hmmm

"Arsenal playing entertaining football whether they win, lose or draw makes me happy to pay top whack for a ticket." Did I read that right?

It gets worse. "I think paying £38 a time to sit in a beautiful stadium to watch beautiful football is, if I'm honest, verging on what I would call 'a bargain' "

How have we, as fans, allowed such a situation to develop? Could we and should we have stopped it?

The best post was the final post.

I think you Gooners are all missing his point... that it's too expensive for a middle-class family of four to go to the games on a consistent basis, and that's a shame.

It IS an issue of supply and demand, and according to the laws of economics, yes- they could charge even more and continue to fill the stadium. But that doesn't make it right.

Unfortunately, the club has gone the way of our own American pro sports teams- jacking up the price almost as high as the market will bear. That's great for revenues, but results in the exclusion of your most dedicated fans- the working class.

I went to Pro football games a lot as a kid, as it only cost $20 to $30 to get a decent ticket and I'd go with my father. We had a great time...

Now, 20 years later, I'm lucky enough to be making more than my father ever did, but I still can't justify buying season tickets for my family at $80+ per seat, per game.

The net result is a stadium full of distracted, affluent people talking on cell phones throughout the match...

Though I've never been to a Premiership game, I can see the difference in atmosphere on the television...

One last thing... the Gunners suck anyway! You'll come crashing back to 3rd place soon enough.

More goals in Berlin

After a torrid start to the season, things seem to be stabilising with Rot Weiss Essen currently sitting mid table on an unbeaten run of five games. On Friday they drew 2-2 with Union Berlin after twice leading in the match.

Frustratingly had to listen to it on the radio which is a torturous experience as any football fan knows. We can take heart from twice being in front - thanks to an own goal and one from the substitute Rafael Kazior.

After the match coach Heiko Bonan said in google translate English “For us was here more in it due to the better chances we would have had to decide the play for us,

"After our hit to 2:1 - guidance we did not employ ourselves more clever enough.”

The return of club captain Stefan Lorenz is a boost and should Rot Weiss Essen continue playing in a similar way they should make it to the third Bundesliga this season (need to finish in the top 11).

Still not sorted my tooth out but on a brighter note secured some more work this week.

Have been trawling around some Liverpool blogs this week and found some of the work put into them nothing short of incredible. Have you ever been to Liverpool is a good read while plenty of work has gone into this Liverpool blog named after my favourite position.