To Be a Rock

Not for the faint of heart

madcynic — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 11:17:48 +0000

After a successful start in the league – beating Lübeck 2-0 at their Lohmühlestadion – 1. FC Magdeburg were to play the first round in the Saxony-Anhalt Cup against Landesliga side VfB Ottersleben. Ottersleben, from a suburb in the West of Magdeburg, play in tier VII, so most 1. FC Magdeburg fans expected a dominant win.
In the match itself, however, Magdeburg showed nothing of the tactics that new manager Ruud Kaiser had tried to instill into the team: it was not a quick passing game, but one dominated by long passes and long dribblings. As neither of these yielded much success, regulation time ended with a nil-all draw.
Luckily, just a few minutes into extra time, FCM’s Stiefel scored the lead. But Ottersleben were far from giving up and produced a number of great counter-attacks that could have led to an equaliser, but in the end they failed to produce a goal from these opportunities. The punishment soon followed when Magdeburg’s Becker scored another to make it 2-0 for the final score. With a sigh of relief, FCM fans noted that the club with his new team had just “won” the second of two competitive matches, and had again not conceded a goal.
Only three days later, the second cup round was scheduled, this time against tier VI side Preussen Magdeburg. Everyone and their dog were convinced that this would be a different game compared to the first round match – and they were right. Only not in such fashion as they had thought. The match got off to a good start, when Stiefel’s free-kick in the third minute was deflected into the goal and Magdeburg took the lead. The next twenty minutes the Regionalliga side dominated play, but then Preussen began to take over. To be exact, 1. FC Magdeburg were exclusively defending now – and badly at that. Consequently Preussen – whose starting line-up included no less than nine (!) former FCM players – scored the equaliser and with the half-time whistle took the lead. An abysmal FCM defense saw Preussen increase their lead to 1-3 after captain Daniel Bauer involuntarily deflected a long pass to a Preussen forward.
Spirits in the stands weren’t exactly high, most of the spectators no longer believed FCM could turn the match around. With 7 minute to go, however, Magdeburg’s Verkic let one go from 25 yards out, and, luckily, the ball hit the inside of the post to make it 2-3. The match had become hectic, so much so that referee Schweinefuß had failed to send off Preussen’s captain for unsportsmanlike conduct after he pushed Bauer over following a foul. After Magdeburg’s goal, however, a Preussen player was sent off with a second yellow for disagreement. The match did not get any easier for FCM though, as Preussen fought tooth and nail to hang on to their lead, but to no avail, as Denis Wolf scored the equaliser with three minutes left on the clock. In extra time, it was again Preussen who could have taken the lead, but their forward only managed to hit the bar. But in the second half of extra time 1. FC Magdeburg took the lead for the second time in the match, when Eddy Vorm headed the ball in from close range. While spectators were still celebrating, repeatedly chanting “Eddy, Eddy”, Preussen equalised again, when goalie Tischer failed to make contact with a cross. This was completely avoidable, especially as the referee had sent off another Preussen player for a cynical foul on Wolf. Penalties were then needed to decided the match. Here 1. FC Magdeburg had the better goalie, Tischer saved one shot, and made two takers shoot the ball over the goal: 1. FC Magdeburg were in round three. Remarkably, fans celebrated rather than pour out criticism over the young team that had tortured them so much in the game.
On Monday, the team were treated to a 90-minute video analysis session with their manager, and by now should have put the match behind them, especially defender Daniel Halke who admitted it had been his worst match in the past three years. However, none of the players were able to say exactly why they had failed to produce a good performance that day. In any case, 1. FC Magdeburg has won all three competitive matches so far, although there is room for improvement in the manner of these victories.

The dirty deed is done

madcynic — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:59:34 +0000

As I indicated yesterday, the Football Association of Saxony-Anhalt (FSA) does not agree with my opinion that culpability should play a role in determining which youth teams participate in the DFB-Pokal and NOFV-Pokal.
For reasons I cannot find in any of the statutes governing youth football or football in the FSA territory, officials have decided to register Hallescher FC’s Under-19 team for the DFB-Pokal and 1. FC Magdeburg’s Under-17 team for the much less prestigious NOFV-Pokal. ((NOFV is the regional FA governing football in Brandeburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Berlin, Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt))
1. FC Magdeburg have reacted with a press release that is mild in my opinion, but nevertheless manages to call the decision “unsportsmanlike”. It further adds that the decision reflects exactly a statement from Halle’s youth coordinator made last week and reported as “the only fair solution” in Halle-based newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung. The press release closes with words of regret with regard to the notion of fair play that is always propagated by the FSA, but seems to not have any influence on the association itself.
Magdeburg’s cooperation was not rewarded – the club had readily agreed to switch the final locations to Halle instead of Magdeburg in order to get the matches to be played. In essence, the decision rewards Halle’s boycotting the final at the close of last season with a spot in the DFB-Pokal. And while FSA president Werner Georg has apparently assumed full responsibility for the mess and also promised an internal investigation, I am not holding my breath for anything constructive.

All I can hope for is a resounding defeat for Halle in the DFB-Pokal – and in the Under-19 Bundesliga match against Magdeburg that is scheduled for 22 August.

Top of the table – and a cup farce

madcynic — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:35:02 +0000

Yesterday, Magdeburg won their first league match of the sesaon, beating Lübeck 2-0. In a repeat of last year’s inaugural fixture, both teams were nervous and not able to consistently play a decent attacking game over 90 minutes. Magdeburg’s defense held tight, allowing only two real opportunities for Lübeck, none of which was converted. In contrast, Magdeburg scored two out of their three opportunities, both by Denis Wolf. This result saw Magdeburg top the table (shared with Eintracht Braunschweig II, but let’s ignore that, shall we?). Pity there’s no way to keep that position for the remainder of the season.
League favorites RB Leipzig only drew Türkiyemspor in their first game, but considering that they bought last season’s top scorer Daniel Frahn for 250,000 Euros and Rot-Weiß Erfurt’s talent Kammlott for 800,000, one can imagine what they’ll do if things look dull in their promotion campaign…

In other news, the immensely competent fellows at Saxony-Anhalt’s regional football association (FSA) still have not managed to stage the cup finals of the Under-19 and Under-17 teams of the 2009-10 season. Of course, both matches involve Magdeburg and arch rivals Hallescher FC. Both matches were to be played in Halle last Saturday, but had to be cancelled due to security concerns. As the FSA has to register the winners for the Under-19 DFB-Pokal and the Under-17 NOFV-Pokal, respectively, by mid-August, they are actually considering to draw lots to determine the winner.
It is at that point that one needs to examine exactly who is culpable for the situation. Originally, both final matches had been scheduled for March. The harsh winter prevented this, because semifinals had not been played. In its infinite wisdom, the FSA re-scheduled for the first weekend after the end of the Under-19 and Under-17 Regionalliga seasons – and decided to hold both finals in Magdeburg. What the FSA officials had not considered was the very real possibility that Magdeburg might qualify for the promotion play-offs which were to be played on said weekend and the one immediately after it.
So again, the match was rescheduled, this time a date after the play-offs was to be chosen – it was then that officials of the Hallescher FC decided that they were unwilling to let their teams train for three weeks without any chance of playing with only the cup finals to aim for. In essence, no date could be fixed, because Halle had “sent their players on holiday”. I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the club would send their youth players – most or all of which still have to attend school – on holiday, with a competitive match still looming.

The FSA decided to hold the matches at the start of the new season (around now then), but due to security concerns, the matches would have had to be played in Magdeburg’s Germer-Stadion, as the usual locations (training pitches at MDCC-Arena which will be used for the Under-19 Bundesliga as well) were deemed unsafe. The Germer-Stadion has received a pitch repair and is verboten until 21 August – well after the date the FSA has to register the winners with DFB and NOFV. Therefore the matches were moved to Halle’s Sandanger training area which is as safe as the training pitches at MDCC-Arena. Two days before the matches, they were cancelled – and I doubt anyone in Magdeburg was really surprised.
Halle has proposed what they deem a compromise: Teams will be registered based on their league performance last season. The idiocy of determining a cup winner via the league outcome aside, the agenda is obvious: Halle’s Under-19 has competed in a higher tier than Magdeburg’s and will thus play the prestigious DFB-Pokal (which Magdeburg won in 1999), while Magdeburg’s Under-17, clearly better than Halle’s, will compete in the NOFV-Pokal, a competition I doubt anyone knew existed before this farce. I don’t quite see how that is a compromise, and I most of all don’t see how Halle-based newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung can call that “the only fair solution”. Ah well. I feel one could argue that Halle’s teams were no-shows and that the club has forfeited both titles. But I doubt that the FSA will see it that way…
It looks like lots will be drawn and I can only suggest to whoever draws the short straw and loses the Landespokal “final” they sue the FSA for lost profits (whatever those may be) – and maybe elect someone a tad more competent…or just less incompetent, times being what they are.

Guests of Honor

madcynic — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:00:03 +0000

Yesterday, 1. FC Magdebug played the second of their test matches during their training camp in Poland. This second match was the reason the club spent a week in Poland at all. Polish club Hutnik Kraków celebrates its 60-year anniversary this year and had wanted a match against attractive opposition. When other clubs go to top tier teams from all over Europe, Hutnik fans wanted to play 1. FC Magdeburg. For some time now, there have been contacts between ultra groups of both sides which ultimately led to Hutnik asking the Magdeburg management about the match via its ultras.
A number of Magdeburg fans traveled to Poland for the match, and from the looks of it had a great time. What was special about the match is the use of pyrotechnics in large quantities (but apparently in a controlled way). In Germany, both clubs would have had much to fear in terms of punishment by the FA, because pyrotechnics are so very dangerous, but in Poland things are different. Take a look:

Or here:

Some pictures are at this inofficial Hutnik site and here.

Oh yes, Magdeburg won the match 2–0, not that that matters.
The other test match in Poland, against Szreniawa Nowy Wiśnicz, ended in a 2-all draw.
Magdeburg will play two more test matches before the season starts on 6 August – on Thursday against VfV Hildesheim, managed by ex-FCM player Andreas Golombek, and on Sunday against Arminia Bielefeld.

Selling out instead of shelling out

madcynic — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:18:13 +0000

I might have mentioned some degree of incompetence and inability to understand what’s what on the side of the youth department at 1. FC Magdeburg before. Last time I talked about this, seven players of the successful Under-19 had left despite being young enough to add another season, this time in the top flight at that age, the Under-19 Bundesliga. I added that I wasn’t holding my breath with regard to the management’s ability to secure the services of Daniel Ujazdowski, last season’s U-19 top scorer, for another year or two.
Today, I was proved right. According to youth department chief Carsten Müller, the club could “only go so far” with regard to a contract offer. Ujazdowski was offered a “perspective in the Under-23 side”, but apparently the offer was not good enough. Naturally, the exact nature of the offer is unknown, but Ujazdowski’s mentor (and former FCM star) Wolfgang Seguin is quoted as saying that “Daniel can only play football, and the club’s offer was really beneath contempt”. [Source]
Assuming that the player was not unreasonable in his demands, it should have been possible to keep him at the club, but instead another talented youth is let go in the desire to save money. But the longterm goal of the club cannot be to be the only Regionalliga side that makes a steady profit – the goal must be promotion and securing a position in the the top 50 of German football (finishing 14th in the 3rd Liga would do that). This will hardly be possible, if the top youth players leave the club year after year. At some point the management has to learn that it is not enough to provide a perspective with regard to the sporting side of things, but that you have to provide for the financial needs of the players – and for their post-football future, by getting them apprenticeship positions for example.

Until then, everything done in forming young talented players will be in vain, as the majority will continue to leave the club once they finish school at the nearby sport schools.