Bundesliga Beginnings

With 111 new players and 10 new coaches, the Bundesliga takes on a fresh new look this season. And with attendances up and Sky’s arrival set to boost the league’s global profile the Germans are in predictably buoyant mood ahead of the new campaign.

Here is how the 18 clubs have progressed so far:

VfL Wolfsburg

Reigning Fußballer des Jahres and Torschützenkönig Grafite appeared to have picked up where he left off last year for the league Champions with an opening day goal in a 2-0 win over Stuttgart. A 3-1 win in Köln gave new boss Armin Veh further cause for optimism before consecutive defeats at home to Hamburg then at the Allianz Arena, conceding 7 goals in the process, now mean that former coach Felix Magath’s shadow looms large over the VW-Arena once more. The fact that star striker Grafite has failed to add to his week 1 tally is significant, as is the loss of club captain Josue with a knee injury that caused him to miss the 3-0 defeat in München. After successfully resisting offers from all over Europe for prodigal frontman Edin Dzeko during the summer, they will also expect him to add heavily to his current 1 goal haul over the course of the campaign, while new boy Obafemi Martins will add further firepower, having already bagged 2 from 3 appearances. The Wolves sit 7th and face a home clash with in-form Bayer Leverkusen next before travelling to Magath’s Schalke during a crucial 2 week period in September.

FC Schalke 04

2009’s Trainer des Jahres Felix Magath started out life at Schalke in impressive fashion, 2 straight wins - in Nürnberg and at home to Bochum - alleviating any early fears he may have held of being able to replicate success in his new surroundings. However, his team have not found the net in their last 2 games, picking up a solitary point in a goalless draw in Hoffenheim before unthinkably succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of promoted SC Freiburg at the Veltins Arena on Saturday. The club have been unusually quiet on the transfer front as Magath intends to try and get the best out of what he has for now, but they have picked up promising German youngster Lewis Holtby from Alemannia Aachen and former Brazilian international Mineiro for free after the defensive midfielder was discarded by Chelsea. Schalke are now 4th in the table with impending trips to Köln and Dortmund sandwiched by their titanic encounter with Magath’s former employers Wolfsburg in 2 weeks’ time.

Hertha BSC Berlin

This season is very slowly starting to take shape for Hertha BSC. The Berliners have had to come to terms with father figure Dieter Hoeneß seeking pastures new as well as the departures of influential frontmen Marko Pantelic and the on-loan Andriy Voronin. Results have not been good, a 1-0 win over Hannover on matchday 1 being their only success to date and 3 losses in a row – against Mönchengladbach, Bochum and, most recently, Werder Bremen – have cranked up the pressure on new Manager Michael Preetz. The club did announce the arrival of 3 new players on transfer deadline day, including that of ex-Dortmund midfield stalwart Florian Kringe, and this, allied with Sunday’s greatly improved performance during the defeat to Werder at the Olympiastadion should give the supporters hope for the season ahead. The team also made it through to the 2nd round of the DFB-Cup and the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, thanks to a miraculous comeback against Brondby inspired by on-fire Serbian maestro Gojko Kacar. The boys from the capital still lie in the danger zone in 16th place but can look forward to fixtures against 2 promoted sides, Mainz and Freiburg, in the upcoming weeks.

Eintracht Frankfurt

The return of club captain Ioannis Amanatidis after a lengthy lay-off has proved to be the catalyst for an upsurge in his side’s form and fortune this season. A high-octane start to the campaign saw Frankfurt take all 3 points from Bremen in a 5-goal thriller at the Weserstadion, and draws against Nürnberg, Köln and Dortmund leave the team who finished 13th last season unbeaten after 4 games with Amanatidis having netted on 4 occasions. They have looked revitalized under new trainer Michael Skibbe and on current form the fans will relish a trip to Freiburg before eagerly playing host to Hamburg in matchday 6.

HSV Hamburg

Dutchman Martin Jol was another trainer lured away from the Bundesliga in the summer – destination Ajax back in his Holland homeland. His successor Bruno Labbadia, formaerly of Leverkusen, has enjoyed a terrific opening spell in charge, an opening day draw in Freiburg the only blemish on an otherwise perfect scorecard. Wins over Köln (3-1), Dortmund (4-1) and away to Champions Wolfsburg (4-2) have been impressive aesthetically, as well as efficiently. Neuzugang Marcus Berg has yet to cement a place in the starting 11, the young Swede having had to play second fiddle to Peruvian hitman Paolo Guerrero, who has 4 goals in as many matches this term. However, his addition to an already exciting playing roster should in time prove an astute move from Labbadia, as should the acquisition of vastly experienced playmaker Ze Roberto from Bayern. HSV sit atop the pack, as do local rivals St. Pauli in der zweite Bundesliga, making Hamburg Germany’s top football city at the moment. Hamburg face Stuttgart next before visiting Frankfurt in two early tests of their title credentials.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Jupp Heynckes is the division’s oldest coach at 64, yet his energetic Leverkusen outfit lead the way alongside Hamburg as we enter September. 2nd only on goals scored, this well-balanced side has been offered depth and assurance with the signing of Sami Hyypia from Liverpool to shore up their rearguard – so often a stumbling block to success last season – and Heynckes’ attacking style has been rewarded with a big win over Freiburg along with narrow victories over Hoffenheim and Bochum, with a point gained from their week 1 match in Mainz. Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok has been bought from Basle but it is Stefan Kießling who has shone, with 4 in 4 games thus far representing an admirable return for a striker who aims to force his way into Joachim Löw’s World Cup plans next year. His team’s next 2 games could be pivotal as they meet Wolfsburg and then Werder within a vital 2-week stretch.

Werder Bremen

Wilkommen zu Hause Claudio Pizarro is the cry from the Weserstadion as the Peruvian pin-up has finally made his switch from west London permanent, celebrating in style with 2 goals in his 1st game back helping his new employers overturn what had threatened to become another disappointing start to a season. Storms heard brewing after the home loss to Frankfurt were tempered with their well-earned draw at the Allianz Arena followed by hard-fought wins over Mönchengladbach and Hertha Berlin to take Thomas Schaaf’s team 3rd. On top of Pizarro’s comeback, Tim Borowski has also returned to the club after a brief stint in Bavaria and attacking options have again been added in the form of Bolivian Marcello Moreno from Shaktar Donetsk and der Flügelflitzer Marko Marin from Gladbach. Hannover visit Bremen next, while a colossal clash with Leverkusen follows in week 6.

SC Freiburg

Aufsteiger Freiburg began with an encouraging home draw with Hamburg and, despite being comprehensibly beaten by both Stuttgart and Leverkusen in the 2 contests that followed, the month culminated in a famous win for the new boys of the Bundesliga at the Veltins Arena, a 1st half Du-Ri Cha strike enough to see off the top-flight’s early pace setters in week 4. Cha, a journeyman defender signed from TuS Koblenz in July, is 1 of 6 new signings in a squad which hopes to escape a prolongued season of turmoil by avoiding a repetition of scorelines such as the 5-0 reversal at home to Leverkusen in week 3. Frankfurt and Hertha provide the opposition on their next two outings as they sit just 1 spot outside the relegation places.

1 FC Köln

Prince Poldi’s procession was met with promises of proliferation but these seem to have been premature as Köln prop up the pile having scored only 2 goals in 4 games so far this term, with the returning boy wonder yet to get off the mark during his long-awaited 2nd stint at the club. Sebastien Freis has also been picked up from Karlsruhe but he, too, is yet to score and Maniche has been drafted in from Athletico Madrid to play alongside his countryman Petit in the middle of the park. New coach Zvonomir Soldo has stepped in to fill the void created by the departure of Christoph Daum to Turkey but has not yet found the winning formula with his side having picked up only a single point - that by way of a stalemate with Frankfurt 2 games ago. Setbacks against Dortmund, Wolfsburg and Hamburg either side of that unimpressive deadlock have not been unmerited, but with games featuring Schalke and Stuttgart to come in their next 2 fixtures their will be no let up in the challenge to improve on last season’s mid-table finish.

Borussia Dortmund

As one of the relatively few coaches to have survived the cull in the Bundesliga since May, Jürgen Klopp must cherish the stability he has nurtured in Dortmund. However, he must also be aware that this is to be a key season in the development of his young side, as several 1st-teamers have moved on and it will be down to the likes of Mohammed Zidan to step into the breach, as he did on Sunday with a vital goal away to Frankfurt that earned his side a share of the spoils. Dimitar Rangelov, recently signed from Energie Cottbus, should give the team greater creativity while Argentinian attacker Lucas Barrios offers an alternative up top. 1-1 draws with Frankfurt and Stuttgart as well as an opening day defeat of Köln will give the management heart but the 1-4 reversal in Hamburg on day 2 was surely the stuff of Klopp’s worst nightmares. Up next is the visit of Bayern Munich to Signal Iduna Park before a more apt appraisal of their season may be drawn from their trip to Hannover the following week.

VfL Bochum

Having eventually come through a tumultuous campaign last time out relatively unscathed, Jo-Jo side Bochum will hope for an easier escape route from the drop this year. But with only striker Zlatko Dedic to show for an entire transfer window’s worth of work, and with the team presently on 14th in the standings, it seems set to be another season of struggle at the rewirpower Stadion. In one of the craziest kits seen in many a long year, so shocking in its design that it resembles Oxfam retail at its worst that has been through 1 too many washes, their home form has actually been encouraging. A high-scoring draw with Mönchengladbach and a 1-0 triumph over Hertha Berlin testify to this. Defeats at Schalke and Leverkusen seemed inevitable, though, and they now face a long journey to Hoffenheim before returning to the relative security of a home fixture with Mainz.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

This summer’s managerial merry-go-round took Michael Frontzeck from Arminia Bielefeld to Mönchengladbach in the wake of Hans Meier’s decision to step down after leading the club to safety, having taken over at the start of the calendar year with the club rock bottom. The turbulent times look to be behind Gladbach now as they reflect on a pleasing start to the season from the giddy heights of 5th place and a Europa League berth. Wins over Hertha and Mainz at Borussia Park and a 3-3 draw with Bochum in week 1 were offset by a 3-0 drubbing in Bremen but the squad largely assembled by Meier seems set up sufficiently to hold their own at this level. Games against Nürnberg and Hoffenheim will be a test of their temperament as the competition heats up in the autumn.

FSV Mainz 05

Serious injuries sustained by both 1st and 2nd choice goalkeepers against Mönchengladbach on Friday night dampened the mood at the end of what turned out to be a hugely productive and entertaining month for the supporters of Mainz. New manager Thomas Tuchel has had to contend with a tough early fixture list but his players have responded with a win and 2 draws from their opening 4 games. The highlight was undoubtedly their astonishing conquest of Bayern Munich on matchday 3, the 2-1 scoreline fully deserved by the home side and their fans now have a moment to savour from this season whatever happens in May. Draws with Leverkusen and Hannover also provided confidence before the setback versus Gladbach at the weekend. But the new boys should not be disheartened as they have played some scintillating stuff at times, with imposing Burkina Faso international striker Aristide Bance terrorizing defences on a regular basis and the club awaiting meetings with Hertha Berlin and Bochum from a comfortable 11th position.

1 FC Nürnberg

Nürnberg are back in the top tier of German football once again after a 1-year sojourn in the 2nd division but they have not started out in a particularly convincing manner. They lie 17th in the table and have just 2 draws to their name as of September 1st, the low point coming during a 0-2 home defeat to Hannover in week 3. The 46,000 sell-out crowd at the easyCredit-Stadion on day 1 were unfortunate to see their side go down 1-2 to Schalke after a spirited display but they would have been far less impressed with their side’s showing against Hannover, while draws with Frankfurt and Stuttgart have also failed to convince of the team’s ability to avoid slipping back down come May. It may be up to the experienced heads of players such as midfielder Marek Mintal and Greek forward Angelos Charisteas to negotiate a path to safety from now until then. Next up is Mönchengladbach where the passionate home support will expect a far better showing, before they travel to take on Bayern in Bavaria.

Hannover 96

The first managerial casualty of the season came in Hannover where Dieter Hecking parted company with the club just 2 games into the new campaign. Extended periods of pressure amid unrest within the squad and the stands seemed to have rendered his position untenable long before he was replaced by former youth team coach Andreas Bergmann, who has been appointed on a caretaker basis until the end of the season. Hannover were beaten in Berlin by a very average Hertha side before being held to a depressing draw with Mainz in front of their own fans immediately before Hecking walked. Since then the team has been reborn, led by the evergreen Jiri Stajner, and a marginal loss to Hoffenheim at the AWD-Arena was preceded by a justified 2-0 win in Nürnberg. Games against Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund are fast approaching, however, and the next crisis is never too far over the horizon in Hannover it seems.

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

Last season’s Herbstmeister Hoffenheim built their early-season success of 2008 upon an unquenchable thirst for goals, Vedad Ibisevic grabbing 18 of their 42 in just 17 matches played before Christmas. Unforunately, having returned from over 6 months out with knee ligament damage, the Serbian centre forward has found more goals hard to come by, and his team have notched just 2 in their opening 4 fixtures. Coach Ralf Rangwick can still console himself by reflecting on the wise purchase of Timo Hildebrand in January, as the pressure on his side to find the back of the net has been eased considerably by the former German international stopper’s exploits between the sticks, in co-ordination with the efforts of new recruit from Hertha, Josip Simunic, in central defence. Having conceded just 1 goal so far has helped keep momentum going with the team poised in 10th amid a challenging set of fixtures, a point apiece gained from games against Bayern and Schalke, and defeat by the slightest of margins in Leverkusen rectified by a win over Hannover by the same scoreline 2 weeks later. Bochum and Gladbach are their next 2 opponents.

VfB Stuttgart

If Stuttgart had been offered 30 million euros for Mario Gomez a year ago they may well have bitten Bayern or anyone else’s arm clean off. However, after a run of form under Markus Babbel that saw the German international into the runner-up spot for Fußballer des Jahres, it was with some reluctance that they allowed their star striker to fly south in the summer. Babbel has put together a strong squad, though, and with Pavel Pogrebnyak signed from St. Petersburg along with the lesser-known Alessandro Riedle, 18, from Zurich, there is certainly hope for the future of the frontline. Add to that the big-match caliber of Alexander Hleb, back on loan from Barcelona to the club where he made his name, and the resurgent side who finished 3rd last time look ready to battle for big honours in 2010. Results have not been quite as complimentary, as injury to Hleb and the time required for Pogrebnyak to settle in have hampered Stuttgart, and since being outclassed by Wolfsburg on day 1, they have only beaten lowly Freiburg, with only draws having been taken from Dortmund and Nürnberg, and Köln and Hamburg next to come.

FC Bayern München

New coach Louis van Gaal’s exhilarating acquisition of countryman Arjen Robben from Real Madrid at the end of August should bolster Bayern’s attack and give an already top-heavy group even greater options going forward. “Robery” is the term being used to describe the relationship between Robben and Frenchman Franck Ribery and that is what it must feel like to many. Bayern now boast an attack of Miroslav Klose, Luca Toni, Mario Gomez (signed from Stuttgart), Ivica Olic (formerly of Hamburg), Alexander Baumjohann (ex-Mönchengladbach) and Thomas Müller (an exciting youth product) supplemented by Ribery, Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger and supported by new signings Anatoliy Tymoschchuk and Daniel Pranjic (from Zenit St. Petersburg and Heerenveen respectively). Therefore, when the Bavarians lost to Mainz the result was understandably met with great joy, as well as enthusiasm for another unpredictable Bundesliga season in which Bayern might, conceivably, not win it. Again.

That was before the recruitment of Robben. Within 17 minutes of his debut the Dutchman had come off the bench and scored twice to rubber-stamp a victory over Champions Wolfsburg (assisted by Ribery - another substitute) effectively nullifying the loss in Mainz as well as the two draws against Hoffenheim and Werder that preceded it and turning the season on its head. If Robben stays fit, and that is a big if, Munich could have the title wrapped up early enough to afford placing sole focus on the Champions League knockout stages in February. Dortmund away will be the next test for Robery and Bayern followed by Nürnberg at the Allianz Arena. Robben’s 1st contribution took them from 16th to 7th place. Who knows where the next one might lead?