SchalkeUK

Now ready for a full set of games over the weekend which might determine next season  - certainly the European places with Werder  looking good.  Have a nice Easter folks and try not to think too much about Tommy going off to the North Coast - the thought of him getting brown all over does not bear thinking about

Hundehaar Suppe- wow - not seen that for years

If this is based on positive support then 04 is obviously my 'status', but if it is based on which teams I respect the you can keep the BVB on my list and add Werder and Dusseldorf - they are the main teams of the folks on here I have been in contact with and respected for a long time and would never sink to disrespecting their men!

"Wenn du denkst du bist allein?  Oh as for the problem with the cars - that's just 'cos the steering wheel is in the passenger seat!

As I understood it, the programme was about people being 'ripped off' and cheated as a result of accepting offers which, really, they should have had the sense not to even consider - like some of the so-called- fake news being supported by sites like facebook - the sort of garbage many UK people believed when the Johnson/Gove lies led them to vote 'leave' two years ago.  Young people can be misled more easily but when you see the older generation being cheated like the TV programme you linked to, it is hard to feel sorry for them as they have seen enough examples during their lives not to be fooled again!  Sadly, our present education system fails totally when the general subjects taught in the 50's and 60's under the heading 'common sense' have no place in schools these days.  I know that many German schools still keep that ethos - Berger Feld is a prime example and some of their pupils become icons and role models because of their treatment in Gelsenkirchen.  They may not be your favourites, but young guys like Manuel and Leroy prove that there is still hope! It would be great if the Spiegel programme became part of a standard lesson in schools as to what to avoid!

Those who enter into offers or discussions over which they have little or no control - particularly older ones who should be wiser as opposed to kids who are easily misled - they should be aware that what you get is as a result of what you earn - money, respect, love - nothing in life is easy, but lots is worth having through diligence and hard work - travelling thousands of miles from home to earn it is hard, but very rewarding - I'm sure you know that well!

7 minutes ago, nudge said:

So a few German expats here are in the news... 

https://www.spiegel.tv/videos/1605569-abzocke-bei-rentnern

I find it difficult to feel sorry for some people - just like those who suffer from the crap which goes under the name of 'facebook'  One reaps what one sews!

Hi guys - perhaps you can remember Stefan and Heike on the old Viva TV - I watched it through the 90's and spent time in Oberhausen with the young American guys there - just starting in the business and hearing them trying to sing about the 10 little Huntsmen until they realised what the first line was (Zehn kleine Jägermeister rauchten einen Joint) after which it went quiet for a few seconds.  Somewhere on line Justin is trying to sing it in his broken German - ah- memories!!!

There has to be something special about WB at this time - so many of their best players wanting to demonstrate a wish to stay and he part of the future.  The only word is  WOW.

Another example of why we on the German site have great respect for nudge - her choices are always awesome (including Bremen) and that holiday looks great but not for wrinklies like me - my travel agent (missus) has booked us in August to try out Montreal before crossing on to the St Lawrence and cruising past Newfoundland and down the US East coats to NYC before a few days with No 1 daughter in NC and hopefully a meet up with Chadwell. Would be great to see her piccies when she returns and as for thinking nudge is a guy - people who thought that have probable been eaten raw before now!!!

Big enough and Yes!

It's what Kloppy has been doing for years and Ole-G at Manchester has the same philosophy!

I used to find that getting girls to look at songs differently from the norm was not easy, but the Tic Tac Toe album in 1996 was brilliant - apart from some controversial lyrics it was 'Verpiss' Dich' which got the most response - particularly from those being pressured into trying stuff which wasn't  a good idea.  In English the Garbage version of 'Stupid Girl had some in tears when they realised what was behind it.  For me SELIG were a bit special (with or without their kit on).

Do I detect a little bit of jealousy as he wears red rather than green?  I have not met the young guy, but he seems a perfect follow up to Philip Lahm and deserves all our respect for the way he acts on and off the field.  His smile in the pic reminds me of how I felt when that happened for the first time! and , yes, I feel a year older today!  Wonder if the youngster will be name Meyer-Kimmich?

The 27th is again here - Many Happy returns to the 'old' keeper in the Bayern goal from Me and Atsuto (all share the same date) although to me he is still a youngster with the same honesty and respect he had in the classroom some twenty years ago.  Brilliant then as he was on Sunday.  Have a good one Peter!

Sei net!

The weather here is going somewhat downhill after this weekend - hope yours is going to be OK - give my regards to Wilhelmshaven, but Monday I leave for not Costa Frisian but Costa Teguise - a bit warmer.  take care TN - don't get frostybite!

Great News:  Following another 90 minutes of Tedesco garbage today, it has been announced that his 'mentor' Christian Heidl - formerly of Mainz and anywhere  - has decided to quit the sinking ship.  He will stay on for the money until the end of the season but hopefully he will have no say in Tedesco's successor - that decision was flawed from the outset.  Now all we have to do is await for Tedesco and Tonnies to do the honourable thing and we can start from scratchy again - but with a bit of luck - still in the Top flight next season!

PS.  If anyone is in contact with young  Maximillian, please don't ask him to comment - he very rarely uses foul language!

Sorry nudge - perhaps I should have said 'his time at Bremen - viz a vie the contract - was coming to an end .  He was willing to pass on what he knew and how he played rather than be mentally selfish - sign of not only a good pro, but a respectful fine man!

There comes a time when even the greatest players realise that it is just not there anymore.  The  genuine guys retire or take a backroom role to help the young guys coming along - the self-indulgent ones are fawned over by pathetic managers who ignore any possibility of young talent being able to emerge. Beckham and Linekar left the highest level - not to stop playing, but to be of use to younger up-and-coming talents.  Diego at Werder was the perfect example when his time was coming to an end and what he taught Mesut was to turn a good player into a quality international talent.  Raul's time at 04 did wonders for Max and Leon and encouragement from Daniel Farke has brought out the ability which we knew at 04 that Timo Pukki had and look what he's doing at Norwich now!  To over-use Max Kruse will be a sin, but to let time on the pitch with the younger players be educational as well as contributing to the team can be clever if used properly.  I'm not sure 90 minutes at his age is a good idea.  The problem is, some older players become totally self-centered, Prince Boateng and Choupo-Moting are perfect examples - blame everyone else - mainly the kids - for their shortcomings and they totally disrupt any team.  Poor Management lets them do it - our present example is Bentaleb teaching McKennie that being a Thug (a la TDB Scholes)is better than playing good football - McKennie is now leading in the yellow/red card stakes with his mentor not far behind and the team is suffering from nothing in mid-field.  Only a strong leader on the side can sort that out.  Your present position in Bremen is promising - ours - well......Patience my green friends is what is needed!

Love this!!!

Now when you have finished with Max will you swap him for Burgstaller - then you will really have something to get your teeth into!  Luckily his injury has forced our idiot to play young Tucu (another from the school ranks nearby).  At least he knows where that netty thing between the two wooden sticks are!

After another pathetic 90 minutes we have parted with Franco Di Santo - off to sunny Spain and hopefully a revitalised career - the way he has been treated by Tedesco has been the usual disrespectful version of man-management at its worst.  Another young  Academy player signed - at least he should be here until 2022 when he will be targeted by other clubs and will wait to be let go for nothing - normal practice for any talented youngster these days.  Now the young striker will be taught how to defend in mid-field and given a role as substitute goalkeeper as a two match ban pushes out of favour  classy keeper Ralph back into the goal - mind you Tedesco could act in character and bring in Michael Langer, but having missed the transfer window and with Ralph still here one never knows........  With no strikers available for last week, the new young guy was so good he never got near the field!

Any Rayo Vallecano fans on here.  If so, please accept the apologies of all 04 fans for passing on our worst payer of the past seasons to you in the hope that someone is silly enough to accept him! I suppose a new club might inspire something different from a guy who used to be good - no very good - but has lost all skill and sometimes even belief in himself.  That could be down to the disgraceful man-management set up at 04 at present.  My contacts there tell me off the field he is a great guy - honest and respectful so maybe - just maybe the move will be positive.  I will be watching with interest.  Good luck Franco

Someone keeps talking about something called triple glazing.  Is that a bit like double glazing or a new kipper format?  Life gets complicated with Audi keep going on about Vorsprung durch Technik - we assume that is some form of bungee jumping!

(my contribution to the small talk)

So now young Matondo knows what he has done.  This pathetic selfish performance from 04 today says everything about Tedesco that one would want not to know.  Bringing on the youngster to a team with a dwarf against tall defenders as his main striker and a thug in midfield - why that leg-breaking sort of tackle wasn't properly punished only the ref knows!, but the to bring on the new young guy and let him be frozen out by the rest of the team was a disgrace - not one single attempt at a pass to him during the time he was on and he still has to touch the ball on the Veltins pitch! Add to that I had to endure the BT commentators trying to excuse the performance by blaming the 'ice-covered frozen pitch'.  Perhaps it looked like that in their warm BT Studio where they were sat in the UK, but as it had been inside for many warm hours it just shows what they know!  Life has to get better sometime but at least I can feel happy for Tommy and nudge  - not the best day, but they got a point - which is something Tedesco still hasn't got. One final question!

How many players, playing out of position and trying to do what they are not able to achieve has resulted in injuries - and is that the coaches' fault or theirs (even rat Ferguson finished Smithy' international career with that approach).  Now look at Tedesco's injury list and ask who is to blame?  Schopf the defender, McKennie the striker, Harit the striker, Di Santo, the anything (once upon a time), and Burgstaller - more of a corner flag protector than a middle man.  Sag' mir wo die Blumen sind?

Matondo!  Young Manchester City kid is daft enough to sign for Tedesco. He credentials and what experience he has so far is better than practically every other player at 04 at present, but as a winger he will be blamed for not providing goals when all he has to aim at is rubbish in the centre and the striker kids are being messed about as is normal at this time in Gelsenkirchen.  No Embolo or  Harit at the moment and if Burgstaller or Di Santo comes back, he will be blamed for not giving them the ball when they will never be where they should be - normal game for them lately!  He deserves better, wish him well, but he will struggle until the Management is sorted out!  If he doubts the above - just talk to Konoplyanka!