As Serbian defensive general Neven Subotic conducted his best Martin Keown impression on a devasted Arjen Robben last week, the second consecutive Bundesliga title was all but sewn up by Borussia Dortmund. Perhaps more importantly though, was the potential shift in power from the Bavarians to their Rhineland counterparts.
The Dutch winger had moments earlier missed a penalty that would have saved a point for Bayern Munich and kept the title race very much alive. He instead had to endure the taunts of the elated Subotic, who in a outpouring of emotion and after harnessing the opinion that the former Chelsea man had dived to win the spot-kick (which he didn’t), decided to square up and scream in the face of the dejected player.
Whilst most bookmakers will continue to make Bayern the German league favourites year after year, it would now seem like sheer stupidity to not place a large amount on the Black Yellows in each of the next few seasons. As far as soccer wagering strategies go, this has the capacity to be highly effective.
Whilst Munich look to grab the limelight with their galaxy of stars; Frank Ribery, Arjen Robben, Manel Neuer, Philip Lahm to name but a few. Dortmund not only have a number of under-appreciated world-class players of their own but they possess two key ingredients that the Bavarian powerhouse does not: work-rate and a collectiveness.
Since his move from Mainz to the Westfalenstadion, Jurgen Klopp has installed a hard-working mentality that is in sync with the working class area the club finds itself in. After almost going out of business at the beginning of the century, the directors at the club knew that the days of big-money transfers were long gone and insisted to the new gaffer that the majority of personnel would have to be obtained from the club’s youth department.
The charismatic boss then began the project of sculpturing a young, vibrant side, that possessed footballing ability and work-rate in abundance. To add to this, whether it was because of the similar age-ranges between the players, or maybe the fact that most of them had come through the younger teams together, the squad displayed a united front that put the club rather than the individual first; a rare trait in modern day football. Four years later, Kloop could now be considered to be in charge of the strongest club in the Fatherland.
German football is in somewhat of a unique position in that it traditionally only has one truly powerful side in Bayern, with a number of prospective heirs to the throne coming and going every season (Stuttgart and Wolfsburg anyone?).
However, after the wake-up call of a winding up order and careful planning, together with a good youth strategy, Borussia Dortmund have slowly become the second recognized side of the Central European country, and now finds itself on top of the Bundesliga for a second consecutive term, a feat not achieved by any side other than themselves or FCB since 1982.
What makes it all the more sweeter though is that the team based at Signal Iduna Park has conducted it’s business on a solid base of hard-work and dedication, which has been proved victorious over FC Hollywood’s individuality and glamour. The underdog has finally had its day over in Deutschland.
@paulhill3