SBNation.com: All Posts by Ross Dunbarhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2013-01-23T13:36:54-05:00https://www.sbnation.com/authors/ross-dunbar/rss2013-01-23T13:36:54-05:002013-01-23T13:36:54-05:00Hamburg has long-term blueprint in place
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<p>In former times, Hamburg were an eminent figure in European Football, regularly competing with the most prestigious names across the continent. It has been a while since they were able to grapple with FC Bayern, and others, and their period of uncertainty has only served to strengthen their idealist approach in forthcoming seasons. </p> <p>Despite their recent struggles -- and a mere three decades since they last won the League Championship -- Hamburg SV reiterated their stance as an influential power in German Football by securing the second of an exciting pair, rated as two of the best talents coming through in the 3.Liga.</p>
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<p>The Winter Break has been quiet in the immediate transfer-front for Hamburg in their preparation for Sunday's game at the Frankenstadion where they managed to collect a point. Behind the scenes, though, Hamburg are preparing for the long-term with plans to build a brand-new youth academy campus adjacent to the Imtech Arena. Their sharpness in approaching players has paid dividends, recently signing Borussia Dortmund II midfielder Kerem Demirbay on a four-year-deal which starts in the summer.</p>
<p>The 19-year-old central midfielder has had a fine season in the third tier of German football with Dortmund's second team, although, in the long-run, finds himself competing against a ridiculous luxury of midfielders at Signal Iduna Park. The signing of Nuri Sahin for the next 18 months -- with the option of a longer stay -- has forced even Moritz Leitner further down the pecking order, never mind young Demirbay.</p>
<p>The Turkish U20 international wore the Yellow-and-Black 16 times in the first-half of the campaign, as the young Dortmunders have struggled in a fairly competitive league that leaves them in the relegation positions. In KICKER's 3.Liga rankings in the midfield position, Demirbay sits as the 11<sup>th</sup> best based on their match-by-match rating system. His elegant left-footed style has seen comparisons with Mesut Özil and fellow Turkish national Sahin.</p>
<p>"I'm incredibly happy he has chosen us. Kerem is a great talent and he has the quality to prevail in this league. He's only 19 years old but already a key player in his team. Kerem can play in all midfield. We totally believe in him," sporting director Frank Arnesen told Hamburger Morgenpost.</p>
<p>Before things had even kicked off in August, the former Chelsea director of football secured the signature of attacking-midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu from Karlsruher SC on a four-year contract until 2016. This season, though, the 18-year-old has been back at his old club on a season-long loan and has inspired them to second-place in the 3.Liga by the New Year with his seven goals and nine assists in 21 league matches. He even helped them to dump out his parent club, HSV, in the first-round of the DFB Pokal with an assist in a stunning 4-2 win.</p>
<p>Another Turkish youth internationalist, Çalhanoğlu is a wonderfully-gifted ‘No.10' playmaker who likes to take up advanced positions, close to the main forward. He has a terrific range of passing, quick feet to manoeuvre out of tight positions and a clinical eye for an attacking pass. Arnesen described him as an "intelligent player" in August and someone who could be missing creative link in Hamburg's squad.</p>
<p>Head coach Thorsten Fink has been in a precarious position at the Volkspark, since returning to Germany from his successful spell across the border at FC Basel in Switzerland at the tail-end of 2011. The former FC Bayern player has formed a close relationship with Arnesen over the last 12 months and is making strides to restoring some glory with the North German giants.</p>
<p>Results have taken central importance, thus far, mainly, to preserve Hamburg's position in the competitive Bundesliga - but significant improvement has been made under Fink with the team playing a more cohesive style, whilst looking a lot more assured at the back which had been a problematic area for them last season. Fink has led Hamburg to respective 10<sup>th</sup>place by Christmas and just two points away from a place in the European slots for next season.</p>
<p>Less than two years ago, following Arnesen's arrival, and his influx of Chelsea talent -- which overall has proved to be an epic failure -- Hamburg plunged towards the bottom of the table, as a consequence of severely cutting the wage budget at the club, which saw them lose <span>Frank Rost</span>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110476/joris-mathijsen">Joris Mathijsen</a>, Ze Roberto and Ruud Van Nistelrooy that summer. It was the first signs, similarly to Werder Bremen, that Hamburg could not sustain an extensive playing budget because there was no guarantee of Champions League football. Since then, veteran David Jarolim has departed -- albeit returned as a youth development coach -- and so have 30-year-old <span>Guy Demel</span> and David Rozenhal.</p>
<p>A sign that Hamburg are looking to create a sustainable transfer model: a stream of young talent is progressing through the ranks and the club is picking up some promising signings from outside of the club. Apart from the early months in his tenure, their Danish football supremo has shown astuteness in identifying talent, such as, Milan Badelj and Artjoms Rudnevs who have been impressive in the Red Shorts this season.</p>
<p>Slowly, but surely, Hamburg are beginning to build a team under the reign of Arnesen, who faced an angry backlash from the supervisory board in 2012 for the club's disappointing performances, and their focus on off-loading those earning the highest wages, with a reduced long-term return for the club is creating a freshness around the camp.</p>
<p>With Demirbay and Çalhanoğlu tied up for next season, complementing the experience of Rafael Van der Vaart and Rene Adler - Hamburg adding the essential blocks to building a side that could come from left-field to challenge for European berths.</p>
<p>Are there exciting times ahead for the former European Cup winners?</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/1/23/3892484/hamburg-sv-bundesligaRoss Dunbar2012-03-23T07:36:58-04:002012-03-23T07:36:58-04:00Celtic's Hopes Of Winning Title At Ibrox Could Come At Heavy Cost
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<img alt="GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 24: Rangers and Celtic supporters chant before the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium on April 24, 2011 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GEmmnJtlnM_y0rzXCM66Cb7WY50=/63x0:936x582/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/2554668/GYI0064446496.jpg" />
<figcaption>GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 24: Rangers and Celtic supporters chant before the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium on April 24, 2011 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Rangers and Celtic go head-to-head on Sunday and with the prospect of the Hoops winning title at Ibrox, Ross Dunbar goes back 13 years to the Gers' last title win on Celtic soil.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">May 2<sup>nd</sup>, 1999 – the day that Scottish Football died.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, some would argue that.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But for fans of Rangers, it will be a day that will never be forgotten, even up there with the glory days of Barcelona ’72 and Helicopter Sunday. Dick Advocaat’s first season in Glasgow could not have gone any better and having already secured the Scottish League Cup at Celtic Park, Rangers were on the verge of something only ever done three times before – a Rangers/Celtic title decider.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a poisonous atmosphere around the East-End of Glasgow as Rangers aimed to make it 10 league championship wins in the last 11 seasons. And so, Advocaat’s Light Blues took to the pitch amist an incredibly-heated atmosphere at Celtic Park, with the likes of Jorg Albertz, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Arthur Numan, aiming to silence the home supporters on the night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It took Rangers just 12 minutes to open the scoring after neat-work from Rod Wallace who teed up Scottish winger Neil McCann and he had the easy task of poking the ball past Stewart Kerr in the Celtic goal. But the game plunged into controversy when French defender Stephane Mahe reacted petulantly towards Neil McCann and was shown his second yellow card of the evening.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mahe’s red card sparked incredible scenes for the next 15 minutes or so with referee Hugh Dallas being struck with a coin from the Celtic supporters. The lengthy delays also included a pitch invasion and a storm of objects being thrown at Van Bronckhorst as he prepared to take a free-kick. And from that set-piece, Dallas decided to award Rangers a spot-kick after Tony Vidmar was hauled down by Vidar Riseth inside the penalty box.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another pitch invasion ensued and a raging Celtic fan decided to jump off the top-tier of the ground in the aftermath of Dallas’ decision. As Rangers stood back in amazement at the scenes from the Celtic-end, Jorg Albertz stepped up with composure and class to slot home from 12 yards and make it 2-0 to the visitors.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The second half was calm, in comparison, to the first and 21 minutes after the restart, McCann pounced on a mistake in the Celtic defence to dribble past Kerr and add a deserved third for Rangers. Dallas would soon become a busy man again with Rangers’ Rod Wallace being shown his marching orders before Vidar Riseth of Celtic was dismissed for a serious of ridiculous challenges.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And after the final whistle, Rangers fans went straight into party mode with the final controversy coming as Advocaat’s men began mocking Celtic’s huddle in front of the away fans. As the visiting players left the field, they were treated to a barrage of abuse and had objects thrown as they went down the tunnel.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the days after Rangers’ historic title victory at Celtic Park, Scottish Football would endure a turbulent period with the Scottish Premier League’s relationship with broadcasters Sky under serious scrutiny. The late evening kick-off on Sunday had been the norm across the season but Strathclyde Police stepped in which altered the kick-off times in the SPL.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just under 13 years later, we are back in the same position but this time Celtic aim to secure their first league championship in four years at Ibrox. It has been an incredible campaign for both Rangers and Celtic for a host of different reasons. The Light Blues stormed clear in the championship race with a 15-point lead (albeit with two games extra) over Celtic. But, arguably, the defining weekend of the season may have come as early as October as Neil Lennon’s men produced an incredible fight-back at Rugby Park to come from 3-0 down in the second-half and leave Ayrshire with a point.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since that match, Celtic have lost just one domestic match, whereas, Rangers who drew 1-1 with St Mirren on the same afternoon as the Hoops’ 3-3 draw with Kilmarnock, have been in free-fall since the season-ending injury to Steven Naismith. The 25-year-old had been in terrific form for Ally McCoist’s side in the first part of the campaign with nine goals from 11 matches.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But Rangers’ misery was compounded in February when the club went into administration and were automatically deducted 10-points, leaving the championship effectively in the hands of Celtic for the rest of the season. Celtic’s lead at the top stands at 21 points and a victory on Sunday at Ibrox would be enough for them to win the title.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, for that to happen, third-placed Motherwell, who will be playing Champions League football next season, need to fail to win at Kilmarnock on Saturday.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many worry that Sunday could be a volatile, or if not, even more poisonous than Rangers’ championship triumph at Celtic Park in 1999. The last 18 months or so has seen the Celtic boss receive hoax bomb threats, an inflamed relationship between the two clubs and the Scottish government introduce harsh legislations against offensive behaviour at football matches.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the other hand, Rangers have also endured one of the toughest eras in their history under Craig Whyte with administration and the prospect of liquidation looming. Since February, Rangers have fought many battles with HMRC and have recently come under investigation from the Scottish FA and SPL. Some Rangers players have received continual racial abuse through social media networks, such as Twitter,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That’s just for starters and Sunday’s match is almost certainly going to be a ‘no-holds-barred’ affair between Scotland’s biggest clubs.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/3/23/2896850/celtic-vs-rangers-2012Ross Dunbar2012-02-13T08:00:39-05:002012-02-13T08:00:39-05:00Rangers Can Take Inspiration from 2009 Title Triumph
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<img alt="A general view of Ibrox Stadium ahead of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match between Rangers and Celtic in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EuGcrD2MLP7G6dtHj8ohBrI1al8=/0x0:1000x667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4093998/125536000.jpg" />
<figcaption>A general view of Ibrox Stadium ahead of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match between Rangers and Celtic in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Scottish champions are experiencing some tough times on and off the park, but despite trailing Celtic by four points, they are keen to keep their title dream alive. </p> <p>After a difficult week for all concerned with Rangers Football Club, the players ended the week on a positive note with an improved performance against Dunfermline Athletic and three valuable points at East End Park.</p>
<p>Rumours of financial meltdown at Ibrox and owner Craig Whyte's ongoing battle with a number of press outlets in Scotland has dominated the mainstream media over the last seven days and it was a welcome boost for Rangers to be back in action at the weekend.</p>
<p>Boss Ally McCoist asked Lee McCulloch to play as an emergency center forward on Saturday and the former Wigan man produced a very decent display in Fife. McCulloch and his strike partner David Healy put Rangers 2-1 in front at half-time before Sone Aluko and Salim Kerkar rounded off an important win for the Gers.</p>
<p>McCoist will be hoping the win over bottom-placed Dunfermline sparks the same reaction as Rangers' tight win over eventually-relegated Falkirk in April 2009 with Walter Smith's men enduring the same sort of negativity days prior to their match against the Bairns.</p>
<p>There are already some glaring similarities between Rangers' title victory in 2008/09 - their first in four years - and the current season.</p>
<p>Rangers were similarly dumped out of Europe at the first hurdle in 2008 with Lithuanian minnows FBK Kaunas handing the Scottish side, who reached the UEFA Cup Final just months later, an embarrassing blow to their league preparation and their finances. It was a defeat that years later would come back to haunt Rangers. In the first few weeks of August, McCoist watched his side beaten by Swedish side Malmo in the Champions League and then kicked out of Europe entirely by NK Maribor.</p>
<p>At present. McCoist's side is four points behind Neil Lennon's in-form Celtic team. In the first week of March 2009, Rangers trailed their bitter rivals by three points after Ian Black's last minute penalty for Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Ibrox put the Gers back in to second place with 10 games to play.</p>
<p>Controversy has went hand-in-hand at times with the Light Blues over the past few years with a number of off-field matters shadowing their impressive domestic success. In April 2009, Walter Smith suspended club captain Barry Ferguson and regular goalkeeper Allan McGregor following their behaviour on international duty. As Rangers dropped another two points at home to Hearts the week previously, they were generally written off by the media as Celtic looked to make it four league championships in consecutive years under Gordon Strachan.</p>
<p>But eight wins from nine games in the title run-in, including a 1-0 victory over Celtic at Ibrox, was the ideal response as the Gers were on the verge of their 52<sup>nd</sup> league championship triumph. On the last day of the season, Rangers went to Dundee United knowing that the destination of the League Championship was in their hands. The players were determined to ram the ill-fated comments of Georgios Samaras just a few days before down the throat of Celtic's Greek international striker.</p>
<p>Smith's men were in scintillating form at Tannadice with first-half goals from Kyle Lafferty and Pedro Mendes as the helicopter took off from its base in Cumbernauld with the SPL trophy on its way to Dundee. Kris Boyd's second half goal, his 27<sup>th</sup> league goal of the season, was followed by the eventual circling of the helicopter around the stadium. Celtic's lackluster performance at home to Hearts on the same afternoon meant that Rangers were crowned Scottish champions for the first time since the original ‘Helicopter Sunday' in 2004/05.</p>
<p>McCoist will require a similar desire and appetite as shown by a galvanised Rangers side in 2008/09 with the likes of Neil Alexander and Maurice Edu in terrific form when the team needed them most in the absence of Ferguson and McGregor.</p>
<p>USA international Edu has been, arguably, Rangers' best player this season out with the injured Steven Naismith and has brought a consistent dynamism and athleticism to the midfield. Fellow American Carlos Bocanegra would probably be the other candidate for ‘Rangers Player of the Season' with a high level of consistency throughout the campaign.</p>
<p>The Light Blues should secure the services of Gabon striker Daniel Cousin for the rest of the season as they desperately look to fill the void left by the departed Croatian hitman Nikica Jelavic. Cousin left Rangers on a high-note in August 2008 as he produced an immense display at Celtic Park in a 4-2 victory. Four years ago, Rangers drafted in Lithuanian striker Andrius Velicka from nowhere and he played a brief, but important, part of the title run-in and Cousin could have the same-sort of impact as Velicka. </p>
<p>With Kilmarnock and Inverness completing the February fixtures for Rangers, March brings four crucial matches against Hearts and Celtic at Ibrox and trips to Dundee United and Motherwell. </p>
<p>The next 6-12 months could arguably be the most important in the club's illustrious history with the over-hanging cloud of an HMRC tax bill, possibly in the region of £49m, as well as, numerous question marks over their current owner Craig Whyte. A fourth league championship in a row would go a long way to restoring faith in the club's owner and manager.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/2/13/2793341/rangers-dunfermline-scottish-premier-league-spl-2012-celticRoss Dunbar2011-12-25T09:48:21-05:002011-12-25T09:48:21-05:00Celtic vs Rangers, Old Firm Derby: Gers Put Themselves In A Bad Position With St. Mirren Loss
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<img alt="Ally McCoist, coach of Glasgow looks on during the friendly match between Hamburger SV and Glagow Rangers at Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Rangers face Celtic in the Old Firm Derby on December 28, 2011." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/44GhoVX0DBNdOKFnqenv7w_AGgM=/0x187:488x512/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4865827/134260934.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ally McCoist, coach of Glasgow looks on during the friendly match between Hamburger SV and Glagow Rangers at Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Rangers face Celtic in the Old Firm Derby on December 28, 2011.</figcaption>
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<p>Rangers lost for the second time this season at St Mirren on Christmas Eve and will be keen to extend their lead to four points against Celtic on Wednesday. Ross Dunbar previews the game from a Rangers perspective.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recent Form:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rangers currently sit at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a one point lead over second-placed Celtic. The Light Blues have struggled in recent months under Ally McCoist with some below-par performances and the Gers will be desperate to get back to winning ways after losing 2-1 to St Mirren on Saturday.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Scottish champions also lost against Kilmarnock in November at Rugby Park but got December off to a positive start with three victories against Dunfermline, Hibernian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Team News:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">McCoist will be without Romanian defender Dorin Goian who was sent off in Saturday’s defeat at St Mirren Park after receiving two yellow cards in the second half. The 31-year-old has been played 17 times for the SPL champions this season and has formed a strong partnership with Carlos Bocanegra. The former Palermo defender’s absence will be a massive selection headache for McCoist who is likely to start Kyle Bartley in defence.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lee McCulloch was also sent off on Saturday and will be suspended for the match on Wednesday night which will be another selection issue for McCoist. Rangers are still without Steven Naismith and Jamie Ness but could welcome the likes of David Weir back to the squad.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Formation:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Rangers manager has gained the reputation of being a “tinkerman” in his first few months in charge at Ibrox given his changes in tactics this season. In recent weeks, McCoist has tested a 4-2-3-1 formation which could be deployed at Celtic Park in a game that would probably suit a five-man midfield.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But the visiting support will be keen to see Rangers stick with their 4-4-2 formation which served them well in the 4-2 win in October and the 2-1 Cup Final victory in March. The energy and pace of Kyle Lafferty could be integral to pressing Celtic back, who themselves will be keen to press Rangers high up the park.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Player to watch:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rangers supporters will be pinning their hopes on former Aberdeen winger Sone Aluko to bring some much-needed flair and creativity to an under-performing side. Aluko was signed by Ally McCoist in December on a free transfer and has been impressive in his first few appearances for the Ibrox club.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The 22-year-old made a substitute appearance at St Mirren Park on Saturday and looked lively with some direct runs down the right-hand side and a good final ball. With Lee Wallace and Sone Aluko on the flanks, Rangers could pose a problem to the Celtic full-backs if they get both men on the ball in attacking areas.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/25/2659975/celtic-vs-rangers-old-firm-derby-spl-previewRoss Dunbar2011-12-25T09:41:20-05:002011-12-25T09:41:20-05:00Celtic Vs. Rangers, Old Firm Derby: Bhoys On Solid Run Of Form
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xAmD4AbXnrteocDQnty61e9MheU=/0x176:522x524/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1972016/GYI0063598804.jpg" />
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<p>Having gone 11 games unbeaten, Celtic are in fine form ahead of Wednesday's Old Firm clash. Ross Dunbar previews the match from a Celtic angle.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recent Form:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Celtic go into Wednesday’s clash as the in-form side after going 11 games without defeat since their 3-3 draw with Kilmarnock in October. The Hoops were 3-0 down at Rugby Park at half time but a second half revival has galvanised Neil Lennon’s side who are high on confidence ahead of the Old Firm match.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the Scottish Premier League, Lennon’s men have won eight games on the bounce with some narrow victories against Hearts and Dundee United, as well as, a superb European performance against Udinese in Italy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Team News:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Celtic have a few selection worries at the back with Daniel Majstorovic out for six weeks with a broken cheekbone and Glenn Loovens also on the sidelines. Majstorovic picked up his injury in the 2-0 win over St Johnstone last week and will be a massive blow to the Hoops. English defender Kelvin Wilson has spent a spell on the treatment table and Wednesday’s match will come too soon for the former Nottingham Forest man.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Honduran left-back Emilio Izaguirre has been a huge miss for Celtic since breaking his ankle at Pittodrie against Aberdeen at the start of the season but he made a recent return to training and was on the bench against Kilmarnock.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Formation:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Neil Lennon is expected to stick with his favoured 4-4-2 formation following Celtic’s impressive run of form since October. Lennon has been boosted by the return of captain Scott Brown and has managed to revert to the usual balance of Brown on the right-hand side with Beram Kayal and Ki in the middle and James Forrest on the left.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, the Celtic manager has some serious worries at the back with Thomas Rogne the only recognised centre-back available for selection on Wednesday. Although, on Saturday, Lennon opted to start Charlie Mulgrew and Victor Wanyama in defence and both have had experience of filling in at centre-back this season.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Player to watch:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Celtic’s Scottish winger James Forrest has been in excellent form for the Bhoys this season and has been one of their stand-out performers. The 20-year-old is comfortable on either foot and has caused havoc for SPL defences this campaign with direct running and a good end product.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Forrest has played on the right-hand side for Celtic this season in Scott Brown’s absence but with the Celtic midfielder back from injury, Forrest will likely move over to the left-hand side where he will be up against Steven Whittaker.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/25/2660015/celtic-vs-rangers-old-firm-derby-spl-previewRoss Dunbar2011-12-19T08:50:54-05:002011-12-19T08:50:54-05:00Would Marco Reus' Move To Borussia Dortmund Show A Power Shift In German Football?
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<img alt="Marco Reus of Moenchengladbach jubilates after scoring the first goal during the Bundesliga match between Hannover 96 and Borussia Moenchengladbach at AWD Arena in Hannover, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Kern/Bongarts/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CvbyUsT1iijqL7fX08V7Wtt69qA=/0x176:520x523/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/2602124/GYI0064526286.jpg" />
<figcaption>Marco Reus of Moenchengladbach jubilates after scoring the first goal during the Bundesliga match between Hannover 96 and Borussia Moenchengladbach at AWD Arena in Hannover, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Kern/Bongarts/Getty Images) | Bongarts/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Marco Reus has been one of the most exciting talents in the Bundesliga this season. But he could be subject to some strong interest in January from two other German clubs.</p> <p>It is almost customary for the transfer windows to bring up a long-running saga which dominates the attention of supporters across Europe. For the past few seasons, the prospect of Cesc Fabregas moving to Barcelona was always one which was possible during every transfer window. In the summer, German football fans were consumed by the transfer of Manuel Neuer from Schalke to FC Bayern.</p>
<p>After Schalke's DFB-Pokal win in May, it was almost inevitable that the German number one goalkeeper would swap Gelsenkirchen for Munich but there was a massive sigh of relief when the deal was finally concluded in June. FC Bayern splashed out over £20m on the former Schalke skipper who was immediately thrown into the deep end with a section of the club's supporters against the transfer following Neuer's mockery of FC Bayern legend Oliver Kahn.</p>
<p>But with the January transfer window less than a fortnight away, the transfer saga of Marco Reus has been on-going for the last few months. The Gladbach sensation has been strongly linked with a move to the English Premier League and the press across the Channel still believe a move to either Arsenal or Manchester City is feasible.</p>
<p>However, it would appear, even by mid-December, that there is a tug-of-war between two of Germany's biggest clubs to secure the 22-year-old's signature. Champions Borussia Dortmund are apparently weighing up a bid for Reus when the January window opens but their rivals FC Bayern have been less than subtle in expressing their interest in the player.</p>
<p>Last month, FC Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told a German newspaper: "Reus has a clause in his contract that isn't exactly cheap (but) he could give us even more quality in the long run."</p>
<p>The Gladbach attacker has excelled under Swiss coach Lucien Favre who took over Die Fohlen in February with the club adrift at the bottom of the Bundesliga. But in a role on the right-hand side of midfield, Reus was a key figure in lifting the spirits in Monchengladbach and scored the decisive goal in Bochum to keep the club in the Bundesliga after a nerve-wracking final day where they won in Hamburg to avoid relegation.</p>
<p>In season 2010/2011, he managed to net 10 goals from midfield in a side that rapidly changed their philosophy under Favre from the failed Michael Frontzeck reign. The former Hertha coach Favre opted for a 4-4-2 system with a very hard-working mentality that ultimately, served <i>Die Fohlen</i> well in the second half of the campaign with nine wins in total.</p>
<p>And he has continued his sparkling form in to this season with 10 goals in 14 games for Gladbach who have been locked in a chase for a European place. Reus has impressed in a central-striker role with terrific movement and excellent technique and some really outstanding individual goals. A mark of Reus' ability was his impact in Gladbach's 5-0 slaughtering of Werder Bremen where the German international netted a hat-trick at Borussia Park.</p>
<p>So when the transfer window comes along, will the Dortmund-born kid head back to his roots and pull on the famous Yellow and Black of Borussia, or make the largely unpopular move of joining league-leaders FC Bayern?</p>
<p>Normally, a move to FC Bayern would be a given for the majority of their transfer targets due to the general size of the club and their financial advantages over others. But the impression amongst the German media is that a move to Borussia Dortmund is a realistic possibility and he could be the final piece of an immense attacking quartet of Mario Gotze, Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski.</p>
<p>Reus' contract expires in 2015 and an £18m bid from either club would trigger a buy-out clause that would leave Gladbach powerless in stopping their prized asset leaving <i>Die Fohlen</i>. With Dortmund looking to add to their squad, it would appear Reus is being lined up by FC Bayern as a replacement for Arjen Robben who has been on the injury list for much of this season.</p>
<p>Even with no action until the middle of next month, the Marco Reus transfer saga is almost certainly going to be an interesting event to keep your eye on. A move to Borussia Dortmund, last season's Bundesliga winners, presents an intriguing moment for German Football as some will claim this represents a shift in power in the German top-flight.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/19/2644506/marco-reus-transfer-bayern-munich-borussia-dortmundRoss Dunbar2011-12-11T10:58:00-05:002011-12-11T10:58:00-05:00Is Thomas Tuchel Working His Magic Again At Mainz?
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<p>Germany's Carnival Club are slowly moving up the table with Thomas Tuchel at the helm. Ross Dunbar looks at their recent successes in the Bundesliga.</p> <p>The first five months of this season have been a bit of a reality check for the fans of FSV Mainz who have taken time to settle in to their new surroundings at the Coface Arena. For long spells of the first half of this campaign, Mainz have been struggling at the foot of the table and facing a return to the Second Division.</p>
<p>After a tough summer in the transfer window which saw them lose star assets Andre Schurrle and Lewis Holtby, it looks as though the pressure is beginning to ease off Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel who has done some rebuilding work in the summer. Even in a tactical sense, Mainz have had to adapt to life without both players who lit up the Bundesliga last season in a very fluid 4-3-3 formation.</p>
<p>Instead, Tuchel has shuffled his pack to a 4-2-3-1 and after a rough start, it would appear Mainz are now looking up to a possible mid-table finish in the Bundesliga. Saturday’s goalless draw with Hamburg SV – a side unbeaten under Thorsten Fink – was Mainz’s fourth game in a row without losing with two draws and two victories.</p>
<p>The burden of creating goals has fallen on the shoulders of Austrian midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz and the experienced 28-year-old is enjoying his best spell of the season with four goals in his last six domestic games. With the voids of Holtby and Schurrle to fill, Tuchel delved in to the lower leagues in Germany and signed Zoltan Stieber and Nicolai Muller from Alemannia Aachen and Greuther Furth respectively, for a combined fee of £2m.</p>
<p>For a club who lacks the same resources as the vast majority of other Bundesliga clubs, scouting is a huge asset to Mainz and they also made some astute deals with Marcel Risse, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Yunus Malli joining from the youth teams of Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively.</p>
<p>Before their recent run of good form, Mainz won just once in their first 10 games of the season which left them on the outskirts of the relegation battle. But a terrific turnaround against Stuttgart four weeks ago, with two goals from Anthony Ujah and one from Ivanschitz in the space of nine minutes, sparked scenes of joy on the pitch as Mainz secured an unlikely home victory.</p>
<p>And it got a whole lot better for Thomas Tuchel’s men who then took the biggest scalp of the season with a 3-2 victory over league-leaders FC Bayern at the Coface Arena. It was again Ivanschitz who got the ball rolling in front of 34,000 fans, and despite replies from Daniel Van Buyten, Mainz took control of the game through second half goals from Marco Caligiuri and and Niko Bungert to secure the win.</p>
<p>Given Wolfsburg’s terrible form under Felix Magath, Mainz were probably disappointed at how they ended up two goals behind at the Volkswagen Arena. But they were inspired by another Ivanschitz goal to pick up a point with Choupo-Moting netting a late equaliser. Their fourth game without a defeat came at the weekend with Hamburg failing to continue their excellent unbeaten run under Thorsten Fink.</p>
<p>The ‘Carnival Club’ - as they are known due to the popular festivals which take place in the city – are back in Bundesliga action on Tuesday against an in-form Cologne side who thrashed SC Freiburg 4-0 at the weekend. Stale Soblakken’s side face three games in six days with the original clash being called off due to the horrible attempted suicide by referee Babak Rafati pre-match.</p>
<p>As much as the clashes against Stuttgart and Bayern were massive tests for Mainz, any sort of positive result at the RhineEnergieStadion against a team who contain the excellent talents of Lukas Podolski would be just as impressive. The first half of the Bundesliga comes to an end for Mainz at Borussia Monchengladbach next weekend but a very tricky cup-match at Holstein Kiel will be one to keep an eye on.\</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/11/2627977/is-thomas-tuchel-working-his-magic-again-at-mainzRoss Dunbar2011-12-05T07:01:58-05:002011-12-05T07:01:58-05:00Babbel Taking The Berliners Back To Old Heights
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<p>Hertha have made an impressive return to the Bundesliga after a year's hiatus. Ross Dunbar explains the revivial under Markus Babbel.</p> <p>The capital of Germany has been starved of Bundesliga success for some time with most of the triumphs appearing in cities such as Munich, Bremen or Dortmund. In fact, it has been just over 70 years since a club from Berlin were crowned German champions, and it came in an era where the Blue & White half of the city were one of the finest sides in the country.</p>
<p>In the early years of the German championship, it was BFC Viktoria Berlin - now of the Oberliga Nord - who won the title on two occasions and even confirmed their 1894 crown in 2007 with a rather controversial re-match with another amateur team, Hanau. But in the late 1920s, Hertha BSC lost the final of the German championship four years in a row before finally securing their first title victory against Holstein Kiel in 1930 and then 1860 Munich in 1931.</p>
<p>The Berliners are still quite some distance from being the dominant force in German football, but they have made some impressive steps this season, including beating current Bundesliga holders Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.</p>
<p>Nearly 18 months ago, former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Hamburg defender Markus Babbel was appointed Hertha's head coach. This followed Freidhelm Funkel's departure, which capped off a disappointing year for ‘The Old Lady', who were relegated from the top-flight.</p>
<p>The first season in charge at the Olympic Stadium for 39-year-old Babbel, capped 51 times for Germany, was a success. Hertha cruised to promotion with 74 points from 34 matches. </p>
<p>The Blue & Whites were tipped along with Bundesliga ‘newbies' FC Augsburg to make a sharp return to the second-tier at the end of the season, but Hertha BSC have performed well above expectations. They currently hold a tenth place position in the Bundesliga with just six points separating them from a place in next year's UEFA Europa League.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, Babbel has used his experience as a defender at the top level in European and International football to make The Berliners an extremely compact side who have only lost four matches this season in the Bundesliga. It is a reflection of Babbel's excellence in the dugout that he has managed to adapt Hertha to the tough challenge of staying in the Bundesliga after playing a more expansive game in the second division, where they were the league's leading scorers last term.</p>
<p>In the summer, Babbel went back to his old clubs and brought Thomas Kraft, Andreas Ottl, Anis Ben-Hatira and Tunay Torun from FC Bayern and Hamburg SV respectively. Ottl has built an excellent relationship in midfield with another new signing Peter Niemeyer who was a £400k addition from Werder Bremen during the close season.</p>
<p>As much as they are applauded for their defensive abilities, they also possess some very good options in attack with Adrian Ramos, Raffael and Pierre-Michel Lasogga, netting 14 of their 22 goals this season. With the Colombian Ramos and the Brazilian Raffael providing some much-needed flair in Babbel's 4-2-3-1 system, the onus has been on 19-year-old hitman Lasogga to score the goals. The German U21 international has earned some rave reviews in the Bundesliga and has been likened to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110275/mario-gomez">Mario Gomez</a>.</p>
<p>The tag of the "draw-specialists" is something that could follow Hertha throughout this season with seven draws so far this season - the highest in the Bundesliga. Impressively though, they have managed to pick up draws away from home at the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and Hannover.</p>
<p>If they can continue to be the "draw-specialists" and be hard to beat this season, then there's absolutely no reason why they can't pip Stuttgart and Leverkusen to sixth - and a place in Europe.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/5/2609881/hertha-berlin-bsc-bundesliga-germanyRoss Dunbar2011-12-02T07:53:26-05:002011-12-02T07:53:26-05:00The Werkself Already Have Eyes On The Future: Bayer Leverkusen On The Rise
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<p>Bayer Leverkusen are on the rise with a young squad and Robin Dutt at the helm.</p> <p>After last year's second place finish in the Bundesliga, it was always going to be difficult for new coach Robin Dutt to maintain the high standards left by Jupp Heynckes. He departed Bayer Leverkusen for the greener pastures of FC Bayern Munich after a great run of success at Bayer, keeping them in the title hunt until the final weeks of the season.</p>
<p>The 46-year-old's stock rose dramatically last season when he led SC Freiburg to an impressive ninth-place in the Bundesliga, their highest league finish in the top-flight since 2001. Having just taken over from long-serving Volke Finke, Dutt worked wonders to take Freiburg from the second division to the lofty heights of last year. The <i>Breisgau-Brasilianer</i> established themselves in the the top-flight with a 14<sup>th</sup> place finish in 2009-10 but Dutt's achievements last season made him, arguably, one of the most sought after coaches in German football.</p>
<p>In comparison with other sides around the middle of the Bundesliga, Freiburg had a strange mix of not scoring as many as others and not conceding as many. When you consider VfB Stuttgart netted 60 goals last season as they finished 12<sup>th</sup>, a total of 41 isn't the best of records. But end of season statistics do not tell the entire story; the most important stat is they finished on 44 points by the third week in May.</p>
<p>An integral part of Freiburg's success was their Senegalese striker Papiss Demba Cisse, who scored 22 goals in 32 games at the Badenova-Stadion. However, the Freiburg hierarchy were back at square one when Dutt decided to join Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and also on the verge of losing star man Cisse to a host of clubs in England.</p>
<p>The first four months of the campaign have required plenty of patience and persistence from the Leverkusen faithful after a largely inconsistent start to Robin Dutt's reign in charge. Bayer have had some frustrating results, especially in the early part of the season, including the 4-1 thrashing by rivals Cologne and a shock cup exit at the hands of Dynamo Dresden. Unsurprisingly, it took Dutt some time to piece together his strongest eleven and the injuries to both Rene Adler and Renato Augusto have not helped the Leverkusen coach.</p>
<p>Sporting director Rudi Voller has already made some hugely positive strides in improving the resources at Robin Dutt's disposal with a number of good additions - all with a large sell-on value in the future. On Wednesday, Voller confirmed Leverkusen had secured the signing of 19-year-old keeper Bernd Leno from Stuttgart for a fee believed to be around £7m. Leno was on a short-term loan from Stuttgart following the injury to German international keeper Rene Adler, who will have a tough fight on his hands to regain the No.1 spot.</p>
<p>The Bundesliga has seen a number of young goalkeepers secure a regular place between the sticks and Leno has impressed alongside the likes of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Sven Ulreich and Ron-Robert Zieler. In front of Leno, Voller has already secured the signature of FC Nurnberg's highly-rated defender Philipp Wollscheid for a fee around £5m. Wollscheid has impressed at <i>Der Club</i> and it has been reported it was a tug-of-war between Dortmund, Leverkusen and FC Bayern to sign the 22-year-old.</p>
<p>The central defender joins summer signing Omer Toprak, who has missed just one game this season in Leverkusen colours since arriving from Freiburg for nearly £3m. The Bayer head coach has handed another 22-year-old in Lars Bender a place in the spine of the team and the former 1860 Munich midfielder has been of the Bundesliga's star performers this campaign. The German international has been an ever present in the Leverkusen midfield and has worked well alongside the experienced Simon Rolfes.</p>
<p>The Werkself's big signing of the summer transfer window was Mainz's 21-year-old attacker Andre Schurrle, who cost Bayer nearly £8m. Both Schurrle and Sam have brought plenty of potential and creativity to Leverkusen's 4-2-3-1 formation. The aforementioned backbone have an average of 22 and even the likes of Daniel Schwaab (23), Stefan Reinartz (22) and Renato Augusto (23) could have just as big a role to play for Bayer.</p>
<p>Despite their current sixth place position, Leverkusen will have plenty to offer the Bundesliga in the coming season or two if Robin Dutt and Rudi Voller can keep the young core of their current squad at the BayArena. In a league which is becoming widely appreciated for its focus on young players, Leverkusen look to be intent on continuing the trend.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/2/2601133/bayer-leverkusen-bundesliga-uefa-champions-leagueRoss Dunbar2011-11-21T13:21:08-05:002011-11-21T13:21:08-05:00From Duds To Diamonds In Six Months - The Favre Effect
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<p>Gladbach have had a sensational rise from relegation battlers to title challengers within less than a year. Ross Dunbar looks at their revival under Lucien Favre.</p> <p>In the middle of February this year, <i>Die Fohlen</i> were rooted at the bottom of the Bundesliga with a seven-point gap between them and safety, as Head coach Michael Frontzeck was deservedly shown the exit door by Sporting director Max Eberl. Frontzeck's Borussia Mönchengladbach were on course to be relegated with just 16 points from 22 matches under the 47-year-old, who made over 200 appearances for ‘the Foals' in his playing career.</p>
<p>With many of the Gladbach faithful busy entertaining their partners on Valentine's Day, the club took a quick step to restoring stability at Borussia-Park by appointing 54-year-old Lucien Favre on a two-year-deal. It would prove to be a masterstroke by Eberl with Gladbach winning seven and drawing three of their next 14 games to secure their safety in the Bundesliga, which included a nail-biting relegation play-off against VfL Bochum.</p>
<p>The Swiss coach spent two years in charge of Hertha Berlin where he led the Berliners to a stunning fourth place finish in the top-flight. But his time in the German capital did not last much longer and Hertha struggling in 2009-10, he was sacked. Gladbach's incredible turn-around from February to May was one of the most enthralling aspects of the Bundesliga with the relegation places already looking settled before Favre took charge at Borussia-Park.</p>
<p>The new Gladbach coach immediately put his shape on the team and implemented a new mentality of being compact and tough to break down. It was a mentality that would prove to serve Favre well with Gladbach collecting five clean sheets up until the end of the season, including a terrific 1-0 win over league-leaders, and eventual champions, Borussia Dortmund.</p>
<p>Favre brought a new way of playing to an under-performing Gladbach side and opted for a 4-4-2 system, as opposed to the much-preferred 4-2-3-1 in the Bundesliga. Between the sticks, Favre decided to axe Christian Heimeroth who was the number one under Michael Frontzeck and handed the gloves to rookie 18-year-old keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. He has excelled in his new role, becoming one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga. Despite his age and inexperience, Ter Stegen brought a presence to Gladbach's defence and already similarities have been cast with German international Manuel Neuer.</p>
<p>In front of the young keeper, Favre was keen to keep a solid, and consistent defence with Jantschke, Dante, Stranzl and Daems featuring regularly in the last few weeks of the campaign. Probably one of the most effective changes to the Gladbach side was the inclusion of two ‘defensive-minded' midfielders in to the 4-4-2 formation. Former Arsenal kid Havard Nordtveit was drafted in alongside Roman Neustadter which brought so much solidity to the side.</p>
<p>What can be said about Marco Reus? The young German international has been a revelation under Favre and is already on the shopping list for Arsene Wenger, Roberto Mancini and FC Bayern's Jupp Heynckes, amongst others. In the attacking positions, Gladbach were without a regular goalscorer with both their frontmen struggling to find the net.</p>
<p>The workhorse Mike Hanke, who has netted just once in the white of Gladbach, provided a terrific outball for Gladbach in their 4-4-2 system but what made Hanke a firm favourite with Favre was his ability to tuck back in to the midfield to make it a 4-5-1 leaving Mo Idrissou up front. The 31-year-old Cameroonian striker was something of an enigma towards the end of last season but brought a focal point to the attack with his power and hold-up play.</p>
<p>Favre's focus on continuity can't be underestimated in the title race and the Gladbach starting eleven almost became a regular feature in the Bundesliga. But the Swiss coach shuffled his pack to some extent during the summer with Marco Reus joining the strike force - a decision which would turn out to be another masterstroke for Favre. After netting 10 goals last season, the 22-year-old has scored 10 in 13 for Gladbach in the Bundesliga this season, forming a strong partnership with Mike Hanke, who unsurprisingly, hasn't added much to his goal-tally this year.</p>
<p>Favre has been able to draft in the likes of Patrick Herrmann, Mathias Zimmerman and Aussie Matt Leckie to the squad with Gladbach continuing to produce some talented young players from their academy setup and pick some superb bargain buys from abroad. The table doesn't lie if you're a Gladbach supporter.</p>
<p>The Foals absolutely thrashed their European rivals Werder Bremen 5-0 on Saturday, with Reus adding three goals to his tally for the season and the other goals coming from Herrmann and Arango.</p>
<p>Borussia Dortmund's victory in Munich against FC Bayern on Saturday evening has blown the title race wide open with Gladbach just two points off top-spot. Gladbach spent last season fighting relegation, but thanks to Lucien Favre, they could be spending this season chasing Champions League football.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/11/21/2575059/borussia-monchengladbach-lucien-favre-marco-reusRoss Dunbar