German Football

[American Pilgrim]

Just curious if anyone else watches German football? If so, just in general? Or a particular club?

My ancestors come from Freiburg so started watching them a long time ago and am actually head of the SC Freiburg USA Fan Club.

I know not as technically sound as other leagues but I enjoy it never the less.

Will Harry Kane finally win a trophy haha?

Perhaps!

 

[Pastie Pete‘64]

Hi@all.
I am living in Germany.
Since my 12th birthday a great Eintracht Frankfurt fan.
Years ago we have been maybe 3-4 times live at the ground.
But since 2022,when we became Argyle supporters,we(my son and me) have seen more matches live from Argyle as from Eintracht Frankfurt.
So I am watching,Bundesliga,2. Bundesliga in TV and Clubs from our Area sometimes live.
The Club from our small village called SV Elversberg and is now,big big surprise the second year in The 2. Bundeslige(like Championship) and is playing very well.

 

[Bernie Bernbaum]

I follow St Pauli, newly promoted to the Bundesliga but having a tough time at the momemt.
It didn't help losing Fabian Hurzeler to Brighton in the summer.
I rarely watch their games live so I subscribe to St Pauli TV and watch them later.

 

[Fergy]

I like the fan culture and think it’s quite similar to here in England. You get some massive away followings in the lower leagues.

Compare that to La Liga and Ligue 1 where it’s not usual to see sub 100 away followings.

 

[up the line]

Yeah I've been over to Germany to watch a number of games over the years.
St Pauli and their city rivals Hamburg
Wolfsburg
Union Berlin
But no-one comes close to the great Werder Bremen. Doing ok this year despite frequently losing their best players. The Weserstadion is just an amazing place. Right on the river, ferry after ferry of green clad fans being dropped off pre match. They've had so many amazing players over the years too. Obviously the pride
of the North currently with HSV being in the second tier (fnar fnar).
Lebenslang grünweiß!!!

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Mrs BB is German. She has no interest in football except when it looks like Germany might beat England, at which point she becomes irritatingly tribal. She is an exceptionally graceless winner and goes back to pretending not to care when England win. Euro 2021 was great fun

 

[Guiri Green]

Slightly West, but has anyone noticed how well Racing Santander are doing in the Spanish 2nd Division this season. They've clawed their way back up over the years from the split level below which isn't pretty or easy via their play off system, but currently sit top of the league.

I retain a soft spot for them through little more than having a similar strip, a similar type of city with direct access from Plymouth. My nearest 'other' team when not in the UK is Malaga, but for some reason, I've never felt drawn to them although they are well supported and can, unusually for Spain, take a healthy following on away games - when it's going well.

Unlike the UK, my experience is that you could walk around a rivals city fairly safely in a rivals shirt. No idea if that would be the same in Germany.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Slightly West, but has anyone noticed how well Racing Santander are doing in the Spanish 2nd Division this season. They've clawed their way back up over the years from the split level below which isn't pretty or easy via their play off system, but currently sit top of the league.

I retain a soft spot for them through little more than having a similar strip, a similar type of city with direct access from Plymouth. My nearest 'other' team when not in the UK is Malaga, but for some reason, I've never felt drawn to them although they are well supported and can, unusually for Spain, take a healthy following on away games - when it's going well.

Unlike the UK, my experience is that you could walk around a rivals city fairly safely in a rivals shirt. No idea if that would be the same in Germany.

I could be completely wrong but I seem to remember you can see Racing's ground as you come into Santander harbour on the ferry from Plymouth. They play in green too which is always a bonus.

 

[Lousy Pint]

Used to watch HSV at the Volkspark regularly when I worked in Hamburg.
It was back in the 80's, when they won the European Cup and had the likes of Horst Hrubesch and Felix Magath as well as the wonderful Kaiser playing for them.
Don't worry up the line, they'll be back soon enough and, hopefully, St P will go the other way

 

[greenpilled]

Don't really follow a team but if ever I'm in Germany I always try and attend a football match - reasonably priced tickets, big terraces & beer in the ground equates to a terrific atmosphere. I've seen Koln, Hamburg, both Berlin teams, Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Not a very imaginative choice but Bayern was a fantastic experience, all the fans wearing lederhosen, eating bratwurst etc and a carnival atmosphere as they won 6-0. Munich is a fantastic city more generally as well.

 

[Emu]

I was in the away end at St Pauli v Magdeburg last season. It was quite an experience - I should have brought along my earplugs as my ears were ringing at the end if it!

As for Spain, my team is Elche, who also play in green and white. La Liga 2 is a bit like the Championship, much of a muchness. Go on a good run and you'll be up there. There are quite a few teams in the Spanish leagues who play in the same colours as us.

 

[up the line]

Used to watch HSV at the Volkspark regularly when I worked in Hamburg.
It was back in the 80's, when they won the European Cup and had the likes of Horst Hrubesch and Felix Magath as well as the wonderful Kaiser playing for them.
Don't worry up the line, they'll be back soon enough and, hopefully, St P will go the other way

Yeah? been a few years now.
I mean that bundesliga 2 is a tough league again this year.
But I suppose if Holstein Kiel can get out of it there's hope for HSV yet

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Yeah? been a few years now.
I mean that bundesliga 2 is a tough league again this year.
But I suppose if Holstein Kiel can get out of it there's hope for HSV yet

There are some massive clubs in that league this year. Schalke, Koln, Hertha BSC, Hannover and Dusseldorf as well. At one point the 2. Bundesliga had a higher average attendance than the Championship, I don't know if that's still the case but it's a brilliant division.

 

[Pastie Pete‘64]

This year the second league is massive.
So many clubs with sold out home matches and almost everyone can beat everyone.
Lots of former Bundesliga Clubs.
This is the list with spectators up to now.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

This year the second league is massive.
So many clubs with sold out home matches and almost everyone can beat everyone.
Lots of former Bundesliga Clubs.
This is the list with spectators up to now.

Is that average attendances Pete, or stadium capacity? Amazing.