The FA cup. The essence to it’s magic is the great David and Goliath battles which spring up throughout the competition. These are often best exemplified in the early rounds, when introduced to the public is a team of teachers, builders and butchers trying to pit their wits against seasoned pros from the football league. Such occasions provide a great narrative to the true underdog story. However in the upper tiers of the football league, the tale of the underdog is as alive and magical than at any level of the football pyramid. Case in point is Tranmere Rovers FA Cup run on the 00/01 season.

In the summer of 2001, Tranmere Rover’s situation could’ve been considered quite poor. Relegated from division 1, bottom of the table and 11 points from safety ending their 10 year run at that level. Add to this they were left manager-less following John Aldridge’s departure. However that year season will live long in the memory as a year of great achievements. Their run to the quarter finals of that years FA Cup embodies most, if not all of the underdog story.

The story begins with a 3rd round tie away at fellow first division strugglers Portsmouth. A tie which, on paper was quite winnable proved so as Rovers ran out 2-1 winners. This set up a mouth watering tie against local Merseyside rival Everton. Aside from the natural interest in a derby cup game, this game had special relevance for Tranmere striker Paul Rideout. Formerly of the aforementioned Everton, Paul Rideout had been a promising English striker in the mid nineties. This was best encapsulated by his 94/95 season comprised of a 1 in 2 strike rate in the league, topped off with scoring the winning goal in that years FA Cup final against Manchester United.

However following this, his chance in the Everton side became limited and at the end of 1996 he was transferred to China to play for the ‘mighty’ Qianwei Huangdao! Now something of a journeyman, with spells in MLS with Kansas before returning to china for two more years, his departure from Everton seemed to have derailed his career. However he was plucked from obscurity by Tranmere, where he was to finish out his career. This meant that this particular 4th round tie had extra spice, pitting the cup hero against his former victorious teammates, both of whom had failed to follow on from their cup success.

A crowd of almost 40,000 arrived at Goodison Park to watch the spectacle. In Tranmere’s favor was a previous seasons run to the league cup final, taking premier league scalps of Coventry and Middlesborough and and FA cup run claiming West Ham. However, nobody could’ve predicted the final result, Tranmere Rovers 3 – Everton. 2 Goals form Mark Yeates with a Jason Koumas goal in between. Particular note to Tranmere’s winger that day, Andy Parkinson who’s pace was a constant thorn in Everton’s side that afternoon, mainly against David Unsworth. Everton left in shock, Tranmere through to the 5th round to play another premier league side, Southampton.

The first match itself is widely forgotten. However it should be a footnote in history the Tranmere did get a well earned draw away to Southampton to force the replay back to the Wirral. However it served as only a prelude to perhaps the game of the season. In between games the draw for the next round revealed that the winners of the tie would face Liverpool. No bigger an incentive would be needed. Some 13,000 people squeezed into Preton Park for the mid-week evening replay. Rovers had got a taste for cup success and were keen to take another scalp. However by half time it was effectively game over! Southampton were rampant, dominating all over the field to lead 3-0 at the break, a score that may have even been a little kind to Tranmere. Goals from Kachloul, Tessem and Richards doing the damage. A chorus of boos saw Tranmere off at half time. Cup adventure over…

Or not….A rousing team talk from John Aldridge along with an attacking substitution (Barlow for Chanillor) sent the team out looking for little more than to salvage pride. More than pride, the took home the win. 59mins- Paul Rideout turns home an Andy Parkinson shot from close range. 70 mins- Rideout left unmarked at a corner to head hone from three yards, a roar goes up from the Prenton Park faithful. 80 mins – Paul Rideout caps off his hat-trick heading home from a Parkinson cross, Prenton park is bouncing, Southampton are stunned and Aldridge is left with the decision to stick or twist. Southampton are shaken and are there for the taking but the comeback could be undone by over zealous attack from a rush of blood to the head. However the home side were a model of composure.

84 mins- A throw in is flicked on into the path of Barlow in the 6 yard box to poach home the winner. A mix of disbelief and elation and ecstasy along with other various heightened emotions flood throughout the stadium. Cries for the final whistle ring-out as the game is in stoppage time. However the final piece of dram lies with Dean Richards of Southampton who in added time who just failed to connect to a cross with a gaping goal at his mercy. It was not to be as the football Gods were shining on Rovers that night, and following a final clearance, the result was signed to the history books. Tranmere had turned a 3-0 half time deficit into a 4-3 win to set up a dream derby tie with Liverpool. A true game of two halves…

On Sunday evening DSC Arminia Bielefeld confirmed that head coach Stefan Krämer had been released by the club, ending his two and a half year association with the club.

The most recent defeat at home to Ingolstadt has proved to be Krämer’s final opportunity to secure a positive result as a gap of five points has opened up between the sides in the relegation places and the rest of the side in the league.  Speaking about the situation in a press release by the club, the Arminia CEO Marcus Uhlig said,

The sporting situation has worsened after the 0-2 home defeat against FC Ingolstadt. With this decision we want to set new impetus in the fight to avoid relegation

Under these circumstances, the club decided that a new coach was needed to lead the club in their fight against relegation, leading to Krämer and his assistant Michael Bauer leaving the club.

The decision comes on the back of a season where Arminia have struggled for the most part, despite what had been a promising start. Krämer had taken his side as high as third in the early weeks before a run of seven consecutive dropped ‘Die Blauen’ towards the bottom of the table.  It was hoped that a surprising 4-0 against high flying Gruther Furth would provide impetus for a revival in form.

However, this failed to materialise as Arminia went into the winter break with relegation fears hanging over the side’s heads and questions about Krämer’s position at the club. Nevertheless, the Arminia board kept faith with Krämer over the winter, hoping that the break coupled with an injection of new signings would help reverse the clubs failing fortunes.

The upturn in form failed to emerge as Arminia have picked up a single point since the break, a last minute equalizer against St. Pauli. In a unanimous decision by the club, it was decided that this was insufficient to keep Krämer in the head coach job. According to sporting director Samir Arabi

“Given the current sporting situation, we have decided to establish a new coaching team.”

Krämer’s previous success to date at the ‘DSC’ has not gone unrecognised by the club. Taking over mid-season in September 2011, he helped guide Arminia to safety in the 3.Liga. This was followed by promotion in only his second season in the post, finishing second in the 3.Liga. During these two years in the 3.Liga, Arminia entered the Westfalen Cup twice, winning on both occasions. Speaking of his time at the club, Arminia president said,

“Stefan Krämer and Michael Bauer have helped the DSC Arminia enormously in a very difficult phase. I would like to thank them on behalf of the Association for their successful work over the past two and a half years.”

The club has announced it will be presenting a new coaching lineup in a timely manner in the coming days.

Arminia Bielefeld have confirmed that Norbert Meier is to be the man charged with the task of guiding ‘Die Blauen’ to safety, with a contract until the end of the season. The announcement came on Monday just hours following the confirmation that former coach Stefan Kramer had been released from the club.

Norbert Meier’s first game in charge will be on Friday night against his previous club Fortuna Dusseldorf whom he led in a 5 year stint from 2008 until 2013, stating of the game “It’s something special, where you have your living room to dispute the first game”. Meier takes charge with Bielefeld in a precarious position sitting in the relegation zone five points away from safety, a situation Meier is acutely aware of “We have one goal: survival,” proclaimed Meier. “We can only achieve that together.”

At Dusseldorf, Meier had a successful start to his tenure by winning promotion from the inaugural 3.Liga season. Following a season of consolidation in the 2.Bundesliga challenging near the top of the table, Meier led Dusseldorf to promotion to the Bundesliga 2011/12 via a playoff win against Hertha Berlin. Previous to this Meier had also led MSV Duisburg to promotion from the 2.Bundesliga in the 2004/05 season.

It is the proven history of success at this level that Arminia fans will be hoping Meier brings to the club to help turn around their poor run of results this season. Speaking of the task ahead of him, Meier said “In the next two and a half months, all that matters is Arminia and we will work hard from today to achieve our objective,”

The appointment of Meier signals a shift in the character of the coach at Arminia from the previously relatively unknown Kramer. Meier has comes to job not only as a noted coach but also a renowned player having been part of Otto Rehhagel’s successful sides of the 1980’s which earned him 16 international caps and a place in the 1984 European championship squad.

A further contrast between the two coaches is while Kramer was perceived as having a positive, relaxed demeanor as a coach while Meier is seen as a more intense manager. This is highlighted by an incident in the Bundesliga in 2005 where Meier head-butted Köln player Albert Streit before imitating a fall to the ground himself. This resulted in a fine and three month suspension from coaching, ultimately culminating in Duisburg terminating his contract.

This shows a more ruthless desire to win which perhaps Arminia have lacked since their promotion to the 2.Bundesliga. This drive added to his track record may have been the factors that attracted Arminia to Meier. Speaking of the appointment DSC Sporting director Samir Arabi “The decision to appoint a new head coach position, we have not done easily but it weighed very carefully”, adding  “We are pleased to have with Norbert Meier quickly found a successor to Stefan Krämer, which all of us are convinced by.”

With little over two months left in the season, there is limited time to turn around the club’s fortunes. However with Meier they could not have found a better replacement at this point in the season. It will be a fascinating story to see if Meier can in fact steer the club to safety by season’s end.

As league seasons come to a close around Europe, with many great sides declared their respective nations champions after battling, it cannot be overlooked that the battle for the bottom places can carry equal if not more importance to clubs, not only for short-term success but also long-term survival.

Such a scenario was played out in Saxony on Sunday as Dynamo Dresden hosted Arminia Bielefeld, with the sides entering the game level on points sitting right on the precipice of relegation to the 3.Liga. The winner would enter a playoff for survival whereas the losing side would have no such second chance.

The manner of the game gave a clear visual indication of the importance of what was at stake.  Each side had a player sent off as nerves began to show. Arminia soaked up intense Dresden pressure before being able to break out twice to snatch a two goal lead as Dynamo players, knowing that the club’s future in the league and possibly their future at the club disappear, felt their hearts sink as they saw the passions of their supporters rise.

Not content with what they were seeing on the pitch, a small group of Dynamo supporters began to throw flares onto the pitch causing the game to be suspended for some 15 minutes  –  supporters who were not prepared to passively watch their side fall to defeat and relegation. These were supporters who had seen Dresden drop out of the 2.Bundesliga in 2006 to endure a five-year stint as a third tier club.

It was during this time that Dresden had committed to a new stadium which they now call home, though the relegation brought such a reduction in expected finances that the club briefly flirted with insolvency in 2008. A shortfall of €1.2 million was reported, a sum that the improved TV revenue in the 2.Bundesliga would have covered with a minimum of €3.5 million being allotted from TV companies to league clubs.

This example bears many similarities with the case of Arminia Bielefeld. Following financial mismanagement largely related to renovations at their own stadium, Arminia eventually had to rely on a €1.2 million bailout from the league in 2011 when their relegation to the 3.Liga was all but certain. The fund was created in 2004 to help prevent the demise of clubs such as fellow Westfalen side FC Gütersloh who declared bankruptcy in early 2000 just months after their relegation from the 2.Bundesliga.

As Bielefeld and Dresden emerged from their long wait to restart their all or nothing fixture, the fight for survival was reignited as Dynamo quickly pulled a goal back. They then quickly equalised to spread joy and relief around the stadium and leave Arminia fans staring at relegation after just one fleeting season in the second tier. The plot though would have one final twist, one final goal as Bielefeld’s young Polish striker, Kacper Przybyłko, struck the decisive blow to leave a final score of 3-2 to Arminia, sending Dresden down.

Even with this result which left them ultimately finishing ahead of Dresden in the final 2.Bundesliga table, Arminia still stand to earn €500,000 less in TV revenue for the past season than Dresden. This arises as the distribution of television money is determined on a calculation of placing in the league in recent seasons, with emphasis place on the most recent years with 3.Liga placing counting for nought. As such Arminia’s previous two-year stint in the 3.Liga continues to impact their financial state as being calculated as bottom of the chart, they are set to receive the smallest portion of the TV money in the league, set to be just over €3.8 million.

Although this is the poorest return from the TV pot that Arminia could have hoped for, a side which will not be feeling sorry for them is SV Darmstadt 98 who finished third in this seasons 3.Liga and as such are set to face Arminia in the two-legged relegation playoff (the first leg kicks off on Friday, the second next Monday). The structure of TV coverage at the third tier level will leave SV  Darmstadt  with approximately €800,000 for their great efforts this season, less than a quarter of what their opponents will receive though this is a fact Arminia have learned all too well in recent seasons.

Not only does TV coverage raise direct funds for the clubs involved, it also raises potential gains in sponsorship with every game guaranteed to be broadcast nationwide on pay TV with selected games shown free-to-air on Monday evenings. Additionally, the recent development of the 2.Bundesliga games being shown across Europe and even further afield as part of local Bundesliga TV rights deals, creates the attractive possibility of a large audience to attract sponsors or command higher fees from existing deals.

3.Liga sides can expect relatively small deals for occasional coverage from regional broadcasters often just for local derbies, with two types of exceptions being seen from last season’s two promoted sides. Arminia’s success in the campaign saw season long online coverage with a high number of games televised, while Karlsruhe had a mandate from the city that all games were required to be shown live for locals. However the drop in TV revenue is not to be solely blamed of the financial problems that some clubs experience in the 3.Liga.  Former DFB Director of Game Operations Helmut Sandrock explained

This is linked to the economic problems of individual clubs, but a differentiated approach is missing in most cases. The criticism relating to less TV money is completely unrealistic as the vast majority of clubs are more than satisfied with the TV money

Other factors are at play, but many of these can be linked back to the gap between the leagues. Added to the increased numbers watching at home, a place in the 2.Bundesliga promises more supporters at the grounds with league average attendances being over 17,000 in the previous two seasons. In contrast the 3.Liga is significantly overshadowed with an crowds averaging 4,569 in 2011/12, rising to over 6,000 last season with the participation of Karlsruhe, Aachen and Hansa Rostock.

The stark contrast in attendance is further emphasized when glamour sides that occasionally drop to the 2.Bundesliga (such as Hertha Berlin and 1. FC Köln) average over 40,000 per game, while in the 3.Liga the participating u-23 sides of Bundesliga sides and smaller teams such as Wacker Burghausen struggle to average 2,000 per game. There can be no clearer example of the gap in prestige between the two leagues.

SV  Darmstadt will themselves be targeting an increase in attendance at a higher level having managed to bring in an average of 7,068 through the gates so far this season. Upon promotion last season from 3.Liga both Karlsruhe and Arminia Bielefeld enjoyed an increase of over 50% in attendance figures, an increase which, if predictive, would put SV  Darmstadt ’s attendance over 10,000, something which only two 3. Liga sides (MSV Duisburg and RB Leipzig)  could manage this season.

This creates a problem for smaller clubs who wish to participate in the league, with regulations insisting that clubs grounds meet minimum standards for the professional league, notably a minimum ground capacity of 10,000. This is a factor which caused Elversburg to play games in the first half of this season at league rivals Saarbrucken’s Ludwigstadion while they redeveloped their home ground. The fact that relegation occurred at the end of the season means that the expense paid for the work was only necessary for half a season of 3.Liga football. The high level of expectation on clubs at that level is a situation which former Babelsburg CEO Klaus Brüggemann has spoken about in the past.

From the economic aspect, the 3.Liga is a money burning league, as the clubs are intended to create professional conditions and structures which must be met, but the economic conditions are not there

SV  Darmstadt  themselves will now be forced to spend on renovation work should they progress to the 2.Bundesliga. Following inspections this year by the DFL, their Böllenfalltor stadium was deemed to require many improvements such as a doubling in the size of their TV production area, improved floodlighting and the installation of under soil heating which in itself would cost in the region of 800,000.

There are plans for a €27.6 million redevelopment into a new Böllenfalltor stadium something which may only be feasible if the club is at the 2.Bundesliga level. It should be noted that mismanagement around the redevelopment of Arminia’s ‘Bielefelder Alm’ stadium played a large part in their massive financial problems in recent years which left the club in a perilous state.

One rare occasion that these sides could expect a high attendance, potentially even a sell-out in such a new stadium is on the occasion when a top Bundesliga side comes to town for a DFB Pokal match. A place in the cup is extended to all teams in the top two divisions but only the top four finishers in the 3.Liga being guaranteed a place with regional cup winners making up the other participants. As such, a mid table finish in the 3.Liga may leave a side without a cup game, something which those in the top two tiers may take for granted.

Without the significant boost in finances that a place in the 2.Bundesliga would bring, many squads are forced to release a large number of their squad to accommodate the smaller wage budget that they are presented with. Most recently upon MSV Duisburg’s relegation, 22 players were released from the club featuring a wide cross-section of their squad.

Highly rated players such as Timo Perthel have been able to progress their career by making a dozen appearances for 1.Bundesliga side Eintracht Braunschweig this season. However veterans like Antonio Da Silva, who has a Champion’s League goal at the Nou Camp to his credit, and young players at the club who have not yet managed to make a significant breakthrough are liable to find themselves without a club. Arminia though have largely retained their 3.Liga squad and as such may not need to take such drastic action.

This litany of factors along with the passion and prestige of playing at a higher league level are what make this week’s playoff fixture such an important fixture for both Arminia and SV Darmstadt . However despite the intensity that the games will be played at, the effect of the result may still depend on whether RB Leipzig can overcome their licensing problems to take their place in the 2.Bundesliga.

There is a similar situation that SV Darmstadt  has had to wait out on quite recently. The club had an impressive run to third in the league this season but they had not been expected to compete in the 3.Liga after finishing in the relegation places the season before. Their participation in the league this season was only made possible by Kickers Offenbach being refused a league licence having amounted 9 million of deb, while also benefiting from Aachen being declared insolvent mid-season who had to see out the season adrift at the bottom of the table following penalties from the league.

This is a further example of the financial turmoil that may await clubs in the 3.liga, a set of circumstances previously outlined by former SpVgg Unterhaching president Engelbert Kupka saying in 2012.

The 3rd League is a professional league, but is treated like an amateur league. That’s in the future no longer acceptable and financially viable

DSC Arminia Bielefeld’s dramatic late equaliser against St. Pauli has become just the latest example of the unpredictable nature of the club at this current point in their history.

Arminia’s return to the second tier of German football has been turbulent for most of this season. A sensational start to the campaign with only two defeats from eight, left them sitting as high as 3rd in the Bundesliga 2 table; however, this success was just as quickly undone with seven consecutive defeats, tumbling Arminia down the table to serious relegation territory. However, their slump finally ended with a shocking 4-1 thumping of title-challengers Greuther Fürth, but this promising result served to raise more questions about Arminia’s form, as it demonstrated that the club is capable of both the ridiculous and the sublime.

On occasion, Arminia have shown themselves to be quite capable of competing at the 2. Bundesliga level, though perhaps their early season success led to some naivety about the challenges of playing at a higher level. 11 of the 38 goals Die Blauen have conceded have occurred after the 75^th minute; additionally, Arminia have dropped a staggering total of 10 points after taking the lead in matches. This trend is exemplified by moments such as the conceding of a last minute equaliser at home to fellow relegation rivals Dynamo Dresden in the final game before the Christmas break when a crucial three points looked all but secured. Arminia is having to learn the lesson in securing results the hard way.

The concession of a late goals is part of larger defensive struggles that have plagued Arminia this season. They currently have the worst defensive record in the league, conceding 5 goals more than the table’s bottom side (Engerie Cottbus) with Arminia’s lone highlight being a clean sheet secured earlier in the season at St Pauli. However, the club is hopeful about loan signing Vujadin Savić from Ligue 1 side Bordeux, who will  add some defensive solidity during the Rückrunde.

In stark contrast, scoring goals has not been a problem for the Ost-Westfalen side, who have found the net 29 times this season. This rate is impressive, especially considering that only SC Paderborn and Union Berlin, two successful Bundesliga 2 sides, have better strike rates than Arminia. Their standout goal threat thus far has been Fabian Klos, who has adapted to the Bundesliga 2 with ease, with 5 goals and 4 assists, despite being ruled out for a few matches during the Hinrunde because of injury. Such form is sure to attract attention from bigger sides, which may tempt Klos away this summer if Arminia’s from does not show significant improvement by the season’s end.

If there is a man who has the potential to bring improvement to this side, it is surely current coach Stefan Krämer, who was appointed two years ago when Arminia were engaged in a 3 Liga relegation battle. This relegation escape was no easy task as Arminia were in the midst of a free-fall down the ranks of German football, despite having been a somewhat regular fixture of the Bundesliga including an extended period from 2004 to 2009. Krämer’s impact was immediate as he galvanised the side, steering them clear to safety while also winning the Westfalen Cup in his first half season in charge.

In Krämer’s first full season in charge, he lifted the side to 2. Bundesliga promotion, while also contending for the 3.Liga title with Karlsruhe up until the season’s final week. That season was highlighted by a thrilling, but ultimately disappointing loss to Bayer Leverkusen in a DFB Pokal match that gave supporters an early glimpse of what Krämer’s side was capable of against tougher opposition.  It was this evidence of improvement that led the club’s hierarchy to keep faith with Krämer during Arminia’s early season troubles this season – something the administration would be wise to do again as Ariminia fight off relegation once again.

For Arminia though, it is not simply the prestige of playing in a higher league that concerns the club. Financial trouble, which mounted from the costs of redeveloping the stadium at the Bielefeld Alm, followed by the financial repercussions of two relegations, has left the club in a position of steep debt, a situation familiar to many clubs who sit a distance away from the top echelons of German football. A trimming of the wage bill and a new sponsorship deal have somewhat stabilised the situation, but it is the place in the Bundesliga 2 and the vastly superior advertising and TV revenue that it brings is what is most important to the club, making anything other than league survival almost unthinkable. Fortunately, the club has been well-supported during home matches at Die Alm, drawing an average attendance of roughly 17,900 spectators per game.

For the moment, Arminia sit level with three other sides (Inglostadt, Erzgebirge Aue and Dresden) tied on 22 points, who make up two of the relegation places. The competitive nature of the league is apparent as even Fortuna Düsseldorf only sit at 10th place – a mere 4 points clear of safety. In a league so closely contested, a run of consecutive wins for any of the sides in the bottom half of the table should see them clear of any danger.

DSC Arminia Bielefeld are as well-equipped as any side to survive in the Bundesliga 2 this season, though based on their recent history nothing is can be certain for the inconsistent Die Blauen. Remember, we are talking about a team who has been promoted to the Bundesliga on seven occasions and played 9 seasons in third tier of German football. Expecting anything other than a topsy-turvy ride would be foolish.

In recent seasons, Stefan Krämer has emerged as one of the most charismatic coaches in all of German football. Most recently, he has played a major role in the revival of Ost-Westfalen side Arminia Bielefeld, leading them back to the 2nd tier of German football prior to his very recent departure from the club. He achieved this feat with a fascinating combination of a thoroughly scientific approach to the game, while maintaining a relaxed and engaging demeanor, charming people across the club – and league as a whole.

Early days in Köln

Krämer was born in Mainz on March 23^rd 1967 and throughout his life has always lived close to the Rhine. Despite his rootedness, his first football love was Hamburger SV, a love which remains today. At the age of 8, Kramer attended his first HSV (vs. Eintracht Frankfurt) football match. Instantly, he fell in love with football, recalling that “the fever gripped me”. His love for HSV, however, was came a bit later, since the blue shirt he wore that day was merely something to wear.

Krämer currently lives in Königswinter away from the all the football activity in his life. He is easily identifiable by his curly perm haircut which is specially cut for him by a friend. However, Krämer cares little for others’ perceptions of his appearance: “In my image I place little value .. I can only be as I am.” Statements like these create the public perception of Krämer being a genuine character.

This genuineness is one of the key reasons Krämer has won respect from his colleagues and the wider football public. Currently, Krämer is a bachelor, though is active in caring for his four godchildren, two from his brothers and two from his best friends; he also sponsors through charity organizations in Brazil and Africa. To relax, Krämer enjoys taking his dog for a walk by his home, a place where he claims “to feel free.” However, even at home, football continues to run through his mind, as Kramer himself explains: “I’m generally quite well out of bed, but after a win it is a little bit easier.”

Perhaps the defining period of Krämer’s life was his move to Köln to study at university. He attended the Sports University in Köln where he not only developed his career studying sports science but also developed affection for the city. He described the city as being particularly beautiful and liking the mentality of the people, with his favorite thing about the city being the Köln Karneval, although he regrets not being able to regularly attend it after having moved away from the city.

His time in Köln has left an indomitable mark on the football future of Krämer. Aside from his first love of Hamburger SV, Krämer became a supporter of 1. FC Köln during his time in the city, describing it as “a club with character”. He regularly attended Köln games and continues to be very open about his lasting support for the club saying it is “clear that I have a great affinity for the club”. He was also able, through his work at the university, to be introduced to experienced people in the game such as former Köln player and West Germany international Heinz Hornig. Outside of university, Krämer and Hornig would also team up in a football environment.

From player to manager

Stefan Krämer’s first foray in football began when he played as a left winger for FV Bad Honeff in the Oberliga Nordrhein. Krämer, though, speaks very openly about his time as a player being honest about his limitations. “For me, I didn’t have enough to make it to the top. I was only one footed and I lacked a little speed.” During his time as a player Krämer was always interested in the broader aspects of the game, taking note of the good or bad elements of coaching that he was exposed to. Despite being a player, Krämer says “I tried to think like a coach”.

This approach served Krämer well following his move in the mid nineties to Oberliga side FV Rheinbrohl. There, Krämer established himself as a leader in the side and became captain. However, his playing career was to be cut short in 1998 due to a knee-ligament injury. Despite this setback, the injury provided an opportunity for Krämer, as he made the switch to become coach at Rheinbrohl, his first job in such a role.

Following two promising seasons as coach, Krämer took up an offer to become coach at SG Irlich/Neuwied. He made an instant impact there in his first season as coach by winning the Kreisliga ‘A’ title by 6 points in the 2002/2003 season, thus earning promotion to the Bezirksliga-Ost for the following season, guiding his side to a safe 10^th position in the sixth tier of German football.

Success at Roßbach

In the summer of 2004, his previous success as a coach was rewarded with an offer to make yet another jump in standard to take charge of SV Roßbach/Verscheid of the fifth tier Rheinlandliga. It was during a nine-year stint with Roßbach that Krämer came to national attention on the back of significant success with the Rheinland club, in particular the club’s exploits in the Rheinland Cup. As before with Krämer, success came quickly, as Roßbach improved to finish in 3^rd place in his first season in charge.

His second season was even more successful, as he managed to win the league, but the victory was bittersweet for Krämer as his side was refused promotion because the Rheinland Federation ruled that SV Roßbach/Verscheid were two separate clubs competing under a single name and, as such, were ineligible for promotion. Not only did this mean that they remained in the Rheinlandliga but Roßbach also missed out in the final of the Rheinland Cup, eventually losing 2-0 in a closely-fought contest against TUS Koblenz.

The 2006/07 proved to be one of Krämer’s most successful and most memorable seasons to date. Arguably,  the highlight was Roßbach’s appearance in the first round of the DFB Pokal. As well as winning the Rheinland Cup, Koblenz had also won promotion to the 2.Bundesliga and as such automatically qualified for the Cup. Therefore, the qualifying place they had earned by winning the Rheinland Cup was passed on to the runners up, Roßbach.

Their reward was a glamour tie against Bundesliga outfit Borussia Mönchengladbach. Media swarmed on the normally quiet Roßbach as Krämer and his players adjusted to deal with the added media attention. Despite a respectable 4-1 defeat, Krämer still holds fond memories of that game. “This was a great story for all of us. The name SV Roßbach quickly became known nationwide. We will never forget this experience. To be part of the event was just great!”

The season was crowned with a second league title in a row, and with the merger of Roßbach-Verscheid having been completed, promotion to the then-fourth tier Oberliga Südwest was secured. That season also saw a second successive appearance for Krämer’s side in the Rheinland Cup final, though yet again it was met with a 2-0 defeat to Koblenz. In their first season in the Oberliga, Roßbach finished a very respectable 12^th in the league in its final season, as the fourth tier was to become the fifth tier with the introduction of the national 3. Liga in the 2008/09 season.

It was during this time that one of Krämer’s many superstitions linked to football began to emerge. Before each game it became necessary to stop at a petrol station to purchase a pack of chewing gum. This was something he had once done before a victorious game and from then on the two became linked for Krämer, making sure to stick to this routine for the duration of his time at the club. There was a similar occurrence later in his career with Bielefeld when a short sleeve shirt worn during his maiden win against Kickers Offenbach became a lucky charm of sorts, so it was worn at all games, including at 3ºC winter temperatures in Chemnitz. Luckily, the streak was ended with defeat to Carl Zeiss Jena and Krämer returned to much more suitable attire thereafter.

During his time in amateur football, Krämer had a colorful selection of jobs to earn his income. He originally had a job as a research assistant in Köln which came up from his time studying there. This was supplemented by a career working in insurance for nine years dealing with the cover of professional athletes. Despite an extended period in this field, Krämer never fully embraced the formal nature of the job, being told by his employers, “[They said] Actually you should be dressed business-like… but I never did!” As is apparent, sport is something which is sure to arise when the name of Stefan Krämer is mentioned. The exception to this is his love of music, including his time working as a DJ in Köln.

While earning a living as a DJ in such venues as the ‘Rose Club’ and as far away as Bonn, Krämer was able to indulge in the other great passion in his life. To date, he still has a mixer and two turntables along with his 20-year-old record collection at the ready, so an impromptu performance is always a possibility.  During performances, Krämer’s preference is “to lay on darker and nosier stuff on the decks, including ‘New Model Army’ and The Sisters of Mercy’”. Other favorite music of Krämer includes Oasis, The Smiths, Pixies and Beck, though it has been reported that his favorite band is UK formation ‘The Opposition’. This eclectic taste in music stems from his curiosity as a youth. “My hobby was usually to buy a box at a flea market and look at it at home, even if it was rubbish!”

In the 2008/09 season Krämer guided Roßbach to their highest finish of 8th in the Oberliga and another Rheinland Cup final defeat, this time losing to Eintracht Trier 2-0 in extra time. This was as high as he would take this side, as he followed up his two final seasons at the club with a 14^th and 13^th position finishes, drawing praise from Roßbach President Ingo Dittrich. “Stefan’s has been an outstanding performer over the years and has made the name SV Roßbach/Verscheid a regular fixture in the Oberliga. Our relationship will always remain very close”

Arminia, his one true love

Krämer’s time at Roßbach ended when he received an offer for an interview to become Markus von Ahlen’s assistant at 3. Liga side Arminia Bielefeld. Having been approached by Arminia, two more rounds of interviews followed before Krämer was given the assistant job, not without being philosophical about his departure from Roßbach. “In football there is always change”. However Krämer still has a place in his heart for the club and he attends as many games as he can, including the semifinal and final of Roßbach’s victorious 2012 Rheinland Cup campaign. He still keeps track of Roßbach’s progress and “To see how Roßbach are doing, my first glance after my games with Bielefeld is to the teletext”.

Krämer was finally appointed Arminia Bielefeld assistant coach on July 1^st 2001 as assistant to Markus von Ahlen. The two men were already familiar with each other as Krämer had on one occasion in the past taken part in observations of Bayer Leverkusen’s youth team training sessions with von Ahlen as coach. This working relationship was not to last long at Bielefeld, as a string of early season poor results left Arminia at the bottom of the table, which resulted in the von Ahlen being released and Krämer taking over his place as head coach on the 21^st of September of that same year. Krämer instantly set about putting his own impression the side.

In terms of a football philosophy Krämer references legendary Dynamo Kyiv coach Valeriy Lobanovskyi as an inspiration, so much so that he is still fascinated by the Ukrainians’ style of play today. He admits to still having a collection of old Dynamo Kyiv games on video, checking them to analyze how efficiently the players covered space on the pitch, so much so that Krämer said that he would “press stop [on the video] to see if Dynamo had 12 players on the pitch”. Krämer, though, points out a difference between himself and Lobanovskyi, that being that he is less keen on sitting passively on the sideline during games.

For his own sides, Krämer’s work with his teams begins  by building a good relationship with his players, though only under the right terms, not wanting to be loved as a coach but rather accepted as reliable and competent. He tries to achieve this by giving his players clear agreements, rules and definitions as well as regular objective feedback, which he believes helps them develop quicker.  This is not to say that is an impersonal relationship, as he stresses the importance of always being available to his players with any problems or comments that they may have.  These methods come from Krämer’s own experience as a player. “I treat the boys as players how I would’ve liked to have been treated like myself”

On the pitch, the main requirement that Krämer has of his players is effort. He does not rely on a rigid tactical and formation system but rather on how players interpret the position on the pitch they find themselves in. This is very much in the style of Lobanovskyi in terms of covering such amount of ground that it is not always important to have possession. “Sometimes it’s more important that the opponent has the ball, as this opens the chance for counter attacks”. This approach of pressuring the opponent occurs all over the pitch, with the strikers seen as the first line of defense. This results in Krämer’s sides being very practical, which is seen as something as a necessity “Football is not a circus or entertainment, it is a results based sport”.

This pragmatic approach to the game is something that has developed from his background in sports science. In particular, he has worked on his players’ fitness. This approach not only applies to his players but also to how he views the opposition. On his holiday before the 2013-14 season, Krämer was more focused on watching over 40 videos of 2.Bundesliga. This is typical of a man who Roßbach chairman Ingo Dittrich described as “a football maniac who lives 24 hours a day for football”. The lone exception to this is when Krämer is at home with his family and friends, where he feels he can relax.

His first two seasons in charge at Bielefeld were very successful. Having taken over from von Ahlen with Arminia in the relegation zone, he steered them clear to mid-table safety by the end of the season. Arminia’s downward spiral was halted as Krämer completed the turnaround by securing promotion through a second place finish in the 2012/03 3. Liga season. This success was supplemented by two wins in the Westfalen Cup against local rivals Preußen Münster in 2012, following it up with a consecutive win in 2013 against SC Wiedenbrück. Arminia’s success caused Krämer to follow through on an earlier promise of getting a tattoo of the club, which is now emblazoned on his chest close to his heart.

Both cup victories earned Arminia the right to play in the DFB Pokal, which included two first-round wins against SC Paderborn and Eintracht Braunschweig in 2012 and 2013 respectively. This set up two subsequent second-round ties, both coincidentally against Bayer Leverkusen, in which they lost 3-2 in extra time at home last season and 2-0 also at home this season. Last season’s tie which went to extra time was an epic battle which ultimately further helped to etch the name of Stefan Krämer into the minds of the football public as well as earning much praise for the Arminia faithful. Sporting director Samir Arabi said “Krämer has brought to life the existing potential at DSC”.

The beginning of the end

Such a sudden amount of success was perhaps the undoing of Krämer at Bielefeld, as his side struggled to adapt to life in the 2.Bundesliga. There was early promise rising in their first season back in the second tier, rising as high as third in the table early on. However, Krämer’s loyalty to the players that had served him so well in the 3. Liga and perhaps naive tactics began to tell, as results began to fall away. This included a run of seven consecutive defeats which was ended with a hard-fought 2-1 win against FSV Frankfurt. It was followed by a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Dresden in which Dynamo heartbreakingly equalised in the 92nd minute and then a 4-1 hammering of high-flying Greuther Furth. However, this proved only to be a false dawn for the side as form did not pick up after the Christmas break despite numerous signings, which resulted in the sacking of Krämer in February after a 2-0 home defeat to Ingolstadt.

It was noted, perhaps as an omen by his tattoo artist, that the blue Arminia logo across his chest was of a simple variety and as such would be easy to remove. However, Krämer is a man who is aware of the journey he has come on in football so far, always holding special regard for his previous clubs and often attending their games when time allows him to. Speaking after his departure from Roßbach, Krämer talked about how he still maintains contact with his former staff and assistants though admitted that “ in football, you will always have to change”. This is a reality Krämer will have to deal with, having been let go from a club for the first time in his relatively-young coaching career.

Krämer’s famously positive outlook is sure to help him prosper in a long career in football management into the future. When interviewed in 2005, he spoke of his enduring enthusiasm for life and football. “If you’re lucky you can do what you love, then you don’t really have to work.” This enthusiasm is sure to carry on as Krämer reflected on where he is in his life. “I used to think that at 45 life is over, that you sit in the garden and everything is boring. Now I’m 45 and, somehow, I’ve not grown mentally since the age of 20”. This is a positive attitude which one can’t help but be affected by.

Always a popular figure in the game, Krämer has become a widely recognized figure in recent years due to his success in football, of which there is surely more to come. It is hoped that this is the case so that the football public can continue to experience the character of Stefen Krämer long into the future.

As the global game and world at large has come to an effective standstill during the outbreak of the coronovirus pandemic, the current coronavirus football situation has led the football community to slowly come to terms with dealing with the effects of it. From closed door games, to cancellations, to dealing with the financial impact to clubs and players… day by day, measures are updated to best manage the situation for all involved.

However, in a limited number of countries, not all has come to a stop. It is a situation that is ever changing, but game of football has not come to a complete stop, with the flame of the game been kept lit in it’s last remaining outposts. Some such as Western Sahara football are always under trying times, in the current coronavirius football landscape, some as Turkey and Australia held on until cancellations were unavoidable, while in other corners or the globe, the games continue.

Current Leagues

Belarus

The most consistent of these has been the Belorussian league, maintaining a full schedule behind closed doors from their March season start, including Champions League regulars BATA Borisov.

However as the BBC reports there is growing pressure from supporter groups to boycott games, in spite of president Lukashenko’s resistance to disruption at this time, though no cancellations seem to be on the horizon in Belarus. Despite this, Fifpro and it’s general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann have condemned the continuation of the league, saying,

“It is frankly not comprehendible how this could be going on”

On the field however, the surprise of the early stages has been two defeats from two for BATE. This leaves BATE to sit level bottom of the table. At the top 4 teams have made perfect starts with Minsk and Energetyk-BGU level on top on goal difference as the early pacemakers.

Slavia Mazyr v BATE

Minsk Derby

Neman v Vitebsk

Nicaragua

The sole league continuing in the Americas is that of Nicaragua, currently in it’s Apertura phase of the 2019/20 season. However with case of Corona virus being confirmed in the county, The Guardian has reported 3rd placed Diriangén has expressed a wish to suspend the league, with fears among there players and staff of the current situation. However with government pressure to fulfill fixtures, and with their funding influence among a majority of teams in the league, no stoppage seems imminent.

In contrast there are opposers of the current situation. The league running as usual is seen as a platform for president Daniel Ortega’s domestic display of stability and normality. In this environment, he is unlikely to accept dissenting voices from clubs. Clubs have raised occasional concerns by some such as Real Madriz, but such comments are quickly retracted.

On the field Managua from the capital sit two points clear at the top of the table. They lead from Real Estelí, who defeated them after extra time in the 2nd of a two legged Apertura final in December.

Real Madriz FC v CD Ocotal

CD Ocotal v Real Estelí FC

JuventusFC v CDWalter Ferretti

Burundi

In contrast to other countries which continue, there is a great appreciation for the scale of the Coronavirus pandemic. With just now the first two officially confirmed cases in the country, no reason has been found to cancel regular events such as church mass, or football games, though it is now in question. Also, on what current coronavirus football measures can be taken. For instance, they refused to select European based players for national duty. This whilst international fixtures were still possible and were among the first calling on CAF to suspend such fixtures.

As such, the league, as the country as a whole runs in isolation to the outside footballing community. Therefore, Aigle Noir are now certain to cede their title won last season, the first in the clubs history. With only four game weeks remaining, Le Messager have played one game extra, to sit 4 points clear from Musongati. The league now looks set to go down to the wire.

Vitol’O Fc v Musongati

Athletico Academy v Aigle Noir

Inter Star Vs Buja City

Turkmenistan

Leagues To Come

Tajikistan

A new contender to this list though will be that of Tajikistan which has confirmed it plans to play it’s season curtain raising Super Cup as planned, albeit behind closed doors. With zero local confirmed cases of Coronavirus, it has been deemed there is no coronavirus football schedule changes. On March 31st Istaravshan heavily defeated league rivals Isfara 6-0 in a pre-season friendly, signalling their intent for the campaign. This gives good preparation for their season opener against Khatlon on Sunday April 5th. However Sunday’s opening round of league fixtures will be pre-empted by the curtain raising Tajik Super Cup on Saturday with defending league/cup champions Istiqlol, playing the league runners up Hujand

Istaravshan 6-0 Isfara –@rasulovjr23

Taiwan

The time we now live in with coronavirus football ‘chaos’ now being the norm, is a tough adjustment. While many clubs and associations adjust for financial realities without the game, others persevere. Though it presents difficult times, the game has gone largely quiet. Some remain, but at what cost, time will tell.

St. Pierre & Miquelon football stands as a proud, if somewhat isolated outpost of the French overseas football landscape, lying in an archipelago off the North American Atlantic coast.

Consisting of a relatively small isolated population, lying 25km from Canada’s Newfoundland coast, St. Pierre & Miquelon has remained as an overseas department of France, retaining characteristics such as culture and an accents similar to those on the mainland of the Metropolitan European mainland. This also applies to the sports taking place on the island, including athletics, combat sports, rugby, hockey and of course football. This being an important and well participated part of community life on these islands. Despite the small population and limited resources, football has managed to survive and even thrive on the islands with plans to expand the islands football activities into the future.

Domestic Game ♦ International Football ♦ Football Development

History of St. Pierre & Miquelon

The reasons for the islands continued place as part of the French Republic came after an eventful and occasionally turbulent history in St.Pierre & Miquelon. Evidence of pre-historic activity exists on the archipelago, though they were uninhabited by the time of European exploration in the 16th century. From the beginning, and for much of it’s existence the islands were primarily used as a fishing area for European vessels, mainly for British and French sailors.

By the latter part of the 17th century, permanent settlements began to be established with Jean Talon writing in 1670 that the islands housed “13 fishermen and 4 settled people”. Following the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the islands were ceded to British rule, though were returned to France with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 in exchange British fishing rights in the area. Following the turmoil in the aftermath of the French Revolution, Acadian settlers fled the islands before Britain transferred the remaining approximately 950 resident to Halifax, Canada for two years. This left the islands once again uninhabited until 1816 when the islands began to be settled permanently from fishermen, primarily from Brittany, Normandy and the Basque Country.

Settlement was focused on the island of St.Pierre due to the landscape creating a natural harbor for docking vessels, despite Miquelon having a better climate and better arable land. Waters around the islands remained treacherous, earning the islands the moniker of “Cemetery of Shipwrecks”. A local legend suggests that the 12km isthmus which connects the larger islands of Miquelon and Langlade was created from deposits collecting around past shipwrecks between the islands.

Smaller St.Pierre & larger Miquelon

However, the remote location and limited sea stocks left the local economy to struggle apart from boom period in the 1920’s following the enactment of prohibition in the United Stated. St.Pierre & Miquelon acted as part of a route for alcohol smugglers to import alcohol into the US. Al Capone, the well known protagonist in this was know to have spent time staying at the “Hotel Robert” on St.Pierre during this time.

This period would last until 1933 with the U.S. repeal of prohibition, though the islands would not be spared from drama with the the outbreak of WWII, with St.Pierre & Miquelon serving as a North American front for events in Europe. Following the German invasion of France, the islands came under control of the German allied axis Vichy Regime. However supporter of De Gaulle’s Free France movement staged a successful and peaceful coup on Christmas Eve 1941, being an initial success for the allied forces. Tragedy would also strike when the Free France corvette “Mimosa” carrying mostly men fro St.Pierre sank escorting allied convoys on 9th June 1942 with 65 loses.

St.Pierre in 1887

Following this into modern times, St.Pierre & Miquelon has began to prosper, diversifying from being islands of fishing into services, tourism and other areas. However, despite the proximity to France’s former territories in North America, St.Pierre & Miquelon have retained a metropolitan French identity, from culture, accents and sports, with football standing as a focal point of community activities on the Islands.

Domestic St. Pierre & Miquelon Football

Despite a limited population, St. Pierre & Miquelon has sustained three main football clubs on the archipelago. Two are based on the main island of St.Pierre, AS Saint-Pierraise (ASSP) founded on 11/08/1903 & AS Ilienne Amateur (ASIA) founded in 1953. There is also one on Miquelon, AS Miquelonnaise (ASM) being established in 1949 with founding club president Gaetan Detcheverry. At present ASIA stands as the largest club, with some 260 players on their books across the age grades. Behind them,  ASSP comes in with approximately half the numbers, with around 130, whilst ASM, on the less densely populated Miquelon have around 60 registered players.

The Bataillon de Joinville army sports team had three game tours of the islands winning all three games, both in 1972 and 1988 against A.S.S.P (4-1) & (4-0), against A.S.I.A (3-2) & (5-0) and A.S.M (3-0) & (9-0). The 1972 team featured players such as Jean-Christophe Thouvenel, later playing for Bordeux and France winning the league, cup and Olympic football gold with France in 1984

Occasions like the visit of FFF National Technical director Joseph Mercier for a month and a half on June 13, 1973, Mr. Desrémaux, Regional Football Advisor  for Normandy in 1976 also helped in the development of the game on the archipelago. Perhaps the most high profile was referee Michel Vautrot in for two weeks 1987, to help with a joint St.Pierre/Canada tournament on the islands, but also paid by the FFF to assist with a referee training course. Vautrot brought great experience as the top French official, refereeing the 1983 Intercontinental Cup Final, 1982 and 1990 World Cup’s include Semi Finals, the 1988 Euro’s final and the 1986 European Cup final. From this, Vautrot was named gendarme d’honneur by the company of St.Pierre & Miquelon.

Typically football is played during a summer season, to allow games be played outside of school schedules. This provides an added benefit to the quality of playing surfaces,as due to limited funding, artificial grass pitches are unavailable, and with a limited staff to maintain the playing pitches, the summer season better suits the upkeep of the available natural pitches. The French State offers assistance in this regard, providing funds for two maintenance contractors to work on the pitches.

ASIA can boast three pitches in St.Pierre with the club being based at the Louis Quedinet Sports Complex, with their main ground being the John Giradin stadium (Field of Honour) with a capacity of 1400 spectators. Giradin was part of the founding of the club in the 1950’s helping to open the stadium in 1958, a stadium which now bears his name. Also, John Giradin’s granddaughter would serve as the French National Assembly for St. Pierre & Miquelon and is now the Minister of Overseas Territories in the French Government. Louis Quedinet himself was inducted into the Newfoundland & Labrador football hall of fame in 2013.

There is also the Léon Mahé stadium which is a 9 a side pitch for junior players and a 5 a side pitch for toddlers. Léon Mahé was renowned for he his hard work in the development of children’s football, thus the ground now bears his name.Also, off shore on the small island of Ile aux Marins, ASIA has a guesthouse established by volunteers which features 20 beds and a playing field as summer quarters for young players to stay together, bond as in a more relaxed environment than the main island.

ASSP have one ground located in the centre of town, the Stade Léonce Claireaux located on Rue Georges Daguerre with a capacity of 500. This had previously been the site of the island’s cemetery, but became vacant in 1872, being too small for purpose, with the land later being leased to A.S.S.P from 1926. Both clubs on St.Pierre continue to improve facilities with A.S.I.A undertaking great work improvements to the posts and stands for spectators at the South end of the ground. A.S.S.P have also improved storage facilities at the ground to add to an already pleasant stadium.

ASSP Stade

Also located further south along the shoreline on Boulevard Port en Bessin, is the Sport and Cultural Centre. This ground features a surrounding Olympic track, however the pitch is not used by any of the football clubs on the island, instead being rented as a rugby playing pitch. Indoors there is a sports hall which is used for winter futsal among the islands teams. On Miquelon, ASM play at the Stade de l’Avenir on Route du Stade, with a capacity for approximately 200. It features a main playing field, and a smaller second field divided into two smaller pitches for youth football. These pitches are also served by a small clubhouse.

For competition on the islands, the main prize is the St.Pierre & Miquelon Championship, featuring the three senior teams, ASIA, ASSP and ASM. These teams all play a total of 16 games during the Summer season, with each side playing both opponents 8 times, 4 home and 4 away. The season itself is divided into 4 ‘mini-leagues’, so there is a constant competitive element throughout the season. At the end of the season, the leader in the overall league table is declare the winner of the championship.

Outside the local competition, team from St.Pierre & Miquelon often compete in Canadian competitions in Newfoundland. With the main senior competitions being restricted to Canadian teams (so they can represent the province at national level), St.Pierre & Miquelon teams have for a long time been permitted to compete in ‘B’, 2nd division or intermediate championships, where they have occasionally found success. In 1977, the A.S.I.A pupils team won the Newfoundland Cup for their age bracket, beating a St.Johns team 6-2. In 1978 two senior teams from the archipelago met in the adult intermediate final with A.S.I.A beating A.S.S.P 6-4 after extra time. 1979 A.S.M saw find success in this tournament beating Springdale in the final, being carried by Miquelon locals on their return home in celebration, winning the title again in 2012, beating Grand Bank GeeBees 3-1 in the final. A.S.I.A would also win the short lived “Premier’s Cup” in Newfoundland in 1984 before that tournament ceased.

As in many countries, women’s football had a later development on the islands. The first official women’s match took place on 07/04/1977 in a 2-2 draw between A.S.S.P and A.S.I.A at the Stade Léonce Claireaux in a 2-2 draw. The first foreign women’s team to visit was the Canadian team Grand-Bank from Newfoundland on 09/04/1977 to face A.S.S.P with A.S.S.P winning out 3-0 at the Stade Léonce Claireaux. Currently perhaps due to a North American influence on the French islands,  25% of players on the islands are female, higher than the European the average. This is also helped by the specific work done by clubs and coaches on the islands, which has seen recognition by the FFF, with A.S.I.A given the label “École Féminine de Football” in 2013, in particular for pre-teen female football development and again a Women’s Silver Football award in 2017 of the continued work and progress in this area.

St.Pierre & Miquelon National Team and International Representation.

Outside the domestic game, St.Pierre & Miquelon has also fielded a national team to compete in the 2010 and 2012 editions of the Coupe de l’Outre-Mer, a competition for teams representing France’s overseas territories, back with €900,000 funding from the FFF. However in these tournaments, work commitments forced many regular players to miss out, leaving St.Pierre & Miquelon to send a squad of student players who would be available for the tournament.

Although both campaigns featured very heavy defeats in all games against much more experienced, well funded and profession teams, there were occasional bright points. These included getting on the score sheet against French Guiana and New Caledonia, a team that reached the final of the OFC Nations cup, comfortably beating 2010 World Cup participants New Zealand along the way. Speaking about their tournament exploits to World Soccer, head coach Yannick Lafont said.

“We do not complain, we cannot bring quality, but we can bring good sportsmanship”

The suspension of the Coupe de l’Outre-Mer after the 2012 edition due to cost has left St. Pierre and Miquelon somewhat disconnected from the rest of the French footballing community and the wider international footballing world. However there are now initiatives to begin entering the champion club in the Coupe de France, which would again provide a wider outlet for the St. Pierre & Miquelon footballing community to have a reach beyond their corner of North America.

In the past there have been occasional exhibition games against other visiting football teams. During the 1970’s two high profile Scottish teams visited St.Pierre. A combined A.S.I.A – A.S.S.P team faced Ayr United at the Stade John Giradin on 04/07/1975, with the superior professional visitors winning out 14-0 in an excellent display. 1978 would see Queen’s Park of Glasgow also visit as part of a Canadian tour, this time with A.S.M players joining at the Stade John Giradin on 21/07/1978 to make it a complete combined archipelago team. In what was a more competitive game the home side still found themselves with a losing scoreline of 4-0. Tragically two Scottish players, Bernie Donnelly and David Ballantyne would die in a car accident just days later on this Canadian tour following this game.

On the opposite end of the experience scale, the most high profile game to take place in St. Pierre & Miquelon occurred in 1997, when a Variety Club de France side featuring Michel Platini visited the islands. Though Platini proved to be a little aloof, avoiding visiting the young people on the islands. However, it was a great occasion for the footballing community on the islands, despite a 5-4 loss in the game for the St.Pierre & Miquelon selection.

Match Stats & Lineups

Final Score – Variétés Club de France 5-4 St.Pierre & Miquelon
Venue – Stade John Girardin  Referee – Joël Quiniou  Attendance – 1,400
Lineups
Variétés Club de France	St.Pierre & Miquelon
Xavier Perez	Stéphane Audebaud
Thierry Blanchon    ⊕30	Gino Bonnieul
Bruno Blachon	Jean-Noël DeLizarraga
Robert Buigues	Denis Gauthier
Jean-François Domergue	Desdouets Goénaël
Daniel Toti	Gildas Morel
Bruno Germain	Arrossaména Paul
Jean-Michel Larqué	Franck Lebars
Gérard Bernardet	Gaël Detcheverry
Michel Platini    ⊕19, 36, 71, 78	Stanislas Beck
Jean-Pierre Orts	Xavier Dodeman
Jean-Paul Guemise	Claude Michel
Patrick Valente	Denis Rebmann
Victor Zvunka	Arnaud Urdanabia
Eric Faisant	Philippe Dodeman    ⊕75, 85
Lionel Tejedor	Yannick Kello
Paco Rubio	Jean-Pierre Plaa    ⊕23
Charly Thetard	Miguel Tesnière
René Hamard
Jacques Vendroux	VCF Own Goal ⊕19
Unused VCF Players Michel Ennesser Serge Piovan Eric Rolland Thierry Roland Patrick Iriart Emmanuel Fraudin Michel Brohan Gérard Morin Daniel Vertelary Jean-Claude Derouet Michel Bretagne Jean-Claude Colas Joël Quiniou Jean-François Falcou Pierre Ville

St.Pierre&Miquelon v VCF

Footballing Development

For the underage football teams on the island, there is an opportunity to travel to Newfoundland in Canada to play in youth competitions. This typically happens crossing the 25km to their near Newfoundland neighbours, but occasionally games against teams from far parts of Newfoundland such as Stephenville are possible. Youth teams have also traveled further inland in Canada to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, but a lack of funding make such trips difficult and infrequent. The investment in facilities for youth football along with participation in these competitions has enabled recognition.

In 2016 ASIA organised a rally for 250 school aged players as part of a competition organised by the FFF, which resulted in 12 children and 3 adults being rewarded with a trip to see the Euros in Paris. Also ASIA was also awarded a “Youth Excellence” award by the FFF. This follows in a fine tradition on the islands coming from the likes of Clément Vallée, who worked for 60 years as a caulker at the St.Pierre port, but also made life long contributions to hockey, while both playing and refereeing football on the islands too. For this he was awarded the French National Order of Merit and Sports medal for his contributions.

These awards have helped bring further notice from the FFF to the efforts of the people on the islands. In the summer of 2017, 2 young ASIA club girls, Léa Sbeghen Lamiraud and Eloïse Michelins were selected from a group of 60 across the country to be invited from St.Pierre to join a scouting camp at the FFF centre of excellence in Clairefontaine in France further evidence of the developing level of skills and recognition of this by the FFF.

Much promise is being held for 15 year old Tommy Skinner who in 2017 left the islands to go to mainland France, in Loches to pursue dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He was selected among nine candidates to apply for a sports position from St.Pierre & Miquelon (Though most were for hockey). Now as part of school there is 4 hours playing time with his school while also training several times a week, with matches at the weekends, a much more sophisticate setup than can be expected in St.Pierre. The experience of Tommy shine a light on the difference between these to distant and distinct parts of modern France.

“Here, the landscape is different, people are different. Life is different… There, we all know each other. We say hello. Here, in the street, we do not look at each other.”

In contrast, while players move from St.Pierre & Miquelon to seek further opportunities on mainland France, through football, but also for education or to experience the metropolitan life, the reverse can be true for coaches. Though the FFF does not fun additional coaches, clubs on the the archipelago, many are recruited on a temporary basis to help the development of St.Pierre & Miquelon. One such coach, Mattieu Guillain from the Indre Football District on the mainland made the North Atlantic move to spend four months on the islands, working mainly with developmental versions of the game, such a the female teams and futsal. Speaking of his experience, it resemble that of many who spend time working with the game in St. Pierre & Miquelon.

“It was a pleasant four months, I wanted to travel and discover other football…There is a real fervor around football there!”

Looking to the Future

Though there is a strong vibrant footballing community on the archipelago, limitations due to climate, location and funding among other issues continue to remain a barrier to progress on the islands, despite the proud tradition of football and the amazing hard work of players and volunteers involved with the game. Visits like that of FFF president Noël Le Graët in 2015, give hope of federation support, unsure if any will materialise. Speaking at the 2012 Coupe de l’Outre-Mer, midfielder Stanislas Beck spoke of the ambitions for football development on the islands.

Noël Le Graët Visits

“… our progress depends essentially on the creation of good structures such as covered terrain. With this type of facility, we could raise the level in the archipelago and compete with other oversees teams. Without these infrastructures, we can not improve local football by bringing in coaches or Regional Technical Advisers on the archipelago. Indeed, it is impossible for them to work, at least in the medium term”

The occasional funding received is complimented by the community role these clubs play, offering club memberships, lotteries, community events which can help with fund basic running costs, but leave no room for a great expansion of infrastructure. However what is clearly evident is that the game on these islands is mostly fueled by the dedication of participants and passion for the game. It is this which has provided the great tradition of the game in St.Pierre & Miquelon and ensures it’s continuation as a integral presence in life in St.Pierre & Miquelon.

Great credit to Ludivine Quédinet for her tremendous help with this article, with out whom it would not have been possible to write. Also to Jeff Babstock for help with Newfoundland details.

It’s possible in translation that errors or omissions have occurred in this article, so if any errors are notice, please write and they can be corrected, with due credit given, of course.

Toute aide pour corriger les erreurs dans cet article est appréciée

Despite recent on-field successes, turmoil now continues to reign within the structure of football in Papua New Guinea, with divisions and disorganization presenting problems for football in the country for the near future.

Promise and Problems

The hosting of the 2016 FIFA Womens U-20 World Cup and OFC Nations Cup in 2016 in Papua New Guinea had been seen as a show of confidence in football in the country, along with impressive performance from domestic and national sides in recent history. However internal strife, rebel leagues, unfulfilled seasons and personal squabbles have but football on uncertain ground.

The traditional top flight PNGFA FIFA backed league has run into troubles, with the championship season failing to be completed in 2017. Part of the blame for this was attributed to logistics, with the season start being delay due to the FIFA tournament being presented as a partial reason, along with issues of league payments with remaining teams. However the problems with Papua New Guinea football run much deeper.

Politics at Play

The initial division seems to stem from the election of FIFA Senior Vice President & OFC President David Chung as President of the Papua New Guinea FA. His election is disputed, primarily by Hekari United President John Kapi Natto. The dispute arises from accusations that Chung has used FIFA funds to support his reelection. Also Natto has accused Chung of wrongly discounting 12 pro-Natto votes from the election process, to boost the Chung candidacy. However Chung issued a statement, representing the OFC to deny any accusations of wrong doing.

 OFC President Chung

“The PNGFA and its Electoral Committee believe that the Congress and the subsequent election was held in accordance with PNGFA Statutes. The members who were suspended were subject to a clear and transparent process and were found not to be compliant to their member obligations in accordance with the PNGFA Statutes.”

“This was endorsed by FIFA and the High Court in Port Moresby following an application for an injunction by one of the suspended members where the High Court found they have no legal standing.” added Chung.

Football Divisions

Despite Chung clearing his name through official channels, this has failed to appease Natto supporters. As such Natto has taken 12 now suspended teams, including his own, and once OFC Champions League winners Hekari United, to his newly establish rival start up league, under the jurisdiction of the also newly founded FFPNG. Chung has tried to bring this league under the auspices of the FIFA backed PNGFA, but with dwindling team numbers, collapsing competitions in contrast to the relative success of the FFPNG run competition, the future looks challenging for Chung and the PNGFA.

The members of the FFPNG have offered a compromise to Chung, offering their support for a lifting of the suspensions and an official recognition of the FFPNG. If these demands are met, then the FFPNG could be willing to come back under the auspices of the official PNGFA. However with neither side seemingly wanting to cede ground, a split in national club competitions seem inevitable for the foreseeable future.

 John Kapi Natto

Future at the International Level

Despite the domestic problems, the position of Papua New Guinea football could be seen to be as prominent as ever. As mentioned, Papua New Guinea hosted the OFC Nations Cup and also FIFA Womens U-20 World Cup in 2016, bringing global footballing eyes to the country. The national side reached the final of the 2016 OFC championship. Also, as President of the OFC, David Chung has been appointed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to a prominent position as Vice President withing FIFA, a position which Chung brings national pride to.

“I take the PNG flag to every meeting and make sure my colleagues know where I come from. I’m just say proud to carry the PNG flag around the world.
“This is for the first time in history of Oceania and the PNGFA to rise to this level.
“I’m just so proud to be a Papua New Guinean as I do this with pride,”

However, this pride in representing Papua New Guinea encounters problems when dealing with the national side. Players from the currently unrecognized FFPNG are ineligible for selection for the national team, including those from the likes of Hekari United. While this causes selection problems for the national team, it can also be platform to show tension, such as an incident in May where police were called to a PNG training session after people from the FFPNG arrived to the training venue. Coach Flemming Serritslev explained the issues.

“Some hooligans and officials from “Fake Football Federation” entered our pitch, entered out training, interrupted our training and we had to stop the training 45 minutes before schedule,”

Had to call the police to take care that everything went on in a good way – it’s unbelievable what is going on in this country when it’s about the national team.

Serritslev adding – “Unfortunately, I have to say, there are a few people who does everything they can to destroy the work of the national team.”

Future for Football in Papua New Guinea

Despite the potential in Papua New Guinea football, primarily to follow on from a very near penalty loss in the final of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup, the division which currently exist can only cause problems. The FFPNG, currently controls the strongest domestic league and teams, with promises of long term development plans for football in the country. Either the PNG can re-assume control, or the FFPNG can emerge as the sole player in domestic football, the best option seems to be a cordial union of the two.

For the benefit of all those involved with the sport in PNG, this solution is best coming sooner rather than later to realize the full bright potential of the game there.

Football in the Faroe Islands has a long history, which in recent years has produced a competitive national side which can be held as an example to other smaller nations throughout the world. From surprise, upset victories to more recent excellent competitive performances, the Faroe Islands have left a significant mark on the international footballing landscape. Here we pick 5 of the best Faroe Islands international football victories.

1: 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands vs 🇬🇷 Greece

2016 ECQ – (A) Res.  0-1) / (H) Res. 2-1

2: 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands vs 🇦🇹 Austria

1992 ECQ – (H) Res. 1-0

3: 🇬🇮 Gibraltar vs 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

2014 Friendly – (A) Res. 1-4

Though only a friend match, it carries two significant historical notes. Firstly, the Faroe’s victory will stand as Gibraltar’s first official defeat in international football. Though, perhaps more importantly to the Faroese, the 4-1 winning results stands as a record win for the Faroe Islands national team, therefore matching a 3-0 victory against San Marino in 1995. Though winning away on the Mediterranean, with a record 4 goals thus making this result extra special.

4: 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands vs 🇦🇽 Åland Islands

1989 Island Games Final Match (H) Res. 7-1

5: 🇱🇻 Latvia vs 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

2018 WCQ (A) Res. 0-2

Honourable Mentions

Though these are just a pick of many great results in Faroe Islands football history, there are many others worth of consideration.

In the final Nordic Championship the Faroes earned a 0-0 draw against a rookie Sweden side featuring the international debut of Zlatan Ibrahimavic, being kept scoreless on this occasion.

The entire 2004 Euros qualifying campaign feature many “almost” moments. leading late in Torshavn to Scotland before a late equaliser for a 2-2 result. Germany had two scares, being 0-0 in Torshavn until two goals in the final minute to break Faroese hearts. In the return fixture, Germany won 2-1, though not before the Faroe’s hit the post late in game, narrowly missing on a famous result. Finally losing 2-1 to Iceland in Reykjavik after a 90′ minute Iceland goal, though the campaign showed much promise.

Finally, the Faroes have success with all Baltic states, holding wins over Estonia, Lithuania and the aforementioned Latvia, along with Canada, Kazakhstan, and European rivals Iceland, Luxembourg, San Marino, Malta, Gibraltar and Liechtenstein.