Germanic depression

By Mark Bennett

The German tabloids might have had a field day when FC Bayern München were knocked out of the German Cup by SV Alemannia Aachen, but when the Bundesliga champions were ousted from the UEFA Champions League last week, there was little levity.

German whitewash
Bayern's defeat, combined with VfB Stuttgart's failure to overcome Chelsea FC in the second leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie, meant that Germany had drawn a total blank in Europe, with no Bundesliga sides reaching the later rounds of the Champions League or UEFA Cup.

Miserable season
Indeed, this season has been a truly miserable one for German clubs in Europe, characterised by some shocking defeats against seemingly inferior opponents. The early rounds of the UEFA Cup in particular proved an embarrassing disaster for Bundesliga clubs.

First-round casualties
In the first round of the competition, 1. FC Kaiserslautern lost to the Czech Republic's FK Teplice, Hamburger SV were knocked out by Ukraine's FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Hertha BSC Berlin were humbled by Poland's Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski.

Dortmund go down
In the second round, BV Borussia Dortmund - who had missed out on a place in the Champions League after losing to Club Brugge KV on penalties in the third qualifying round - floundered against FC Sochaux Montbéliard while Brøndby IF overcame FC Schalke 04.

Sinking reputation
As a result of these defeats, Germany have sunk to 15th place in the UEFA rankings, and the Bundesliga is facing the threat of the resurgent French taking one of the three Champions League places currently awarded to the Bundesliga.

Money problems
Ask why German clubs have failed to thrive in Europe and you will receive a number of answers. Money is one. "We simply cannot compete with the sums English, Spanish and Italian sides can offer," said Bayer 04 Leverkusen sporting director Reiner Calmund. "No Bundesliga team can."

Licensing hopes
However, in this respect, the strict financial stipulations the Bundesliga places upon German clubs may yet bear fruit in Europe. The cavalier accounting policies that have allowed clubs to carry on spending elsewhere, despite massive debts, may soon be reined in by UEFA's club licensing system - to Germany's benefit.

Rummenigge response
"When UEFA finally introduces a licensing system [the other big clubs in Europe] will have to look after their finances too," the chairman of the Bayern board, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, told Kicker magazine. "That will increase the chances of the Bundesliga considerably."

Lacking ability
However, the prospect of good times to come has done little to boost confidence in the quality of German players. Since Rudi Völler's side made it to the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, Germany have struggled. Qualification for UEFA EURO 2004™ was laborious, while a 3-0 friendly defeat by France in Gelsenkirchen last November saw Germans confronted by their own side's frailty - every French player looked more comfortable on the ball than their German counterparts.

League initiative
The German Football League (DFL) has taken steps to counter this lack of emerging German talent, with every team told to set up a youth academy in line with similar institutions in France or England in order to earn their Bundesliga licence.

Traditional strengths
Rebuilding German football from the bottom up will, of course, take time while the Bundesliga's European problems are rather more immediate. The 2003/04 season has dealt a chastening blow to a once proud division and it may take more than traditional German pluck and determination to put things right.