OL 10/11: Game 13: The Big Derby... Away

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

I am so excited and have been looking forward to this all week. Tomorrow TeBe once again play against East Germany's mega champions BFC Hühnerhof-Berlin in their famous Sportforum ground. Both teams see themselves as sleeping giants, both teams have an interesting history, both teams have dedicated fans that have stuck by their club in the worst of times and both teams hate Nordsachsen (though BFC surely have the edge through years of practice)... in fact there are even parallels this season with both teams starting off badly but making a better impression in the last few matches. Despite problems in the past, the signals from BFC this year are very positive and the cooperation between the two clubs, fans and police has been seemingly textbook. The entrance is 8 Euro (sadly no reductions) but there is Berliner Pilsner on sale in the stadium. The easiest and least stressful way for TeBe fans to get to the game is to come along to the meeting point, which is midday at the Weltzeituhr (world clock) at Alexanderplatz. Once we have gethered there we will travel together directly to the stadium and return in a group after the game. I would advise anyone wishing to attend the game to meet us all there.

I hope desperately for an away win, really fancy our chances of a draw and would very much like to think that - despite previous bad experiences - this will be an away match to remember for the right reasons.

Midday - Weltzeituhr, Alexanderplatz.... See you there.

[sidgod69]

Come on TeBe!!!

[Norbert]

Hey Doughnut Boy, no match report yet?

[Doughnut Boy Andy]

Well TeBe lost 2-0 away against the once mighty Hühnerhof and to be honest I was very disappointed, not with our game but with the sorry state of football is East Berlin.

TeBe played rather well and really held their own for large periods of the match. Although Hühnerhof are mid-table they have a rather good squad and this is a good result for TeBe considering the circumstances. The spirit in the team seems to be good and they played well together, combining nice passes and playing almost entertaining football at times This was no easy match for BFC, who despite solidly defending could easily have let in a goal here or there and never really managed to dominate the game as any realist looking at the teams on paper would have expected them to do. TeBe can certainly go into next Friday's important six pointer relegation battle against Schöneiche with a lot of confidence. Certainly for TeBe - despite the result - the upward trend is continuing strongly. Well played.

For BFC Hühnerhof, things are however not looking good. Although this win almost brings them out of the bottom half of the table, their aims this season were surely higher than that of TeBe. Whereas we are recovering from a financial crisis, have restructured the club and have put together a team on a shoe-string budget, BFC would have surely gone into this season hoping that this was their year with a team that on paper is rather good. As it is they are only ninth in the league, are 11 to 13 points behind the competition and still have a negative goal difference. In short, the BFC season is pretty much over before it actually even started and yet another season in this league looks only avoidable by a miracle or bankruptcy. This mood was reflected, not only by the weather, but by the atmosphere in East Berlin too. The Sport Forum surroundings look more run down than ever, there was a disappointing turn-out, very little support and to be honest I hear more Hühnerhof songs when I go to watch East Berlin's ice hockey team play. They have even made themselves a soppy faithful to the bitter end type banner amusingly in English with the words "There is a light that never goes out" - a real tearjerker that. To this end the rumours that the club are on the verge of making some amazing sponsorship deal that will put them back up at the top with a few years have started early, this year with an emphasis this time cleverly on image change, a subject that will ensure in-fighting among the fans until at least after Christmas and avoid any actual change at the club. If I have heard all this crap enough times to be this cynical then the average BFC fan must secretly hope a bit that the light goes out after all. Based on this visit the club seem far from changing their image, their small young "Ultra block" not very convincing and hardly any families at all... and despite TeBe's non-confrontational fan scene, it was sad how many idiots felt the need to race round to our entrance to threaten us after the game - it seems that even the honour among hooligans is desperately suffering from the boredom and insignificance of the Oberliga.

So despite the loss, there was more reason for us to celebrate than the home team. Our improvement is continuing and it will hopefully be enough to win three vital points on Friday. As for Hühnerhof, well there is always next year...

[mr. bungle]

Yes, *edit* 12 in a row!

They have even made themselves a soppy faithful to the bitter end type banner amusingly in English with the words "There is a light that never goes out" - a real tearjerker that.

I'm quite sure this refers to the identically named tearjerker of The Smiths aka the kings of lachrymosity. Have to admit I've always liked this song and thus I found the idea of making a football banner out of it quite charming. Still kind of strange to see this reference banner to the weepiest band ever just among these musclebound dudes. Without doubt the Bowlings are weepy as well, but actually not in the way The Smiths are. Anyway, to me the banner, alongside "Takk Norge", was always a little oasis of taste between all the "Kameradschaft xy" or "Euer Hass ..." etc. stuff.

Well played.

Definitely!