GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Eintracht Frankfurt must spoil Dortmund's title celebrations to avoid demotion from Bundesliga

Record ID: 739552

  • Title: GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Eintracht Frankfurt must spoil Dortmund's title celebrations to avoid demotion from Bundesliga
  • Date: 14th May 2011
  • Summary: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (MAY 12, 2011) (REUTERS) FLAGS FOR EINTRACHT FRANKFURT SOCCER CLUB ARRIVAL OF EINTRACHT FRANKFURT COACH CHRISTOPH DAUM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAS WIDE NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) EINTRACHT FRANKFURT COACH, CHRISTOPH DAUM, SAYING: "We do see the tension during the training. Everyone is very anxious about the last match. I wouldn't want to say for some sort of recovery but to show what everyone is capable of. We do know that in some matches we did not show ourselves in a very good light. And we know what kind of responsibility we have, not only to the club but also for the region. And I really want everyone to say after the match: I did give my best." JOURNALIST WRITING (SOUNDBITE) (German) EINTRACHT FRANKFURT COACH, CHRISTOPH DAUM, SAYING: "We are in a situation that I should rather keep my mouth shut. But I really do see a great deal of potential here. And in this situation to talk about this at all is totally out of order. And I have to say I do like to be here and even if I had a very hard time personally I would still do it again." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) EINTRACHT FRANKFURT COACH, CHRISTOPH DAUM, SAYING: "Well, in short I can only say it was all worth it. Except the results..." EINTRACHT SIGN WIDE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH DAUM. WOLFSBURG, GERMANY (MAY 12, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR VOLKSWAGEN ARENA VFL WOLFSBURG COACH FELIX MAGATH ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (German) VFL WOLFSBURG COACH, FELIX MAGATH (ABOUT AN ARTICLE SAYING THAT THE PLAYERS OVERESTIMATE THEMSELVES), SAYING: "I dont know it either. Even I cant look into the heads of the players. But if you see the last game, against Kaiserslautern, it may be that some of the players have a wrong opinion of themselves." CAMERA CLOSE (SOUNDBITE) (German) VFL WOLFSBURG COACH, FELIX MAGATH, SAYING: "It is the case, that the players now hopefully realize that it is better to play in the first Bundesliga than the second." WIDE NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF TRAINING OF VFL WOLFSBURG
  • Embargoed: 29th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAJDXXL8AQENEAA6F5IH6SREIC
  • Story Text: Eintracht Frankfurt coach Christoph Daum sees a good chance of avoiding relegation to the German second league on Saturday (May 14). Two day before the Bundesliga final match day in which Frankfurt have the hard task of battling it out on the pitch with future champion Borussia, Daum continues to spread optimism.
    "Everyone is very anxious about the last match," Daum said. "I wouldn't want to say for some sort of recovery but to show what everyone is capable of. We do know that in some matches we did not show ourselves in a very good light. And we know what kind of responsibility we have, not only to the club but also for the region. And I really want everyone to say after the match: I did give my best," said Daum.
    Asked about his future in case Frankfurt gets relegated on Saturday, Daum was rather evasive but hinted that he could see his future also in the second league.
    "We are in a situation that I should rather keep my mouth shut," Daum - always one for a rather hearty response. "But I really do see a great deal of potential here. And in this situation to talk about this at all is totally out of order. And I have to say I do like to be here and even if I had a very hard time personally I would still do it again."
    Daum, who has endured the worst ever start by a coach in the Bundesliga, is still waiting for his first win.
    "Well, in short I can only say it was all worth it. Except the results...," he said.
    A draw for Eintracht would only be enough for the playoff spot on goal difference if Moenchengladbach loses, but off-field trouble is threatening to overshadow efforts.
    Champions in 2009, no one would have expected VfL Wolfsburg to fall as fast as they have. Early signs showed promise. The arrival of manager Steve McClaren from Dutch champions FC Twente, as well a return to the Bundesliga for Brazilian star Diego, had Wolfsburg supporters excited. The club had also been able to secure the services of in-demand striker Edin Dzeko for a while longer.
    After three losses to begin the season, the club found good form and rose to sixth in the table, then ahead of struggling giants Bayern and Schalke.
    However, this was as good as it got. A strange stretch of seven straight draws and one win was followed by four consecutive losses. Dzeko left for Manchester City in January, and after being shown the board's support in December, McClaren was fired in February.
    Felix Magath, who had been sacked from Schalke less than 24 hours earlier, took charge at the Volkswagen Arena. After earning nine points from seven matches under his watch, Wolfsburg find themselves out of the relegation zone, but on goal difference only.
    Magath does not mince his words. Asked about an article in the soccer magazine earlier in the month claiming that the Wolfsburg players are very much over stimating themselves, he first half-heartedly attempted to defend his team before admitting: "But if you see the last game, against Kaiserslautern, it may be that some of the players have a wrong opinion of themselves."
    But Magath thinks now that his player have realised where they should play: "It is the case, that the players now hopefully realise that it is better to play in the first Bundesliga than the second."
    They are away at ninth-placed Hoffenheim on the final day. They will hope to maintain their top flight status so that they may begin to rebuild their squad and fight for the title next season.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register