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Bundesliga Preview

The coming of Klinsmann

QU AZI ZlTLQUARNAIN ISLAM
Lounges lined with rattan furniture, statues of Buddha that release 'positive energy', training made more exciting by carrying them out on nude beaches.
Yes, you got it right -- Die Bundesliga is back.
After a year, that could well be described as a Bayern Munich blitzkrieg (with a positive outcome, mind you) aka The Oliver Kahn farewell tour'with a sidebar of 'The Danke (thank you) Ottmar Hitzfeld campaign,' the Bundesliga steps into a new era when Bayern Munich take on Hamburg tonight at the magnificent Allianz Arena.
Last season, the Bundesliga was all about Bayern Munich. The club that everyone loves to hate outlaid a massive 69 million Euros to bankroll the purchase of Franck Ribery and Luca Toni.
Both transfers proved to be a major hit, with Toni finding the back of the net as seamlessly as he missed it during the Euros. Ribery though proved to be the straw that stirred the drink, taking the game to unprecedented level of enjoyment for the fans and the players. For this he was voted both the German player of the year and the Player's player of the year.
Mind you, that is a big honour. The German have only ever voted another foreigner to that award; Gonzalves Ailton, once of Werder Bremen if you are interested.
But that was last season. Oliver Kahn has since bid his final goodbye and Ottmar Hitzfeld exited in tears of joy.
So what makes the Bundesliga watch able this season?
a man, whose methods had found great opposition amongst the triumvirate at Bayern (Uli Hoeness, dth Kaiser and Kalle Rumminegge) while he was national coach. Hardly a week had passed without each taking a snipe at the other. So why Klinsmann?
Well, it was more a case of, if you can't beat 'em join 'em. That and the convincing powers of the
The answer is Juergen Klinsmann ofcourse.
When Bayern decided to go for Klinsmann to replace the considerable shoes of Hitzfeld, more than one eyebrow were raised. Here was
beloved Klinsi.
A firm believer In progression, Klinsmann has painted a picture of a Bayern where everyday is marked by some improvement in a player. Develop the individual, develop
the team -- a mantra that a financially solvent club like Bayern need to follow to compete with the big boys of the Premier League at the moment
The holy trinity was sold, and in came Klinsi with his sweeping changes. The old training centre was made into a 'performance centre' complete with lively furniture, energy inducing statues and more appropriately, eight-hour workdays.
It might take some time, but innovation might just pay off.
Which is more than you can say for Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath's antics. TYying to make sure that the players were not bored with the rigorous demands of pre-season, Magath took the players to a beach to train. And it was just not any beach - - it was a nude beach.
The players were not drawn into the spirit of things however, retaining all their clothing although the scenery was best described by Italian international Christian Zaccardo as 'exciting'.
Zaccardo is a recent signing for the Volkswagen funded Wolfsburg and he along with international teammate Andrea Barzagli will look to propel Magath's team into a Champions League slot this season at the least.
Werder Bremen are as always, the other pretenders to the throne. Thomas Schaaf has been around long enough and if the club can cope with the loss of Tim Borowski to Bayern and keep the moody Diego in check, don't count them out to put up a fight.
Which brings us to Schalke. Having made the last eight of the Champions League last season, the Royal Blues will look to go one belter. In came new coach Fred Rutten and along with him the giant Dutch hardman Orlando Engelaar. To bolster their attack,
Schalke have also roped in Jefferson Farfan and they look like genuine title contenders.
Hamburg did too, until the departure of Rafael van der Vaart to Real Madrid. Martin Joi (he of Spurs) has not started off on the right foot having to sell off his best asset. The Dutchman will therefore be looking to get the best out of the considerable talents of Vincent Kompany and Ivica Olic.
And that is where the titlechallengers end and the pretenders begin.
Once a force to be reckoned with Bayer Leverkusen now languish mid-table but will be looking to the mercurial talents of Patrick Helmes and Stefan Kiessling to fire them.
Vfb Stuttgart will be counting on massive Euro-flop Mario Gomez and midfielder Tomas Hitzelsperger.
But the most noises can come from recently promoted Moenchengladbach. They have in their books the youngster Marko Marin, who is all set to make his big break this year.
The 18 Bundesliga clubs have this season invested a total 117.45 million euros in new players, which is down on the spending of 171.63 million euros the previous summer.
But that doesn't take away the enjoyment factor.
The Bundesliga still records the most goals per game of any top league in Europe and it's famous for nail biting finishes.
Last season was the (wait for it) 18th consecutive time they finished top of the scoring heap and eight times in the past 16 seasons the league has been decided on the final day.
So if drama and excitement is your thing -- the Bundesliga definitely is.
Don't miss it.