Brian Klein, Manager 90's
Saturday the Super Y-League Select Team started the day with a full breakfast that combined German meats and breads with American scramble eggs. Some of the boys made sandwiches with the ingredients. This seemed to help the spirits. The game and practice field were as good as anything we’ve seen in the U.S. It was a great place for a morning practice. The coaches ran them through light drills in order to get the teams ready for the afternoon matches.

 

International Friendly – TSV Karlsburg
TSV Karlsburg had a large field, full locker rooms and a meeting hall. The field was located directly on the main river that flows though Frankfurt. The Bavarian ODP team all arrived separately and each entered their locker room with the look of a paid assassin. This was considered a friendly game but there was no doubt it was all business.
 
One was immediately impressed by their size. It looks like the Michael Ballack size trend caught on well. Our boys certainly noticed immediately. Despite that, they did not seem to be really concerned. They were excited to play on a beautiful field against a top opponent on another sunny, hot day.

 

During warm-ups it was clear this was not just another match. Loud music was blasted on the field over speakers from the clubhouse and local fans started to steadily arrive. The Bavarian warm-up was coordinated like a clock. German shouting or war cries could be heard.

 

We were handed a roster of the players and noticed that 80% of the team was from Bayern Munich and FC Nuerenburg. They explained to us that this was their most competitive team. Seven of the players were also members of a Bavarian National Team. They had not played a match in some time and were very excited to have this match.

Before the game both teams walked to the middle of the field side by side, separated so each could face the sidelines and be formally welcomed by the mayor. This was followed by the U.S. and Bavarian national anthems.  Without any prompting all our boys put their hands across their hearts.

 

The game started with both teams knocking the ball patiently along the back. The noticeable difference was the force the Bavarians put on the ball, even with a shorter side pass one could immediately realize the precision and authority on every touch. First touches and goal chances were not wasted which we quickly discovered five minutes into the game. A deadly cross found the head of the Bavarian forward giving them an early 1-0 lead.

 

The half started to settle down until and the U.S. remained stubborn, creating chances on the Bavarian goalie. He was the starter on the U18 national team and was forced to stretch on three occasions. With a minute left in the half it looked like the U.S. boys had tied the game when Fernando Monge created space for himself in the opponents’ box with a nifty turn and fired a shot that ricocheted off the post. The opportunity of having a 1-1 score slipped out of our hands and the Bavarians added insult to injury, using a corner kick to push ahead 2-0 before the half.

 

The Bavarians started the second half by quickly attacking the box with a short cross that was converted into a 3-0 lead. The Super Y-League Select team continued to fight and saw more than their share of chances but just could not convert. The German goalkeeping was exceptional. Our battle was not rewarded when midway through; the Bavarians were given a highly questionable PK which they surgically converted to a 4-0 lead.

 

Our select team continued to answer and another great save took away a Fernando Monge shot that was beautifully by Luis Rocha. Fernando also just missed on a chance headed wide, a well-struck free kick from Joey Spivak, who added energy in the second half.

 

Daniel Wargo and Spivak threatened the German goal again on a short corner kick that caught the opponents off guard but the Wargo shot also went just went wide. Kevin Bick had two breakaway chances foiled. The first was from Daniel Dwyer and the second by Joey Spivak.

 

Coach Roby Stahl
We had our chances to make this a game. In most matches we would have arguably finished 3-4. Today we played against an international level keeper who showed what it takes to play at that level. I also felt the Germans got three soft goals. Eric made a great effort on the PK, was blinded on the second goal, and just missed grabbing number three. I think the boys should realize they were playing against a top team and held their own despite a lopsided score.

 

German coaching staff
It was clear that Monge was a danger. He played with a lot of energy. Our thoughts were that he would have a hard time keeping it up the entire game but we were surprised how long he kept going.

 

Klein
The defeat was somewhat overshadowed by the respect and complements given to the select side by the individual Bavarian players. A comment heard several times from the Germans was they were very surprised by the high skill level but felt weaknesses in the tactical areas. They felt the team was more 11 individual players rather than one unit.

 

Coach Stahl
It is not uncommon, at the start of a tour, to have some difficulties playing together. It takes a little while for the boys to get used to each other. This was most evident on the Bavarian counter attacks. We missed several good chances and while we were kicking the dirt in disgust they were moving down the field to score a goal. I am confident the mistakes I saw today will not be there at the end of this tour.

I actually saw good improvement today. It will only get better. You must realize these boys we are playing against live semi-professionals who eat breath, and live soccer. It’s a whole different lifestyle than U.S soccer. That is exactly why we take these tours.

 

Day Seven – Sunday, July 17 – Brain Klein
Sunday began with breakfast at the clubhouse followed by short workout. We ate lunch in town at the Gasthaus zum Loewen. To our great surprise it was schnitzel again…

 

International Friendly – Kickers Offenbach
Our game was against Kickers Offenbach, who had just moved up to the German Youth Bundesliga.  They were by far the largest team we played but from the kickoff it was evident that the Super Y-League Select ‘90’s had come to play.

 

Fernando Monge started the scoring with a goal in the 20th minute. Bradley Steven provided real strength at the defense along with Anthony Arena. Offenbach showed their prowess of corner kicks but our boys gave up very few.

 

One dangerous header was saved on the line by the foot of Alexander Klein and another by his head. Otherwise the ‘90’s were giving up few chances. In the 39th minute Coach Roby Stahl encouraged the boys to close out the half. As the words were coming out of his mouth Offenbach put together a quick counter and tied the score right at half 1-1.

 

The second half started much like the first. The game went back and forth until Offenbach made a counter with numbers and their dangerous forward side volleyed a precision cross into our net. Our boys answered with another Fernando Monge goal set up by Daniel Dwyer. Victory was not in the cards as the Kickers scored a late goal on another counter crossed in from the flank.

 

Despite the loss the boys left the field proud knowing they had been in a hard fought game that could have went either way. One commented after three games that he had learned a lot by seeing how Germans close out halves and games.

 

Day Eight – Monday, July 18
The team woke up in the heart of the Black Forest – Freiburg...

Freiburg is near the French and Swiss borders and has a relaxed ambience unique for Germany. It was explained that SC Freiburg had one of the most renowned youth soccer youth academies in Germany and they should prepare to see world-class facilities. 

 

We took the streetcar to the fields and as we arrived it was evident in the boy's faces that they were not disappointed. They were greeted by the coaching director and taken directly to the locker room. He apologized it was their U12 locker room but it was more spacious than any we had seen so far on the trip. We were then taken to the stadium field.  Their youth teams, who are at the top of the German tables, can get up to 25,000 fans at a game.

 

They currently have three 88’s on their professional team. The boys were asked to practice barefoot on the main field. There were four fields in all, the main field with stands, a very large practice field, a field-turf field, and a clay practice field, which purposely has bad conditions so their teams can learn to adapt to all environments.

 

We used the main field and walled a 20x30 field to play 4v4 games. They also offered us their soccer tennis courts but we did not have the time. We then ate at the stadium restaurant and took a tour of the facilities. SC Freiburg takes their youth programs very seriously. 16 boys live on site. They have two full-time guidance counselors, two physical therapists, two cooks, a youth administrator, and a full coaching staff.

 

Most of who formerly played professionally for SC Freiburg. Their building is all solar powered and lies in the hills outside the city. We visited dorm rooms, meeting rooms, their weight room, gym, locker room, player lounge, and regeneration – an area with hot tubs, ice-cold foot pools, and a sauna.

 

In the afternoon we trained in Freiburg style with their coaching director. They were introduced to new drills and really had fun. They all felt they were pushed.

 

Day Nine – Tuesday, July 18
We met to take a bus to a small town in the Black Forest to play the Baden 1989 ODP team.  A crowd of about 500 people filled the stands...

 

International Friendly – Baden ’89 ODP
Again, it was a game against giants. They went into the game short Fernando Monge, who was suffering under a case of heat stroke, but the boys started the game up to the task. They played the first ten minutes as well as they have played all tour. Even after giving up a goal in the 11th minute on a counter attack, the boys kept their composure against a physically bigger and stronger team.

 

The game was nearly tied in the 20th minute on a Joey Spivack free kick that was headed just past the post. An intercepted pass at midfield turned into a quick counter in the 28th minute and another Baden goal to make it two nil. The American boys tried to counter on another Spivak to Daniel Lovera free kick that just missed going in. A 40-yard cracker in the 40th minute left the game 3-0 Baden at halftime.

 

The second half was no brighter as the Germans beautifully curved a free kick over the wall in the upper corner of the goal to get a 4-0 lead. Two more goals were scored and the game ended at 6-0.

The German coaches were quick to point out that we were playing a bigger, older, and well rested team. They felt that strength was the real difference and said that they would have similar results against their own 1990. Overall they were impressed with the game and thought our team showed real potential.