|
One of the most legendary Bundesliga games took place on the last day of the 1999-2000 season when Bayer Leverkusen arrived to the tiny Bavarian ground of SpVgg Unterhaching, needing just a draw to claim their historic first title. It wasn't to be. Michael Ballack scored a clumsy own goal in the first half, and the brilliant team built by Christoph Daum were unable to break down the home defence. - Uersfeld: Who are Paderborn?
- Hesse: Paderborn to be wild Young Gerhard Tremmel, a Swansea reserve nowadays, was brilliant, proving himself to be a very promising keeper -- it remains a mystery why he never got a chance to fulfill his potential. Unterhaching eventually won 2-0, gifting the title to their giant neighbours, Bayern Munich. Andre Breitenreiter remembers that day very well. He entered the field as a substitute for Unterhaching, as he often did that season. The tall striker scored eight goals and was part of the team that became everyone's darlings. Sensationally promoted in 1999, they turned out to be very difficult to beat, conceding just 42 goals in 34 matches -- only four teams had a better record -- and finishing in a very respectable 10th place. The next season (2000-01) was much tougher for Unterhaching, relegated despite the best efforts of Breitenreiter, who became a starter. They never came back, playing in the third division these days, albeit with two Bavarian legends at the helm in Manni Schwabl as president and Christian Ziege as coach, and Fabian Gotze, Mario's elder brother, in the squad. Breitenreiter never played in the Bundesliga again, dropping to regional leagues and eventually retiring in 2010. He is now back in the spotlight, however, as a coach of the smallest team in the German top flight since Unterhaching. Unlike their predecessors, though, SC Paderborn 07 are sporting a totally different philosophy. Instead of sitting back like regular underdogs, these minnows are not afraid to take their opponents on, and the whole country is immensely impressed with their gung-ho style. It pays rich dividends, as Paderborn quite unbelievably find themselves top of the table after four weeks of football. Formed in 1907, as their name suggests, they play at the 15,300-capacity Benteler Arena in the North Rhine-Westphalia region in the west of the country -- and are in the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. As a matter of fact, Paderborn haven't even dared to dream of promotion at the start of last season. After appointing Breitenreiter last summer, president Wilfried Finke made finishing in eighth place an official target. After all, they were only 12th in 2012-13. After nine games, Paderborn only had two wins to their name and lay in relegation zone, but thereafter they suddenly became a frightening attacking machine. Booming with confidence, the little known players swept everything ahead of them, scored 63 goals and were automatically promoted as runners-up. Those who knew Breitenreiter from his previous club, Havelse, were hardly surprised. "Andre is a born coach," said Havelse managing director Stefan Pralle after seeing his tiny club almost get promoted to the third division in 2013 on a budget of 300,000 euros. They never wanted to let him go, but Breitenreiter simply couldn't refuse the new challenge. Luckily for Paderborn, he was much more patient during last season, when his work became appreciated around Germany. Eintracht Frankfurt were rumoured to offer him a job, and Hannover put his name on a shortlist to replace Mirko Slomka, who was sacked last winter. For Breitenreiter, managing Hannover would be fabulous -- he was born near the city, was part of the club's academy and played for them at the beginning of the 90s when they were in the second division. He decided to wait, however, claiming: "It's a great honour to be linked with such a club, but time is not right for me yet." Paderborn quickly moved to give him an extended contract until 2017. "Bundesliga is my dream, but I am not impatient," the 40-year-old said in March. By May, a historic promotion was achieved, and the club started preparing for an unexpected adventure. The budget was increased from 6 million euros to 15 million euros, but that still wasn't enough to make star acquisitions. Thus Finke and Breitenreiter made keeping the existing squad their priority, and succeeded beyond expectations. Almost all the players were retained, and they even permanently signed Borussia Monchengladbach loanee Elias Kachunga, who is flourishing. Remarkably, Breitenreiter approached the Bundesliga exactly like the second division, and his team did the same. It all started with a game against Mainz that ended in a 2-2 draw after Paderborn conceded a debatable penalty in injury time. Then came a spectacular 3-0 win at hapless Hamburg, a 0-0 draw versus newly promoted Cologne -- who are yet to concede a goal this season -- and on Saturday they amazingly found themselves top of the table following a 2-0 win over Hannover, the very team Breitenreiter could easily have been working at. To fully understand the sensation, it must be mentioned that 10 players that started versus Hannover were in the squad last year -- and that is the squad that was expected to finish in mid-table in second division. The only newcomer is Moritz Stoppelkamp, and he proudly made a history of his own by scoring the longest Bundesliga goal ever from 82 meters against Hannover. With the visitors trailing 1-0 in stoppage time and sending goalkeeper Ron Robert Zieler up to join the attack, Stoppelkamp got the ball at the edge of his own penalty area and sent it all the way into the bottom corner. That was a phenomenal moment for a man who was discarded by Hannover just two years ago. The midfielder was signed for a club-record 700,000 euros from 1860 Munich in the summer. Gareth Bale is worth approximately 143 Stoppelkamps, but for Paderborn that was a huge purchase, arguably more important than the Welshman is for Real Madrid. It took the man who calls himself Stoppelinho on Twitter a long time before his talents were respected. When he played at Oberhausen, fans nicknamed him Stolperkamp, from the word stolpern which means "stumbling" in German. After moving to Hannover in 2010, he rarely made the lineup, suffered two serious injuries, and eventually had to leave two years later without a single goal to his name. After a tough start at 1860 Munich, Stoppelkamp finally became a star, scoring 12 goals and serving no less than 22 assists over the two seasons. Such statistics convinced Paderborn, who enabled him to return to the Bundesliga at the age of 27, and also to move closer to his girlfriend Ina who lives in Hannover. The grateful midfielder is doing his utmost not to miss his final chance of glory. While he is technically sound and knows to dictate the tempo, Stoppelkamp is also a fighter. During the first three league games, he ran a total of 35 kilometers and made 112 sprints -- more than any other player in the league. "I can't stand still. Football is all about mentality. You need to be self confident to play hard and want to get the ball all the time," Stoppelkamp told Neue Westfalische this week. He fits in perfectly in a team that isn't afraid of anyone. That's how they are certain to approach the biggest game of their lives -- the clash with Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena on Tuesday. They know that avoiding defeat is almost unthinkable, but topping the table ahead of Pep Guardiola and his superstars was also unthinkable, and so was their promotion. It looks like they are here to turn impossible into reality. For Stoppelkamp, who played at Allianz Arena for two years with 1860 and knows it much better than Bayern's Robert Lewandowski or Xabi Alonso, it will be a personal derby. Maybe even Breitenreiter will feel that way, remembering his days at Unterhaching. He was part of the team that won against Bayern in February 2001 although they were on their way to relegation. Maybe now it's time to stun them again? Paderborn are aware that their chances of staying at the top in the long run are zero, and Breitenreiter stated that it will be very tough to take many points from the next fixtures against Bayern, Monchengladbach and Leverkusen. But if Unterhaching made many friends despite their defensive approach, Paderborn are entitled to be loved and admired for their unique way of creating history. They are the most admirable fairytale in the whole of Europe, and every neutral fan will be supporting them as they continue their improbable journey. One hopes that it will last longer than Unterhaching's.
|
