Bundesliga Players to Watch 2006/07
Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen)
Tim Borowski is starting his sixth Bundesliga season with Werder Bremen and is full of self-confidence. After his convincing appearance in the World Cup, the 26 year old is making a splash on the international scene as well. "Borowski is exactly the kind of player I need for our team," said Javier Aguirre, Atletico Madrid's coach, during the World Cup. "I like him, because a midfielder like him can be equally strong in defense and in offense." Switching teams, however, is not yet on the agenda. The recently married Borowski wants to become a German champion with Werder Bremen first. He has to prove his leadership qualities and show that he can also play under pressure. If he manages that, the question of who will succeed Michael Ballack in the national team will have an obvious answer.
Paolo Guerrero (Hamburg SV)
Peruvian Paolo Guerrero earned the reputation as a "joker" last season with Bayern Munich, scoring 5 goals in 6 matches during the first half of the season. The 22-year-old was also successful in the DFB Cup and the Champions League. The striker, who, in his own words, has learned how to score goals from former German soccer star Gerd Müller, will go on a title hunt with a new team this season, Hamburger SV. "With Bayern, Paolo showed impressively that he is a top goal scorer," said HSV manager Dietmar Beiersdorfer. "He has a remarkable goal record, very good technique, and can also prepare goals. We are certain that he hasn't yet exhausted his potential."
Manuel Friedrich (FSV Mainz 05 )
FSV Mainz coach Jürgen Klopp described Friedrich as "one of the outstanding defensive players in the Bundesliga: fast, clever and strong in the air." As a reward for his good performance, German national coach Jürgen Klinsmann called on Friedrich in a match against the USA in the preparations for the World Cup, but not during the actual championship. Friedrich's main strength is his composure. "Manu" performs his tasks in the back four mostly without complications, yet he is considered to be of a somewhat different caliber. Privately he is not so much interested in soccer.
Jermaine Jones (Eintracht Frankfurt)
"Jonsi" delighted his fans last season with his seemingly unbending will and his fighting spirit. But Eintracht's team captain and key player will have to keep a little in reserve in the future, since he is of no use to anybody when he is out injured. In the new season, the 24 year old will become available from the seventh match at the earliest: Having suffered from a fracture of the right shinbone in April, Jones will have a screw removed from his leg shortly before the season begins. "It's a small set-back," said coach Friedhelm Funkel. But Jones remains optimistic. He is looking forward to the UEFA Cup to finally show what he's made of on the international stage.
Mathias Lehmann (Alemannia Aachen)
Mathias Lehmann had a nightmare season in Munich with 1860. Constant disagreements with coach Walter Schachner, who took the captain's armband away from Lehmann, made the 23 year old's departure inevitable. In Aachen, Lehmann is now looking for a new beginning. "The competition here is tougher than in Munich, I need to catch up in some areas and I don't have any particular expectations," said Lehmann. The 16-times U-21 national team player is the most expensive signing in the club's history, costing Aachen close a million euros. "It's all up to him," said coach Dieter Hecking. "He'll be able to help us, if he wants to."
Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart)
Mexican Ricardo Osorio -- together with another Mexican national team player Pavel Pardo -- is the most prominent new team member of VfB. Ricardo can play defense as well as midfield. He is a rustic enforcer with the necessary technique and speed. The 26 year old started his career in 2002 with Cruz Azul, the team he stayed with until 2006. His debut in the Mexican national team took place in 2003 in a match against Brazil. The defense specialist also took part in the World Cup. He has played altogether 43 matches for his native Mexico and scored one goal.
Jonathan Santana (VfL Wolfsburg)
According to Wolfsburg business manager Wolfgang Hotze, Argentinean Santana is a player "of the Borowski type." The midfielder, who can play both on the right and left flanks, played most recently for River Plate Buenos Aires and scored four goals in 24 matches. "I'm happy that with Santana we found a player who perfectly satisfies our requirements," said team manager Klaus Fuchs. The 24 year old seems to be looking forward to his new job. "I heard a lot about Wolfsburg in Argentina and I see a great future for me here. I came to stay for at least four years. I want to learn a lot and develop further," Santana said.
Benjamin Auer (VfL Bochum)
Auer describes himself as a "talent in his last stage." The 25 year old is one of the most successful German junior national players in the last few years. During the 2001 Under-20 World Cup in Argentina, Auer was -- after the hosts' Javier Saviola, Brazil's Adriano and France's Cisse -- the fourth best striker of the tournament. While playing for Gladbach in the Bundesliga, however, he didn't manage to assert himself, so he switched to Mainz. After five years, Auer was looking for a new challenge, and he found it in Bochum. "At the age of 25, you need a club, in which you can play to your strengths, said Auer."With Auer, we now have a robust man in front of the goal, so we'll be attacking from the wings much more," said Bochum coach Marcel Koller. It will be up to Auer to show whether he's going to remain a permanent talent or whether he'll turn into a key player.
Stefan Kießling (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
After a great season with 1. FC Nuremberg, Stefan Kießling couldn't really turn down the tempting offer from the club's Bundesliga rival Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Kießling, who is 1.91 meters (6' 3'') tall, is a dangerous presence in the opponent's penalty area, yet his eight games for Germany's under-21 team ended without his scoring a single goal. <br><br>His steady performance, however, caught the attention of the new national coach Jogi Löw, who is keeping the 22 year old in mind for the national team. <br><br>"For me, he is one of the most talented German players," said Leverkusen manager Rudi Völler. "I'm convinced that a great career awaits him with us."
Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund)
Heading is his specialty. The 25-year-old Metzelder, who is 1.93 meter tall (6' 3''), was in fact the last season's best header of the ball. After a long injury layoff, Metzelder also developed into an important figure in the national team and contributed greatly to Germany's success in the World Cup. "He is a leading player," said former national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann. Mezelder's only weakness is his propensity for injuries, yet he is nonetheless a symbol of the new type of soccer player: intelligent, critical, engaging and thoughtful.
Oliver Neuville (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
He is the man for important goals, at least in the national team. Just as he did in the 2002 World Cup match against Paraguay, he shot the important goal in the 1:0 win against Poland this year -- in the breathtaking 91st minute. "Olli Neuville was a real alternative to the two routine strikers," said Gladbach's new coach Jupp Heynckes. "He made an essential contribution to the team's success and not only because of his goal against Poland." Gladbach is now hoping that the 33 year old will score important points in the Bundesliga as well. Last season, "Olli" was -- with his 10 goals -- the team's best striker, although his accuracy record has left room for improvement. The 1.71-meter-tall (5' 6'') Neuville, weighing only 64 kilos (141 pounds), is a real fighter though. Giving up is not his thing.
Halil Altintop (Schalke 04)
Halil Altintop shot 20 goals last season for FC Kaiserlautern. Back in his hometown Gelsenkirchen, the offense all-rounder is now aiming for a similar record. "We're happy that things have worked out with Halil the second time around, after we already wanted him in 2003," said Schalke's team manager Andreas Müller. "He did very well in Kaiserlautern. For the new season, he is absolutely our ideal striker." The 23-year-old will be supported by his twin-brother Hamit, who also plays for Schalke. "I'm glad to be back with my family and that I'll be soon playing on the home front in the Bundesliga," said Altintop, a Turkish national player with a German passport. "And I hope that I can help FC Schalke fulfill the great goals that they have set for themselves."
Jonas Kamper (Arminia Bielefeld)
The 23-year-old Danish wing wizard could really be a driving force for Bielefeld this season but his training camp experiences have occasionally left him out of breath. "It's not so much the physical challenge but the speed of action on the pitch, which is greater in Germany than it is in Denmark," said Kamper, who came to Bielefeld from Bröndby IF. Kamper should strengthen the right flank for Bielefeld, but he can also play defense. He is also bringing international experience to his new team: In addition to playing in the UEFA Under-21 championship this year in Portugal, he has already played in the UEFA Cup and the Champions League qualifying round.
Yildiray Bastürk (Hertha Berlin)
Last season, Bastürk was chosen as Hertha's best player. Coach Falko Götz described him as the most important player in the team. "I have matured -- probably more completely and more constantly than ever before," said the player himself. "I was already an important player in Leverkusen. But now I am stronger than ever." Bastürk is a man of both words and deeds: In a match against FC Moscow, his second-half goal cemented the victory which took Hertha through into the second round of the UEFA Intertoto Cup. After getting injured in the training camp over the past two years, the 27-year-old Turkish national player is now starting a new Bundesliga season in top form with the goal of topping the fourth place which Hertha reached last season.
Jiayi Shao (Energy Cottbus)
Jiayi Shao -- also known as the "Beckham of China" -- was a key player for 1860 Munich. The Chinese national team player, who feels at home in the central midfield, now brings those talents to Cottbus. At the team's Oberhof training camp, he made a good impression on everybody. "He is a calm player who knows what he wants," said coach Petrik Sander. Shao is particularly strong in offense and set situations, he has excellent ball control and makes clever contributions. He also knows that he's good. He lacks no self-confidence and says he wants to become the new Zidane.
Arnold Bruggink (Hanover)
Dutch midfielder Arnold Bruggink, coming to Hanover 96 from SC Heerenveen, will be responsible for creating chances and endangering the opponent's goal. The 28 year old has played 303 matches in the Netherlands since1993 and scored 100 goals in that period. During his 2003-2004 foray in Spain, he also scored 8 goals in 26 matches for RCD Mallorca. With his extraordinary technique, he can not only advance into the attacking zone, but also play more deeply and shoot dangerous free kicks. "Bruggink will without a doubt add a dash of color to the Bundesliga," said Hannover coach Peter Neururer.
Philip Lahm (Bayern Munich)
After his World Cup debut and his wonderful World Cup goal (the first in the tournament) --only three years after his first Bundesliga match -- teenage heartthrob Phillip Lahm is considered to be the shooting star of German soccer. "The quality that Philipp Lahm has in his position is not shared by many, even internationally," said former coach of the German national team Jürgen Klinsmann. The defender who feels equally comfortable on both the right and the left side of the pitch will now -- after an injury hampered him last season -- go on an European title hunt with Bayern Munich. If he keeps up the good work, he will have more than deserved the nickname "Paolo" -- after the Italian soccer player Paolo Maldini -- which was given to him by his teammate Mehmet Scholl.
Robert Vittek (1. FC Nuremberg)
Robert Vittek made Bundesliga history by becoming the first player to score six goals in two consecutive games last season. He scored 16 goals altogether for FC Nuremberg, all of them in the second half of the season. "Robert is one of my fixtures," said coach Hans Meyer after Hamburger SV tried to get Vittek to sign with them. The Slovak national player, who could have also made an excellent ice hockey player, is thought of as a sensitive and calm player. He looks to be ready to continue his rich vein of Bundesliga form this season. In the 3:0 pre-season friendly victory against the Danish first league Bröndby Kopenhagen, Vittek shot two goals.