Wolves at the door
August 22, 2014
A little like Hoffenheim, one probably cannot count VfL Wolfsburg among the Bundesliga's most popular and feted sides. Commercial backing from automotive giant VW, coupled with mediocre weekly attendances at a sometimes lifeless Volkswagen Arena, is taken as a sign that the club is "plastic" or inauthentic. This forever seems to place management on the defensive at the start of a season, even when sporting matters are running smoothly.
"We don't have as many supporters as Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund. And nobody has to immediately fall in love with us," commercial director Klaus Allofs said in an interview with German daily Die Welt on Friday. "But we have a tradition, too, and can arouse some enthusiasm. It's not fair to assert that VfL Wolfsburg is not interesting."
Indeed, the current pack of Wolves might be the most exciting and intriguing since the club's solitary Bundesliga championship of 2009 - as evidenced by Wolfsburg's first return to European competition since winning the German title.
In the final of the pre-season Telekom Cup (picture above), Bayern ran out comfy 3-0 winners. Yet Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, now struggling with several defensive injuries that might force a change in formation, refused to underestimate his opening Bundesliga opponents.
"It's not an ideal situation for us playing against Wolfsburg. It won't be an easy start," Guardiola cautioned.
Chasing the Bundesliga elite
Coach Dieter Hecking's side is hunting down Germany's clear top four of the past five years: Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke. Having finished fifth in the table last season, VW have invested in the Lower Saxony squad over the off-season without the bumper transfer fees often associated with Wolfsburg.
Right-back Sebastian Jung strengthens an already solid back-four, joining from Frankfurt for just 2.5 million euros ($3.32 million) - well below his market value. Former Werder Bremen strategist Allofs, meanwhile, tempted attacking midfielder Aaron Hunt across to Wolfsburg for free at the end of his contract at the Weserstadion. Joshua Guilavogui, a season-long loanee, provides an extra option in holding midfield. Danish striker Niklas Bendtner could prove a gamble on the disciplinary side but the free agent's price was right; if the occassional troublemaker settles, he could become a valuable heir to veteran front-man Ivica Olic.
These reinforcements bolster a squad already boasting leading playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, ex-Bayern Munich anchor Luiz Gustavo and another former Bremen stalwart, Naldo in defense. Swiss left-back Riccardo Rodriguez, still just 21 years old, was among the revelations of the last campaign. In center-back Robin Knoche and midfielders Junior Malanda and Maximilian Arnold, the Wolves have emerging talent to burn.
Writing new chapters?
Last season, Wolfsburg missed out on Champions League football by just one point. Improving on this could prove a challenge - given Bayer Leverkusen's aggressive off-season on the transfer market and Schalke's exceedingly young, maturing troupe - but Hecking and Allofs have laid the right foundations.
Yet Bayern can prove a challenge for any side; last season, Borussia Mönchengladbach impressed on opening day at the Allianz-Arena, but still ran out 3-1 losers. The Foals went on to finish sixth, hot on Wolfsburg's heels, despite being outclassed by Guardiola's side.
"There's no need to pretend we're smaller than we really are," Hecking said of Friday's match. "But we will need a really good day if we're going to cause Bayern problems."
Managing to make Bayern sweat - or not - could prove a useful barometer for the Wolves' season. Should the club genuinely have designs on the four Champions League places, there's no better time to make a statement.
In 20 competitive visits to Munich, the Wolves have won just once in the Bundesliga. This is an example of how the club's "tradition" - one of the most overused nouns on the German football scene - leaves a little to be desired.
"What Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig are often accused of is a lack of tradition," Allofs told Die Welt. "Firstly that's not quite true. And secondly, you have to give every club a chance to write its own history."
With Friday's match televised in some 200 countries, Wolfsburg could win some much-needed profile at home and abroad with an opening-night shock at the Allianz-Arena.
Yet more exciting is the bid to pen an entire chapter in the club's annals during the 2014/15 campaign. Coach Hecking and his bolstered pack of Wolves have the chance both to compete on the continent in the Europa League and simultaneously hunt the league's front four. Ultimately, though, the only way to banish those accusations of "plasticity" will be with silverware.