© Randall Hauk
Randall Hauk, “American Geissbock” aus Seattle
Let me just start by clarifying for all of you that is is incredibly weird to enter a sports season with the goal being anything other than the Super Bowl/World Series/Stanley Cup. Okay?
I’m an American, and I was raised watching American sports, all of which are structured in a way that made my initial contact with German football a combination of revulsion and eye-rolling. “You’re handing out championship trophies before the season is even over, and then there is no post-season?!” Nah. I ain’t bothering with your no-scoring sport with the heretical structures.
Yet, here I am, hopelessly in love with a (once again) Bundesliga club and getting on-board with the company line of “the goal is fifteenth.” Of course, we’re not trying to hit fifteenth place exactly. That’s just the floor. We want to be better than at least three clubs to avoid even having to participate in the relegation playoff. We would accept any place above that . . . except maybe not so high as seventh and gain a spot in Europa League because that would put too much stress on a club that isn’t quite ready for that just yet. Add that to the list of things that had to grow on me a bit.
So, somewhere between eight and fifteen? Works for me. The way I’ve chosen to look at it is quite simple: Is the 1. FC Köln currently better than three other Bundesliga clubs? I don’t believe anyone could reasonably argue anything other than “Don’t be stupid. Of course!” Of course, if one says something like that, then one is expected to name names. I’m not going to do that, necessarily, but some of the first-round DFB Pokal matches sure have been enlightening, haven’t they?
Besides, I don’t believe Schmadtke or Stöger when they talk about low expectations, just like I didn’t believe them last year when they said that promotion was not the goal. It’s all part of the game of managing expectations. I’ll go along with it, but I ain’t really buying it because, frankly, I think this team is capable of grabbing 40 points in this league, which was safely in the mid-table last season. And I think Stöger-Schmadtke believe the same.
Can things go wrong? Of course they can! I’m still not sure anyone on the roster has shown they can and will finish opportunities at this level. We are already seeing key injuries. The roster has a LOT of youth and inexperience. I get it!
But I . . .
I believe . . .
I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!
Sorry all. My “American” is showing again.
