2008 had ended with sad news when the great Eintracht legend Alfred ‘Don Alfredo’ Pfaff had died at the end of December, roundabout a year ago. He will always be remembered as one of the most influential Eintracht players ever and a great personality also.
We then struggled with lots of injuries and saw the end of the five year era of former manager Friedhelm Funkel, who was replaced by Michael Skibbe in the summer.
There was also the 50th anniversary of our only German championship title so far with various celebrations going on in memory of that glorious moment of beating arch rivals Offenbach 5-3 in that classic final.
That exact fixture was the opener of the 2009/10 season as in the first cup round we had to travel to that godforsaken town and once again beat those weirdos before finally Bundesliga started in August.
After a roller coaster first half of the season with a decent few first games, combined with some embarrassing high scoring defeats we now have settled reaching the best start in 16 years. A great achievement!
Fan Talk 2009
I have asked a few friends, fellow Schobberobber fanclub members, fans and Eintracht followers about their personal Frankfurt player of the year and I also wanted to know what their best Eintracht moment in 2009 was. Here’s what they had to say:
Schobberobber Joerg: “Maik Franz is my personal Eintracht MVP 2009 for his important goals and great defending. The best moment for me as a fan was the derby win against Mainz, as it was a true derby - no kissing and no hugging.”
Supporter Mini: “Goalie Oka Nikolov is my hero 2009 as he is always at hand when you need him. The 3-2 opening win away to Bremen is my best Eintracht moment of the year.”
Supporter Lydia: “For me also Nikolov is the player of the year, for his calm, and his strength having gone through all those ups and downs with Eintracht. The 1-1 away to Hoffenheim was my best moment, as it was just a great away game and Frankfurt boy Christoph Preuss came back from a long term injury.”
Schobberobber Rainer: “Chris is the player of the year 2009, he’s Eintracht’s best football player, and the most complete one. Best moment was the derby win against Mainz.”
Schobberobber Kai: “Patrick Ochs is my player 2009 as he developed into one of the leaders of the squad and is a power house on the right. The Bremen game with the great performance of Amanatidis has to be the Eintracht moment of the year.”
Eagle Silke: “Although he has a lot of injuries Amanatidis is a true Eintracht hero 2009 for his fighting spirit and attitude, our highlander up front. The best moment was the away win to Hertha BSC Berlin, for itself and for the fact that I could annoy my Hertha supporting colleagues.”
Schobberobber Mo: “Maik Franz was the player that Eintracht desperately needed and he lives up to it. Nothing stands out as THE great moment 2009 for me.”
Schobberobber Andi M.: “Alexander Meier has come out of his footballing crisis and he had a real impact on our game, became very strong over the year – he’s Frankfurt’s MVP 2009. My perfect Eintracht moment was the game against Stuttgart, of course not for the result as we lost 0-3 but because I took my three year old son Moritz to his very first game at Waldstadion!”
Eagle Klaus: “Alex Meier grew into a true fighter and overcame playing in a different position, he’s my player of the year. The best moment was the win against Gladbach when we made sure we stay in Bundesliga, which we celebrated accordingly and at length at the after match party ‘Bembelbar’.”
Schobberobber Rikki: “Alex Meier is also my ’09 football god, as he established himself in a new tactical position and is our top scorer so far. The best moment was the derby win v Mainz for the team spirit, the 110% attitude and the great atmosphere in the ground.”
Eagle Andi: “My player 2009 is Patrick Ochs as he now plays in a position where he can use all his skills, and he’s a true Frankfurter and Eintracht boy. My best moment ’09 was the cup game v Alemannia Aachen which we won 6-4, the game went up and down the field with lots of goals, and we celebrated the win with various apple wines afterwords.”
Eagle Svenja: “My player of the year is Amanatidis, because he’s simply the coolest, and he always has been!”
Supporter Bjoern: “Alex Meier has got to be the Eintracht MVP 2009, and my best moment of the year was the away win in Berlin with the great show of Maik Franz.”
Schobberobber Mola: “Pirmin Schwegler is my MVP 2009 as he’s young, highly talented, technically capable and for his clean style of play. The win away to Bremen was the greatest moment of the year.”
Schobberobber Ralf: “Maik Franz is the player of the year, he plays what he can and doesn’t try more, he is clever and effective. Bremen away was for me the top moment 2009.”
Eagle Anja: “Patrick Ochs mad a huge step forward in his development, and shows massive power in his new position on the right wing – he’s the player of the year.”
Eagle Vroni: “Goalie Nikolov is my personal hero 2009 as he gave me a really nice smile when I bumped into him recently ;-)”
Schobberobber Yves: “My MVP 2009 is Alex Meier, for his important goals and his great performances in a new position. Best moment in the year gone was for me to be at the away game to SC Freiburg winning 2-0 and celebrating the team and former Eintracht player Du-Ri Cha who now is at Freiburg.”
Eagle Hermann: “Nikos Liberopoulos is the player of 2009 as he always had changing striking partners, is nearly left to himself up front with little support, and especially in the second half of the last season made the most of it. The best moment was last season’s win against Moenchengladbach when we secured to stay in the top division Bundesliga, and went home with big smiles on our faces.”
Eagle Hanno: “When he is not injured no one beats Ioannis Amanatidis, our super striker. As for the great Eintracht moment in 2009 – I’m still waiting for it! ;-)”
Tim / English newsletter: “Alex Meier impressed me a lot as he changed from midfield to play up front, and he did so well. The best moment was the surprise win away to Werder Bremen.”
Alex / English newsletter: “The best Eintracht moment in 2009 was the Preuss comeback in Hoffenheim! As for the player of the year – it’s a tough race between Meier and Schwegler ahead of Ochs and Chris. I have to go for Alex Meier as he’s been out there all year and Schwegler only joined in the summer.”
Alexander Meier – Unofficial Eintracht MVP 2009
Thanks a lot to all of you for taking the time to choose your answers, which proved to be hard decisions I’m sure!
Alex Meier has now unofficially been named Eintracht’s MVP 2009, 35% have named him to be the best player of the year.
Funny enough, before I asked all these Eintracht fans the two questions I had summed up my personal players of the year 2009 already, and there were a lot of synergies. So I respect this review as highly representative ;-)
Here are Schobberobber’s Eagles of the year, and Opta Sports provided a few stats and facts from Europe’s biggest football database:
Newcomer of the Year – Pirmin Schwegler
Pirmin Schwegler is for me the best new signing of the summer, and a great talent with a huge perspective. Aged only 22 he took on responsibility in midfield, has a massive work rate, shows great attitude and spirit and repeatedly had the most ball touches per game on the field. His body language is the one you want to see of your team and the one it inspires team mates to go for it. Schwegler is a serious contender to represent Switzerland at the 2010 World Cup alongside Eintracht defender and skipper Christoph Spycher.
Pirmin Schwegler has a ball touch every 1.19 minutes – more often than any other Eintracht player. He created 15 chances for team mates including two assists – second most in the team.
Bank of England … erm Eintracht - Chris
Repeatedly named the most important player of the Eintracht squad, Brazilian allrounder Chris has once again shown that he is the stabiliser the defence or midfield desperately needs. He was out a lot in his previous six seasons at Eintracht due to injuries; finally he made 16 of the 17 games in the first half of the 2009/10 campaign. And he showed why he is so influential, calming defensive situations down, but also switching to attack with a great vision once ball possession is gained. His defending is ruthless without compromising and his passing is of a technical high standard.
Chris had 49 interceptions (winning the ball by cutting off its passing path) – only nine Bundesliga players have had more so far – a sign for his great anticipation. Only 13 Bundesliga players conceded more fouls than our Brazilian allrounder (39).
Life Insurance Up Front – Alexander Meier
Alex Meier showed specifically this season why he is so important to us. After the big blows of the two main attacking forces Amanatidis and Fenin being out with injuries, Nikos Liberopoulos was the only experienced striker left in the squad, next to youngsters from Eintracht II. Meier stepped in and played most of the 17 games up front alongside changing striking partners, though his preferred position is in midfield or just behind the two forwards. He is so far the highest scoring Eintracht player this season netting six goals and has an impressive work rate all over the field. Hopes are high to extend his contract which runs out next summer.
Alex Meier missed only half an hour of the first 17 games, played the most minutes at Eintracht (1500). Top Eintracht scorer (6 goals), only 10 players in Bundesliga had more attempts on goal than him (40 shots incl. blocked shots).
Move of the Season – Patrick Ochs & Maik Franz
Patrick Ochs – Frankfurt born and bred – is an educated right defender with lots of ambition to move forward and support midfield and forwards. Manager Skibbe has put summer signing Maik Franz from central to right defense, and Ochs now usually starts as a right midfielder. Out there he’s able to influence Eintracht’s attack by using the space going forward with his outstanding pace. A role he seems to enjoy a lot as he repeatedly was a great threat for any Bundesliga defense and also seems to improve his crossing. Maik Franz on the other hand copes more than well with the switch – defending ruthlessly (and not without controversy) he also already scored five goals, almost his career total of six before his move to Frankfurt. He therefore is Eintracht’s second best goal scorer plus.
Patrick Ochs is Eintracht’s top creator with 27 chances created including three assists. Maik Franz is Bundesliga’s top scoring defender with five goals in 15 games.
Comeback of the Year – Christoph Preuss
Christoph Preuss was out of action for about 25 months – over two years. His career was in question due to a very serious knee injury. Being another local hero from the Rhein-Main region he is a well respected and highly liked player amongst the Eintracht fan scene. His bycicle kick goal to score the winner against Bayern Munich will never be forgotten. He worked hard with the physio therapists and in rehab to regain fitness and to make his dream of a comeback after a desperate and endless seeming time out of action finally come true. And it happened in the away game against Hoffenheim on matchday 16 where he was subbed on in the final minutes and helped securing an important 1-1 draw. Fingers crossed that Christoph will get back to full strength and into the first choice squad.
Christoph Preuss gave his Bundesliga debut in August 2000 with Eintracht (during a 3-0 at home v Unterhaching), he has a total of 128 Bundesliga games and 8 goals. His comeback came after two years of being out of action since November 2007.
Tower in the Battle - Eternal Oka Nikolov
Goalkeeper Oka Nikolov, now at Eintracht for close to 20 years (joined the club in 1991!), has seen a lot of great and a lot of not so great seasons at the club. That probably gave him that sense of calm and wisdom a goalie needs, in order to give the defenders in front of him a reassurance that there’s always another option in goal to avoid conceding goals in case they screw up a game situation. And the merry-go-round he experienced in goal, with new goalkeeper stars being signed, injuries of the number ones and him stepping in, massive discussions about his skills or weaknesses, in the media and within the fans – still, ‘Eternal Oka’ is still here, and he’s our number one. Despite all crisis situations, despite the great times, he is as strong as ever and does his job giving his best – and as a Frankfurter and reliable eagle he is well respected.
Oka Nikolov made the most goalkeeper saves from opponent’s shots in Bundesliga (64) and has the third highest saves per shots percentage (78%).
Happy New Year!
I hope you enjoyed the little summary of the Eintracht year 2009, and to all of you a great 2010 – the year of the World Cup! Keep following Eintracht wherever you are and whatever you do!
