Going Deutsch

Alex looks back at the 2021/22 2. Bundesliga season as Schalke and Werder Bremen made instant returns to the top-flight, whilst not finding the experience of the second tier an entirely straight forward affair, with the former doomed in March and the latter embroiled in scandal in November. Hamburg nearly put their late-season woes behind them before blowing promotion at home to Hertha, whilst St. Pauli suffer some late season blues of their own. Darmstadt prove overachievers whilst Fortuna Düsseldorf do not. Dresden, Aue, and Ingolstadt go down after poor campaigns and bad runs. Also on the podcast, a team of the season and some awards: including manager of the season for someone who resigned, and player of the season for the Zweite's version of Lewandowski.

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Alex looks back at the 2021/22 Bundesliga season: Bayern win their 10th title in a row as Dortmund stutter in a lot of vital games and sack Rose as a result. Leverkusen impress in the first season under Seoane and Leipzig make the Champions League. Freiburg, Union are Köln all surprise in getting into Europe, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt put a bad domestic season behind them by winning the Europa League. Hertha underdeliver again and nearly go down as a result, whilst Arminia Bielefeld and Greuther Fürth return to the 2. Bundesliga. There are also awards to be given out for player of the season, goal of the season, moment of the season, and more.   

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Alex goes back through the promotion/relegation games to the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. Despite winning the first leg, HSV do a HSV a blow it as Hertha Berlin dominate the second leg to stay in the Bundesliga, meanwhile Dresden fans throw a temper tantrum using flares as Kaiserslautern take their place in the 2. Bundesliga following a 2-0 win away. Also on the pod: managerial changes in the top two leagues, including lots of opinions on what's happened at Dortmund, a surprise contract extension, and a goodbye to Big Mak.

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Alex looks back on the last round of fixtures in the Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga and 3. Liga. Stuttgart survive on the last day after an injury time winner against Köln, whilst Hertha now have to go the play-offs after losing to Borussia Dortmund. Bielefeld are relegated and will be automatically be replaced by Werder after their win against Jahn Regensburg. Hamburger secure their spot in the play-offs after beating Hansa Rostock. Also on the pod, Dortmund say goodbye to two legends who have served the club for decades, Freiburg miss out on Champions League football, Kaiserslautern and Dresden will face off for a place in the Zweite, and why Saša Kalajdžić was briefly confused after the full time whistle in Stuttgart.  

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Alex looks back at the last two weeks of German football: with two rounds of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, as well as the quarter-finals of the DFB Pokal. Included in the episode: annoyance at Dortmund's draw against Augsburg is slightly tempered by Bayern drawing against Bayer, Union dominate and score the only goal in an inexplicable loss to Max Kruse's Wolfsburg, and exciting games in the Zweite see Werder win 3-2 away at Hamburger and Darmstadt come from 2-0 down to beat Heidenheim. In the DFB Pokal, St. Pauli slip up against Union Berlin, and Freiburg capitalise on a big error. 

None of this is important though when compared to the fascist and evil invasion of Ukraine by Putin's Russian forces. The thoughts of The Sports Blitz go to those suffering through this horrific event. Long live Ukraine. 

On this week's Going Deutsch, Alex looks back at how Dortmund responded to a humiliating defeat to Rangers (spoiler: they responded quite well), how Leipzig opened the floodgates against ten man Hertha, and how Stuttgart blew their chance at a long awaited victory when playing Bochum. Also on the pod, European fiascos, nobody wanting to get promoted from the 2. Bundesliga and the suggestion of a play-off format to determine the champions of Germany. 

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On the first episode of Going Deutsch, Bochum's four first half goals stun Bayern in a 4-2 win, Fürth get their second win in three against a hapless Hertha, and Wolfsburg make it two wins in a row by beating former manager Oliver Glasner and Eintracht Frankfurt. Also on the pod: Borussia Dortmund make a much needed improvement to the defence by signing Niklas Süle, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh returns for St. Pauli in a nervy win against Jahn Regensburg, and the return of Steffen Baumgart to the sideline in Köln's Friday night game against Leipzig.

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Alex goes through some of the biggest stories of the week (and one from two weeks ago) including Peng Shuai, Sergio Higuta's firing and reinstatement and Kevin Sinfield once again being an inspiration. The bulk of the podcast is dedicated to football as Bayern lose to Augsburg and become FC Hollywood once more, EFL officials screw up in the Hull Birmingham game, a 97th minute winner from past the halfway line and more fan trouble in Ligue 1.

The three Alexs of Woodward, Towells and Tant-Brown return to discuss the upcoming release of Football Manager 2022 and which teams you should play as, including an indie choice in Paris, a side not from Spain who play in the Spanish leagues and a university side from Wales. They formulate a combined 20 best teams whilst also presenting their 10 choices of their own from countries like Germany, Colombia and Norway. You'll also be glad to hear there is no PSG, Man City or Newcastle, hurrah! 

The first episode of The Alternate Football Show sees Alex talk about the football he watched during the international break, including Plymouth at the top of League One, Harrogate's demolition of Scunthorpe, a seven goal thriller in Sutton, a six goal thriller between Mirandes and Eibar and a feisty derby between Real Oviedo and Sporting Gijon. There are better options than watching international friendlies, and that's what we go through here.