Talking Fussball

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were a sensation when they came up to the Bundesliga under Ralf Rangnick a decade and a half ago, and gained renewed relevance under Julian Nagelsmann's reign a few years later. In more recent years, the club's trajectory has one toward irrelevance. Pellegrino Matarazzo saved them from relegation and then led them to Euurope last season - now he's out. Matt, Nik and Terry work out whether his sacking will make a difference and look at St. Pauli's innovative co-op stadium ownership plan.

It didn't happen overnight, but Dino Toppmöller has Eintracht Frankfurt in blistering form. After they tore VfL Bochum apart 7-2 on Match Day 9, the Bundesliga's bottom side hit the panic button: they hired Dieter Hecking to coach the team. Matt, Nik, and Terry talk about how the vastly experienced (but perhaps a little rusty) trainer might fare, how a ticket price row has roiled FC Bayern München fans, and more.

Do you need Artificial Intelligence to tell you FC Bayern München are favorites to win the Meisterschale this season? You do not, but Opta's lil' smartbot can't keep its mouth shut, Matt, Nik and Terry were game to talk about it, and one thing led to another...

Anyway, the gang also take on VfL Bochum's woe and their quest to end it by firing their coach and sporting director, FC St. Pauli supporters ire at their club's mode of transport down to Dortmund, and more.

First it was Jürgen Klopp taking over as Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull, then Thomas Tuchel saying yes to an offer to coach England. It could hardly have been a more exciting week on Europe's coaching carousel for German football. Matt, Nik and Terry try to figure out whether Tuchel and England are really a match made in heaven, whether their disappointment in Klopp meant they'd gotten a bit too parasocial with a football coach, and whether all the coaches getting out of day-to-day club management means the TOO MUCH FOOTBALL issue is hitting them too. A little bit on Berlin's most endangered football ground as well.

Bayer's visit to Bayern wasn't a goal fest, or even a very open game thanks to Leverkusen's defensive focus, but it was engrossing stuff. Best of all, it keeps things close at the top of the Bundesliga table. Matt and Terry welcome roving reporter Marie Schulte-Bockum back to the pod to talk about the Toppspiel, the ongoing issues in Hoffenheim and, of course, her beloved FC Schalke 04.

Side note: Apologies for the sound quality on Matt's track - his 'clean' track got lost and didn't get the settings right on the backup!

SC Freiburg and 1. FC Union Berlin are on the upper rungs of the Bundesliga table after four rounds, both guided there by new coaches. As Matt, Nik and Terry discuss, however, that's about all their circumstances have in common. Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, suffered the first big setback of the Nuri Sahin era, though 'big' doesn't really capture the scale of their 5-1 loss in Stuttgart. As it happens, they're not alone among Ruhrpott clubs to hit the skids this past weekend...

We do try to avoid jumping to conclusions, but sometimes a blowout result forces the issue. FC Bayern München's 6-1 shellacking of Holstein Kiel has Matt, Nik and Terry on the former's 'Bayern are back' hype train, and left them just as convinced that Kiel have no real shot at staying in the 1. Bundesliga. The gang also address Dortmund's umpteenth search for a stable defense, the good doctor of German refereeing, and an 80th birthday for an all-time great.

The football media went gaga for the Germany attacking duo they dubbed 'Wusiala' after a big win over Hungary this international break. Naturally that means speculation over whether FC Bayern München can afford the W(irtz) to go along with the (M)usiala, so Matt, Nik and Terry threw their hats into that ring too. The gang also turned their attention to the latest crop of German coaching exports in England, where Fabian Hürzeler is leading the way...

After going 462 days without, reigning champs Bayer 04 Leverkusen tasted defeat on Saturday - surrendering a 2-0 lead while doing so. Matt, Nik, and Terry try to work out what it means going forward, as well as if it's a sign that Nik's title prediction has some serious legs. The gang discuss the new UEFA Champions League format (and the best away trips) now that the draw is done, and have some quality Old Man Time talking about the inimitable Thomas Müller, Rekordspieler of FC Bayern München.

Matt, Nik and Terry are back and ready to Talk the Fussball for a 13th season! Episodes will be hitting you at midweek this year and the pod will be widening its focus past the borders of the 1. Bundesliga from time to time.

This week it's all about setting the table after the opening games of the new campaign with a special focus on the title race to come. Defending champs Bayer 04 Leverkusen and perennial contenders FC Bayern München are in the mix for sure, but how seriously should we take RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund?