Football Made in Germany Succeeding in England.

Image Courtesy of Getty Images

Cc. Wilson Oluoch 

The 2021/22 season is close to a month from now and no fans are having it as good yet as much as The Red Devil’s faithfuls.

Jadon Sancho is RED yes The Red Alert.

Possibly one of the longest transfer wait in recent history, finally it happened. The former Manchester City academy graduate who made a name for himself in Germany for Die Schwarzgelben (The Black and Yellows) has agreed a deal in principle to join Manchester united. 4 campaigns later, he is back to the other side of town and MUFC fans and all football fans alike have every reason to be buzzed by his arrival.

The new United starboy (born 2000) is a highly technical and creative player and his pace compounded with his one v one abilities makes him one to watch. Defenders beware!!! United have a gem in their hands to add to an already lethal attack.

His big money move, however is not the first of its nature. In recent times, a lot of Premier League success has followed a trend of coming from the Bundesliga.

Here is a list of teams and individuals that have had things go their way after making switches associated with the German League.

Manchester City, the current Premier League holders are one of the most successful teams in England. On the list of most decorated sides in England, they are fifth. The sky blues have won 3 of the last 4 Premier League campaigns and this would not have come to fruition without the arrival of their manager, Pep Guardiola who joined them from Bayern Munich at the start of the 2016/17 campaign. Add an FA Cup (2018/19), 4 League Cups (2017/18 through 2020/21) and 2 community shields (2018 and 2019) ... Guardiola has literally completed English football.

Pep is not the only individual to join City from Bundesliga.

His midfield general, vice-captain and the best midfielder in the Premier League in Kevin De Bruyne City from Wolfsburg and has been at the heart of all the success Man City have enjoyed. Named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season 4 times, Premier League Playmaker of the Season twice, PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice the Belgian’s success footprints is second to none of this era.

Ilkay Gundogan also made the switch, from Borussia Dortmund at the start of the 16/17 campaign and has been immense for City and Pep in midfield. He too, like Pep and KDB prove the narrative of PL success made in Germany. (... also, Leroy Sane  although having moved back to Germany won the league in two successive seasons, FA Cup, twice an EFL Cup winner and twice won the FA Community Shield and was the 2017/18 PFA Young Player of the Year)

Liverpool’s 30 year wait came to an end in the 2019/20 season but success had dawned on them the previous season when they won at the big European Stage to win the UEFA Champions League (their sixth), a season after they lost it and it was Jurgen Klopp who led them to victory and his work at Anfield has been nothing but commendable, he is easily one of the best managers in the world.

Klopp joined Liverpool in 2015 after managerial stints at Mainz 05 then Borussia Dortmund.

The “heavy metal” football enigma has won back to back FIFA Coach of the Year awards in 2019 and 2020 and his 99-points PL winning campaign is the second highest total in English top division. Yet again, PL success made In the Bundesliga.

Liverpool’s success has also been aided by first team arrivals from Bundesliga in the shape of Joel Matip (defender) who joined from Schalke in 2016, Roberto Firmino (forward) who joined from Hoffenheim in 2015, Naby Keita (midfielder) who joined from RB Leipzig in 2018 all who have played roles and look to continue in Klopp’s successful time at Liverpool. Last summer’s addition of midfield maestro Thiago Alcantara will certainly add spice to an already successful Liverpool squad.

London club Chelsea will be worth a mention in this category as well. Although having a mixed season in the campaign just ended, the curtains couldn’t have fell down at any better time. Chelsea are current holders of the UEFA Champions League after edging out Pep Guardiola’s Man City 1-0 in a tense battle in Porto.

Thomas Tuchel was appointed manager mid-season after the club parted ways with Frank Lampard and Tuchel has been nothing short of immense. The turnaround at Chelsea has been visible. 9th to 4th in the league, an FA Cup final appearance though coming out second best and the “big ears” lift in Portugal. Tuchel has earned his flowers and the club were quick to reward him with a contract extension. He comes in from a stint at Ligue 1 with the Parisians but he learnt his trade in Germany rising through coaching at FC Augsburg, then Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund.

Tuchel isn’t the only German arrival at Chelsea in the season just ended. Timo Werner and Kai Havertz joined from RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen respectively. Although both performed underwhelming and have come under harsh criticism from football pundits and Chelsea fans as well, they have proven game after game that they are indispensable in the first team. Havertz only ever goal a UCL match was the winning one and he was unlucky to be eliminated from the Euros where he was enjoying a good tournament showing his quality in buildup play and threat in front of goal. He is a shout for Germany’s outstanding player of the tournament that had to come to an end at Wembley. There are many positives to Werner’s game and like I indicated in my last column, as a Chels I am not worried, he will find his feet.

Both Germans arriving from Bundesliga, now Champions League winners, yes ... English success, made in Germany. 

Over to you United and Sancho.

Welcome (back) to England.