Borussia's new ones
Some matches into the new season and it is time to have a look at our new players. While manager Michael Zorc had next to no money during the last 3 summers, he was this time able to spend a decent sum....mostly financed by Tomas Rosicky's departure.The 23-old central defender started playing at SC Delbrück in East-Westphalia and was during his youth a Südtribüne attender. So he is really a BVB supporters since childhood. His last 2. Liga season at Eintracht Braunschweig was solid to great and Borussia really was in contact with him since more than 1 year. His debut against Mainz was solid and he even scored, but unfortunately he was at fault when Mainz scored the equaliser (assisted by Brzenska).But he looks promising, is still young and his salary is low.
Two times French Ligue Une top scorer and already last season on the verge of joining VfB Stuttgart. His contract with Stade Rennes was valid till 2007 and so a long transfer battle started. Half a year ago Rennes wanted up to 10 mio Euro, but finally Michael Zorc bargained them to 4.1 mio Euro. An excellent deal for a striker of that reputation. The first two matches saw him hard working and even dropping back to midfield to play something like an offensive playmaker. Unfortunately he blew all of his chances to score. Finally the third match in Stuttgart was his show. He provided 2 assist and scored once. He seems to be the center forward we need now that Jan Koller is gone. Really a good signing and somehow a steal.
The South African national joined on a Bosman transfer from giants Ajax Amsterdam. The offensive midfielder came with high expectations lying on him as he is the one to fill the vacuum Rosicky left. He started slowly into the first 3 matches and is somehow not yet integrated. He will need time to adapt to his team-mates. He isn't playing up to his potential yet, but Bert van Marwijk will give him all the time he needs.
The deal was unoffically sealed some months ago already but with respect to SC International Porto Alegre's Copa Libertadores campaign the deal was made official only after Tinga won the cup with his former club. So he arrived in Dortmund as winner of South America's biggest club trophy. His first match was against VfB Stuttgart. He fitted well into Borussia's midfield and showed that he is an aggressive hard working player that can also contribute to BVB's offensive game. He gave the assist to Frei's goal. At all a promising player who costed us 2.9 mio Euro.
Michael Zorc's longtime transfer strategy focused very early on Alexander Frei and Nelson Valdez. While many people think we got a steal in signing the Swiss forward for as low as 4.1 mio Euro, the same people think that Werder Bremen bargained us to a price maybe a little bit too high. 4.7 mio Euro was the final transfer fee. Nelson was really very agile in the first three matches and even helped out in defence. For example in Stuttgart in the dying minutes. Though he looks promising and he is a weapon in the air, he needs to become cooler in front of the goal. Anyhow a good, but maybe a little bit too expensive signing.
Tomas Rosicky left Borussia Dortmund and joined Arsene Wenger's Arsenal FC for rumoured 9.7 mio Euro and was the major reason why we were able to act instead of react on the transfer market. Players like Czech national Jan Koller (AS Moncao), Salvatore Gambino (Cologne), van der Gun (Utrecht) and goalie Gentenaar (Ajax) left on Bosman transfers. Nizamettin Caliskan was sold for 250.000 Euro to Turkey (Vestel Manisapor) and Delron Buckley loaned for 200.000 Euro to FC Basel. One sudden transfer was then realized shortly before the transfer deadline and really surprised many supporters. National world cup hero David Odonkor was sold to Real Betis Balompie of Seville for about 6.5 mio Euro. As the young winger doesn't expected too much playing time in Bert van Marwijk's new tactics and the offer was too good to refuse, all three parties agreed terms quickly.
Geschrieben von jonam
