Where are they now? (Part II)

Several players wore the black-yellow jersey during the last 10 to 15 years. Some of them already quit football, some are still active. We give you a short overview mentioning some of the most important players of the last decade.


Did the former “Fußballgott” - Kohler got this name after his outstanding perfomance against Man U in 1997s CL-Semis – turn into one of footballs most annoying characters? An impression easy to get when you recall his waffle on how amazing his job as the coach of the German Under-21-team is and his sudden change of plans – ending up as figurehead in Leverkusen. After working for the U21 from July 02 through to December 03 he took the chance to be big Rainer Calmunds well paid sidekick at the Bay Arena. Strange the surroundings of his dismissal in Duisburg in April 06 – after less than half a year in job. Still nobody knows what exactly happened but something must have happened. Ever since Kohler has been unemployed. A great career followed by five disastrous years in which everything Kohler did was a big mistake.
For many Borussia supporters he is the living proof that women at times can be devlish! Swanky wife and ex-model Hedvika never settled in Dortmund and was looking for a luxury lifestyle at the Cote d'Azur. The player who brought back fair-play into Bundesliga-football turned into a henpeck husband – totally understandable. Gibberish about new challengens sometimes is not true. Anyhow Jan Koller scored 6 goals in 27 games for AS Monaco last season, this season he is at 3 goals in 14 games. If there is more money to be earned in Monaco – a club constantly battling bankruptcy?
The chiselled and sturdy defender, of whom quite a few say, that he was one of the key-players in 1997s legendary CL-Final vs. Juve, has waved football goodbye completely. After quitting pro-football in 1998 – his stats reading 401 (!) Bundesligamatches for VFL Bochum, Leverkusen and of course Borussia Dortmund, he knew football from now on would be nothing more than spare-time entertainment. He turned towards the booming IT-Branch, opened an IT-Coachingcenter and every once in a while slips over that black and yellow jersey playing for the BVB-Traditional-Team.
The Dortmund-born former Bayern-Promise Christian Nerlinger was dealt a bad hand after his transfer to Dortmund. Due to several injuries he only played 59 out of 102 possible matches for Borussia between 1998 and 2001. He followed Stefan Klos to Scotland in 2001. For three years he wore the Glasgow Rangers jersey, hoovering in front of the defense. People quite liked him but in 04 he gave Germany another try, failing again: The next 18 months he'd be sidelined because of several injuries only making 9 appearances for struggling Red Devils FC Kaiserlautern. By the end of 2005 he called it a day and said: “That's it. Goodbye”
Benched for the first time in Meister-Seasons 2001/2002 awkward 0-4 loss against Bayer Leverkusen. First left his mark after winning an important penalty in the dying seconds of the match against St. Pauli (1-1 draw) . A few mental problems during the next four years, disobeying the Second-Team matches. A subterrestial performance against Bremen II in early 2005 (2-4, a certain Mr. Nelson Valdez scored a few for Bremen that day), ending up in BVB II getting relegated that season. Good comeback in the next few months which led into his surprising inclusion into Klinsmann's WC06-squad. Became a national hero after his trademark run and crossing against Poland. Another good match vs. Argentina later half Europe was longing for that quickest mouse from Westfalen. Finally he was transferred to Real Betis Sevilla in a 6-Million-Euro-Deal. After a good start he fell into a deep hole, got injured, made a comeback. Seems to be isolated from the team with not speaking Spanish and right now is injured again. Will miss the Euro 08-Boat as well.
BVB-Fans will know about his fate. His fight against a severe brain tumour which he won, his comeback which ended after a trainings-accident with former BVB-sub Sundy Oliseh. Until this – so the numbers say – abortive coach of Dortmunds under 19s. Took over the german U17-team this summer. During this summers world-cup he showed that he is not only a Matthias Sammer protégé but also a good coach. The German U17 won the bronce medal with a solid performance throughout the tournament.

Geschrieben von Malte