TeBe Party Army

E- Block International - A Weblog for "Away Fans" of Tennis Borussia Berlin.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Berlin Cup Final 2006

TeBe 2 - 1 Hertha II (aet)

What a day. What a night. Words won't do it justice, but I'll try my best. (Sorry, the photos aren't great, but my camera is technically broke.)

We met, as is tradition, in Mauerpark, next to the ground, at 4.30, I was the first one there *embarrassed* but I've the excuse that I live close by. TBH, the whole day I wasn't nervous at all, I don't know whether it was because a) I felt a bit detached from it all having missed all of the previous rounds and having only seen TeBe 4 times this season, or b) Hertha II are a league above us, a good Regionalliga team, and so I thought we had absolutely NO chance. Doughnut Boy was so nervous, lack of sleep and the lot :)

More familiar faces arrived in dribs and drabs, until at 5pm, as announced, the beer and some of the more important people involved with TeBe arrived. The club donated 5 crates of Berliner Pilsner beer to the fans to say thanks for their support this season, and this beer was gratefully accpeted :) A few of us went off and had a kickaround to try to chase away the nerves, until the arrival of some Hertha fans in the park made us more alert and we got stuck into the beer again with the others. What pleased me was the amount of non-TeBe supporting friends who were there, Simon, Nick, St. and Joe among others.

We headed to the ground earlyish, as one or two didn't have tickets and there was a huge queue. And then we got into the ground. The atmosphere was electric already, and the 'ultras', despite much cynicism from the old fart brigade, had done a great job with 'TEBE' in huge letters, loads of cardboard cups, shedloads of purple/white confetti and balloons, etc (nb a similar cynicism was noted at the Linfield Irish Cup final, and again that proved to be a great success. Hats off to LWOB, Bart etc, you did a good job)




The pre-match atmosphere builds, lots of familiar faces

The first surprise was that our star striker and top scorer of the last 2 seasons, Micha Fuss, was on the bench. We seemed to line up with quite a defensive formation imo, although given the respective leagues of the two teams, that was understandable.

As for the match itself, my recollection differs from most other fans. I thought we were largely outplayed, esp in the 2nd half. The teams really did cancel each other out, but in the 2nd half, Hertha had much better chances, the ball just flying past the far post on a number of occasions, Hertha's passing being much more fluent and their midfield more dominant. Our big defender-turned-striker, Vuckovic (think a better-looking Peter Crouch with more skill), seemed to spend more time in our box defending corners etc than in theirs, plus he also seemed to keep trying to do too much with the ball, to beat one man too many,and I was getting very annoyed with his reluctance to pass the fecking ball, much to the amusement of the German speakers around me, laughing at this crazy Irish guy swearing away in English :)



On the terraces, though, TeBe very much had the upper hand, singing almost non-stop, prompted by the huge purple-wig-wearing Ultras71 and various Babelsberg sympathisers. I felt though that not as much singing was done as last year, maybe cos we didn't get  'Lila-weisse Allez' going for half an  hour non-stop :) I actually paced myself this tme, so no sore heads, and especially no crying :) It helped that I drank no beer at all DURING the match, seeing as the queue was a mile long and people had to queue for THIRTY FECKIN MINUTES for a beer. So I gave it a miss. Hertha's support seemed to made up of the old men that always go to watch the amateurs, plus a gaggle of dodgy-looking youngsters and skinheads.

The official crowd given was 1600, not a lot, but we made much more noise than you would believe 1000-odd could make. Our number was swelled in part by fans inspired by flyers (over 2000!) posted by Ultras71 and Mr. Bungle in the surrounding houses the day before. A big hats off to the 2 gentlemen for this.

Anyway, back to the game. Extra time was inevitable despite Hertha's superiority. Here we go again, I thought. I thought wrong. Hertha scored midway through the first period of extra time through their 1,96m striker Samba; our defence had held out heroically till then, thanks in no small part to the immense Schalle, but it was on  the cards. At this point, I thought that was it. We had created NO chances of note, they were fitter, and the rest of the half was played out tamely. I was a bit gutted, but kind of resigned to it: we WERE the big outsiders, after all. A lot of glum faces were on show, BUT the singing and encouragement continued. A sign for me of the resignation was us throwing the rest of our confetti when we were still 1-0 down, we didn't really expect to use it again.

My feeling of despair was increased in second period of extra time, when, from a corner, Thompson leapt up, only to head the ball straight at the goalkeeper. That was our last chance gone. But no. Another free-kick (I think), up pops Kadow, IT'S IN! 1-1! Cue wild celebrations, I think I hugged some random Babelsberg guy beside me, then looked for Doughnut Boy and the regulars.

So, penalties again. I'd have happily settled for that. After all, we have Timo Hampf, football God, scorer and saver extraordinaire. But I underestimated the resilience of this team. Last minute, we get a  free-kick out near the left hand touchline. Fuss sends in a big high loopy curly one. It's looking good, Hertha defenders don't attack it, the keeper looks as if he thinks it's going out, Lemcke attacks it like a man possessed, sticks out a foot and the ball is in the net. CUE ECSTASY.

At this stage, I have to admit, I fell over the first 2 rows of seats, backwards. Luckily, noone saw me, as everyone was too busy going nuts to care or notice. I got up and proceeded to look out every TeBe fan that I know, to hug them. Especially Matze, as it was his last game before he moves away, and Endi, as he's been through a lot lately, and Doughnut Boy, for the same reasons and cos he's invested a lot in the team this year. Read these 3 blogs for match reports, they're well worth a look.

The end was incredible. Loads of people piled down to the front, Fuss and ALL the players ran straight over to Block E to celebrate, and the noise was incredible. At the very end, I just picked up a big white flag and waved it again and again, I couldn't sing much by this stage due to sore heads, and I'm not one for standing by the fence and high-fiving with the players. Everyone was just delirious with joy. You could see how much the fans meant to the players, and how much they were enjoying it. This cracking video captures a little of what it was like.




After the match, we alighted to our usual 'Spaeti' (late-night offie) nearby to try to wind down a little and come to terms with what had happened. By this stage it was pissing it down, but no-one cared. Doughnut Boy was very quiet. He'd cried after the winner, and seemed emotionally drained. It made me laugh. I wasn't quite as bad, for me, Irish Cup Final day, May 6th, had been my personal footballing zenith.

After a beer and a chat with those I hadn't had a chance to see during the game, a 'Spontandemo' was held by 30-odd fans, with the banner we made last week, all the way to the Fraanz club, where the club were holding a night for players and fans. I didn't go, partly due to my prejudices against the club, partly cos I wanted to go to table tennis in the Kastanie. I regret not even going for a wee bit, as it was free in. But Felix, Doughnut as others celebrated until it was light :)

For me, the absolute highlight was seeing so many TeBe regulars together again, along with a lot of occasionals and newbies, everyone absolutley delighted.

TEBE PARTY ARMY!

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Hurra, hurra, der Kobold ist da!



This is just a test, I need the picture.

In German, a lucky charm or mascot is called a leprechaun, and last year, for some strange reason, my team TeBe seemed to play really well just after I arrived and started going to the matches, I think we won 10 in a row. We cacked it up in the end, but won the Berlin Cup, but the label for me stuck.

And we won 3-0 today with a reserve team out as the big guns werev rested for the Berlin Cup final 2006 on Wednesday. That will be a real test of the powers of the Kobold. We play Hertha II. Who are a league above us.

Oh yeah, we made a banner on Friday night for the final and for away games nect season. It was unfurled today as we weren't in our normal stadium as the fucking German national team have commissioned it as a training camp for the World Cup. Oh well, we get fancy new dressing rooms and an overhaul. Here it is, big thanks to Doughnut Boy, remember, home-made with overhead projector, chalk then paint:



Pokalfinale, Pokalfinale, jedes Jahr fahren wir zum Pokalfinale...

Friday, May 05, 2006

The Final





A date for your diaries. Be there!

Photo Love Story Home To BAK

22 Match day (Postponed from earlier)

Wed, 03.05.2006 | 19.30 Uhr | Mommsenstadion


Tennis Borussia - Berliner AK

TeBe 1:2 (0:2) Berliner AK

Team: Hampf - Gottlieb (42. Petrowsky), Schmidt, Eckl - Griesert (42. Vuckovic), Thomson (46. Kollmorgen), Lemcke, Köttig, Galic - Kadow, Fuß.

Ref: Matthias Klatte (Wildau).

Goals: 0:1 (26.) Inal, 0:2 (38.) Ben-Hatira, 1:2 (90.) Kadow.

Att: 248.

Yellow-Red: Schmidt (51., Foul.)



General Thoughts:

- Well the first word that springs to mind is "Boring!". After the first half I felt like going home. OK I wasnt feeling in the best of moods anyways but really the match was terrible.

- This is seen in the subs, all between the 42nd and 46th minute. Some of the players seemed tired and it just wasnt really working for us in the first half.

- In the 2nd Half things got better, TeBe dominating the game for longer stretches. The spark still wasnt quite there though.

- A really disappointing turn out fan wise, but they didnt miss much.

- Was Fuss offside? It was certainly a great move and he banged it in like his best days.... BUT Holgi says it was offside and although I have my doubts, we both were on the line and he has the height advantage from the stand.

- Schmidt got sent off in the 51st minute after picking up a second yellow. As Dejan said later, the team really did show fight with just 10 men despite being 2 down as well.

- We deserved a goal and got one from Kadow in the dying seconds. To be fair we didnt deserve a win after the terrible first half.

- The alarming thing was our complete inability to deal with the quick breaks from BAK. Ok, perhaps our players were tired but I worry that we are perhaps, even on a good day, very open to these quick attacks.


Photos:




Turned up a bit late but was still surprised how few people were actually walking to the stadium. When I got in I saw the stadium pretty much empty.




Popped up to see Bungle and Holgi. Here the view from Holgi's eagle eye view in the stands.




Got to Block E and its also very empty. Didnt take any photos of the First Half because it was all too depressing. Needless to say, we went in at HT 2-0 down already. Come on Boys!




We started the 2nd half much better. Then Schmidt got sent off and I thought that would be it.




But TeBe stayed in the game and started putting on the pressure, creating a lot of chances.




Finally a goal but the time is ticking against us.




Its all over.




The team warm down and discuss their tactics.


Oh well.... there's still the cup final.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Photo Love Story MSV

27th Match Day | Sun, 30.04.2006 | 14.00 | Mommsenstadion

Tennis Borussia - MSV Neuruppin

TeBe 3:0 (0:0) MSV Neuruppin

Team: Hampf - Mansour - Duygun, Schalle - Thomson (38. Gottlieb), Below (58. Köttig), Lemcke, Perez - Griesert, Galic (70. Kollmorgen) - Kadow.

Referee: René Rohde (Rostock).

Goals: 1:0 (59.) Lemcke, 2:0 (63.) Kadow, 3:0 (85.) Köttig.

Att: 419.



General Thoughts:

- You have to hate MSV really. They get Bayern in the cup this year, have lots of fans, a lovely stadium BUT they still manage to have no money. They have a top team and win matches BUT they dont apply for a license and give the title to Union on a plate. We all hate the Oberliga, we all want out and they have the chance every year but just dont take it.... yes its a mixture of hate and sympathy for their situation and fans.

- Dejan's first match as manager was the away match against MSV where we lost 4-0. Very depressing day and a chance to see how far we have come in the last 6 months. I think most of us would have been happy with a draw, some in fact very happy. Very few thought that there was more than a point in the match for us, me included.

- Being the day after the cup final was held in Berlin the over 400 fans is slightly deceptive. Sure there were a fair few there on the Sunday afternoon but we were boosted by a fair few post-final groundhoppers and a small Kindergarden block from MSV.

- We started the match very cautiously but very little came from MSV, not really until the last 15 minutes of the 1st Half. TeBe controlled the game, Timo having very little to do between the posts.

- Ronny Ermel was back at TeBe after leaving us for MSV. He played the first half an hour or so before being substituted. He didnt have a great impact on the game but it was funny to see him playing again in front of Block E. MSV sadly seemed to have left pretty soon after the match so sadly no Ronny photo.

- In the second half TeBe seemed to go up a gear or two, at some moments even three. MSV just collapsed. TeBe made loads of great chances, used the width well, nice one two passes and a lot of pressure. The first goal a gift but tucked away well by Lemcke.

- 3 Goals and three deserved points. Important for us too that we scored three times without Nenadinho and Fuss. The team beat MSV and made it look easy at times. That means that we have beaten both our major rivals in next season in just a few days. This is looking good. Well done to the team.

- The MSV trainer Wolfgang Sidka is an old TeBe trainer, giving the tradition loving Tennis fans the chance to sing an old traditional ditty after the 2-0 went in: Sidka Raus! Sidka Raus!

- The newish version of "Caravan of Love" was sung and quite well.


So The Photos:




Tennis start off well from the beginning, dominating the game and making chances. Not enough for a goal in the first half but promising stuff. Their goalkeeper looked a bit like Kahn: Oli! Oli! Oli!



A good ammount of people at the match considering the holiday but a suspicious number of Bayern and Frankfurt scarves and even a banner. So 0-0 still at HT.




As we went 2-0 up the MSV ultras started burning something but Babelsberg they are not. Still not bad turn out from them at all.




TeBe pile on the pressure an the third goes in. Good football and exciting open play. Why Ping Pong Alex flew to Spain to see some football I dont know. He missed out here.




The final result and 3 deserved points.




We all shake hands. Quite a friendly match but sometimes it seeemed to boil over a bit. Not an amazingly consistent card distribution system from the referee but he had quite a good game compared to some.






The team can do the "Wave" and we even got a little dance.

Tennis *clap clap clap*

And of course some Caravan of Love!



After the pictures of the choreo in Babelsberg the groundskeeper seems to have got into the spirit, putting purple tape around the "dump area" in the corner. One brave fan checks it out and decides that his drink tastes just as good there as in Block E.



Sidka wasnt happy with the performance of his team. Dejan was and admits to enjoying taking presents by the oppositions defence. A man of few words still but he managed more than 4 sentences this week. A good mood in the TeBe camp.

Well done TeBe.

We believe in tradition!
We believe in TeBe!
We believe that we will go up,
One day!