From IAB Angle

The Bundesliga 2017-18 finished on 12/05/18 with a couple of spectacular results: Bayern losing to Stuttgart 1:4, and Hertha in Berlin losing 2:6 to Leipzig. Hamburg HSV in spite of 2:1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach goes to 2.Liga as they needed a win of Köln against Wolfsburg.

But Köln with 22 points out of 33(34) games??!!, was not only demoted but demotivated and lost in a breeze 1:4, so Wolfsburg, which in 2009 was German champion, will play 2nd in row relegation games (play-off), this time against Kiel Holstein (good beer BTW). So maybe the question is are you for Holstein beer or Wolkswagen cars?

Since 0:1 defeat in Belgrade from Red Star in Europa League group stage, with which its International competition, hardly earned by former goalgetter Modeste, was sealed with 4 loses out of 6 games, 1.FC Köln lost another 9 games (+1 =7 -9 Spring, 2nd part of Bundesliga 2017-18; their website doesn’t show even that basic info but:

18 1. FC Köln 34 35:70 22 ).

Just in the last two games 1:3 vs Bayern and 1:4 vs Wolfsburg Köln got 7 goals, with totally demotivated play, as the new Sportdirektor Armin Weh already announced that 1.FC Köln will be preparing for the 2.Liga, even before the team still had theoretical chances to survive. So why playing and making efforts when 2.Liga is already planned. Still those 7 goals go to the account of Köln goalie Tim Horn, who was just motionless observing one after another ball ending in his net. As 6 goals Hertha got go to account of goalie R.A. Jarstein or 4 Bayern got go to account of S.Ulreich. And yet none of German coaches ever changed any of those out of form goalies. 17 goals is not a reason good enough to give another men a chance!?

Why not giving again, like in Europa League chance to Mr. Klinsmann Junior of Hertha, as soon as the goalpost started being filled up OR at least at the halftime?

Ever since that wonder-goal by Red Star’s Srnić in Belgrade, I watch Köln’s goalie giving interviews like it is always someone’s else fault and not his. 7 goals in 2 games (70 in the whole season!?) and for many of them just watching the ball going in?! And yet he seems to be more concerned about his hair&beard style then having a win for the Bundesliga Farwell. Poor HSV supporters — to whom they had put their chances for survival. Well, at least Hamburg, unlike Köln, fought and fought to prevent relegation and with 4 wins under the new manager C. Titz they should be given a credit!! “But boys do not cry!”

At the 1.FC Köln press conference beginning of December 2017 coach Ruthenbeck was announced as the interim until Christmas!? Yet he stayed on to “silently” follow the erosion throughout the Spring part of Bundesliga season 2017-18 and not even in the last games would occur to him to replace the indisposed goalie Horn, who was even hailed as extending his contract even under lower level of competition – 2.Liga.