Fußball-Bundesliga XLIX, Dortmund Double or is Bayern Back?

Really?
I thought it was just Preetz!

I see what you mean with Fabregas, and I don't want to take away from that but Poldi is Köln and Köln is Poldi.
This is a guy who lives and breathes the club and city, being raised there it is also his boyhood club. In fact he will live in Köln and fly to England for training/matches. He is active in karneval clubs and is at most big events in the city. He moved back to FC after his spell with Bayern went bad - though I'm sure the money wasn't bad.
For him to go
This was awful for him, but also something that I believe will help the club. They need to rebuild and refocus. Perhaps the 2. Liga will be a place they can do this.
Plus, if Düsseldorf don't go up, we can look forward to the derby matches between the two rival cities.
I think he will be good fro Arsenal too. Wenger speaks German and Mertesacker is also there so learning the language wont be soooooo necessary (his not the sharpest tool in the shed). Think it's a good move.

Its the exact same thing with Fabregas. Cesc is a born catalan, supporting Barca, and played for them through the youth ranks with Messi, Pique, etc etc. So you could argue the connection Cesc has is stronger than Podolski, who was born in Poland and still has "two hearts beating" in him.

And Podolski will have to learn english. Wenger insists that all players learn english, and all communication on the pitch, practices and matches are always in english. But yes, for the transition there are enough german and polish speaking players. Actualy Szeszesny is one of Podolskis best friends, and thats one major reason he is choosing Arsenal. And I doubt he will be living in Cologne, but I suppose if he can get a private jet or something then it would be about a 2 hour commute, so not totally unthinkable.

Ahhh, I see what you mean.Sorry, I thought you were talking about Fabregas' connection to Arsenal / London but you meant his connection to Catalonia.

I'm being a little over the top, I'm sure he will learn the language, and with some Polish mates there it should be no problem to adjust.

Ya, Preetz has lost the plot. Is Rangnick someone who's on the Berlin radar? could he handle all that stress, I mean Schalke nearly killed him! Talking to a couple Düsseldorf fans, they believe that Hertha will win, but it depends on how well Fortuna can play away, something they haven't done very well.
The Olympic stadium is gonna have a bit of use over the next coming days, that's for sure.

Köln is just a Kaneval Club, that's the reason for the constant turnover. The expectations are high and the team constantly underachieves.
I think it depends who stays, though I can't see many, and the coach. Some talk is Holger Stanislawski - a guy I really like, and who has dragged a team up to the BL from the 3. Liga. Perhaps bringing him in with Jörg Schmatke could be a step in the right direction. Though knowing FC, they'll probably hire Mo Johnston or the like. :-)

The stupid decisions are on Preetz, absolutely. But Preetz is in the position he is to make those decisions because he has support of a majority of the board, and especially Werner Gegenbauer (President and close supporter of him). You really have to wonder at their vision thinking he's doing a good job after running Favre out of town and choosing Friedhelm Funkel, never mind what happened this year.

Names I've heard in Berlin media are 1. Rangnick (though he is not negotiating until learning which BL they play in, though has said he'd be willing to work in either. Also rumoured to be driving a hard bargain around power - not willing to take the job unless he has complete control. I like that but IMO that lessens the likelihood he comes) and 2. Stanislawski.

So - looks like Berlin and Köln are competing for the same 2 guys.

If Fortuna ultras this game were any sign of what they'll be like in 1. BL next year, it'll be fun to watch the crackdown.

In the meantime, those fucking apes can suck my left nut.