MATCH REPORT: http://www.givemesport.com/362637-southampton-suffer-at-the-hands-of-schalke?tg=/ please log in to view this image VS please log in to view this image KICK-OFF: 18:00 Okay then, so it's nearly time for the third game of pre-season. I'm sure most people know a bit about Schalke, but if not, here you go... Who are Schalke? Schalke, whose full club name is FuÃballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, are a Bundesliga side. They are the 2nd largest sports club in all of Germany, and have representative teams in football, handball, basketball and track and field. They are the 14th biggest football club in world football, in terms of revenue. Their derby match is with Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund, who are on the other side of the Ruhr. They have won the German top flight on seven occasions, finishing runners-up on another nine occasions. However, Schalke have not won the division since 1958. The club were runners-up in the Bundesliga as recent as 2010. They boast five German Cup wins and one League Cup win. They have been German Cup runners up 7 times, and League Cup runners up three times. Schalke claimed both the German Cup and the German Super Cup (equiv. of Community Shield) in 2011. Schalke made it to the Champions League last sixteen last season, before losing by four goals to three against Turkish side Galatasaray, on aggregate. Where do they play? Schalke's home is the well-known Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, which played host to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It features a fully-retractable roof (take note, Wembley). The club moved to the new 61,973 capacity stadium in 2001. The new ground cost them 191 million euros to build and is the 5th largest stadium of any kind in Germany. It is the club's third home, after the multi-purpose Parkstadion that they left in 2001 (which held 62,000) and was built in 1973, and the Glückauf-Kampfbahn which was constructed in 1928, to hold 35,000 spectators. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image What are the club colours? Schalke traditionally wear a blue shirt, white shorts and blue socks. The Club Anthem "Blue and White Forever" Blue and White Blue and white, how I love you Blue and white, forever true Blue and white is just like heaven born Blue and white are the colours we have always worn If we had a kingdom for us to make It would resemble Schalke and no mistake All the girls, oh so young and fair Would sport a blue and white ribbon tied up in her hair Mohammed was a prophet who Knew nothing of football, that much is true But of all the colours shining bright The ones he thought up were our royal blue and white A thousand fires in the night Have brought us lots of pleasure and delight A thousand friends all standing side by side Will make sure Schalke will never die Where are we playing? We are playing at Stadion Villach Lind, a neutral venue in Austria - located close to the two club's training camps. The ground was recently used for QPR vs Udinese, which Udinese won 2-1. Saints' opponents during the training camp in Austria, Schalke and Besiktas played out a 1-1 draw there on Sunday. This is also the venue for our other game against Besiktas. The ground is an athletics ground and can play host to 6,000 spectators. It is located directly next to the Drau, a tribute river to the famous Danube. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image I'm aware most will know a fair bit about Schalke, but I decided to stick it in the previous format for the benefit of continuity, and for others. DTLW
Why can't we have a stadium like that!? I always manage to get tickets to close to the front when it rains :/
I think Clyne will cope okay, will be a hell of a test for Chambers if he plays, and give us our first indication of how good he really is.
Thanks for the initial post -DTLW. Anyone can see you go to a fair bit of trouble, and the post was quite informative. Unfortunately, when I was looking at the very impressive stadium I got one of my surreal moments. These come along very rarely and I wonder if it's just me. I think it probably is. It's that moment where I take a mental leap backward and look at things from a different perspective, but in a stark reality. I think... all this for kicking a bit of inflated leather around. By the way, I assure you that I haven't been ingesting or imbibing anything harmful. I hate having this thought. It can take seconds, minutes or hours, for me to shift it. I see the players running around in their peculiar costumes in a controlled fight to retain the bit of inflated leather, but ultimately to lose it in some netting. I also see the unimportance and futility of what they are doing. I'm right inside the thought now and I'll probably have to leave the forum for the evening unless it goes quickly. Does anyone have anything remotely like the same thoughts. Don't worry, I haven't lost my mind. I'm just using the forum to get some thoughts out. Definitely odd though. EDIT: Now, where's that Star Trek episode..?
The nearest to that thought is how ridiculous people would look in those socks and shorts anywhere else. But no one bats an eyelid when they're a fan. My mother always comments on how silly it looks.
I know what you mean, and I end up having a similar conversation with my friends, in fact none of my friends outside work are into football as I met them all through motocross, and they are all too quick to point out the insanity of the worship of football, and mostly dismiss it as a game for pussies. However, it provides entertainment to millions and as such has the infrastructure to go with it. It would be far more daft if football had the following it has today, and all the Premier league teams played in the local park with no television coverage. Football is something we can all relate to and appreciate the skill of those who are truly gifted, it caters to our tribal instincts and gives us an escape at the weekend. The money involved may be insane, but popularity and demand breeds that.
Good post. My mum has never got it and never will. My Dad does, he's a Saints fan, and so does my brother - who supports Arsenal. The other casually follows Arsenal, but he 'gets' the bug too. She finds the fact that I'd love to have a career in the industry, be it reporting on games, or working for a club or other sports team bizarre. My Dad and brothers totally understand. She always says things like "football is no different from one game to the next, it's repetitive", "what's so addictive about it?" and "but all football is the same, isn't it?". No, no it isn't.
Thanks, DTLW. Pay very little attention to any team other than Saints...to me, there are Saints and everyone else...so appreciate the info. I know that if we lose it is only a friendly and it is only a team sharpening exercise before the start of the season, but I really, really want a win....can you arrange that, please. This will be a tough one.
I sometimes wonder about the importance we attach to sports, but then realise that it is all part of the competitiveness of the human race. Better sport than war.
