Five more days

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twenty-Six

Bye Iceland — Go Wales!

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twenty-Five

We have reached the semi-finals of EURO 2016. Six days till the final. Meaning a day or probably two of rest, maybe even three.

The story so far: Portugal plays Wales and Germany plays the host nation France in the semis. It’s a fifty-fifty thing. Germany and Wales are those I support, or rather would support if I did follow the tournament. And if it wasn’t just football, the thought of Portugal or France winning the whole thing would be hard to bear.

But it is only football. A mere sport, blown up to not only huge business but also international politics. Which is the reason Denmark did not qualify. Or rather was cheated outside the green pitch, on the green table, because of politics at the other end of Europe that has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with Denmark as a country, and even less with Danish football.

Oh well, it is soon over. Three more matches. Only one of the surprises left. And then another month and a half of peace before the German football season finally starts.

Hector the Humble Hero

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twenty-Three

The first good news: Turns out the Welsh Wizards actually did beat the Belgian Devils. Yay!

The second good news: Germany beat Italy after a penalty shoot-out marathon. And 1.FC Köln’s shooting star Jonas Hector scored the decisive one.

Jonas Hector deserves a story on its own, and here it is. A fairytale. A few years ago, the modest Saarländer played in the second team — because of his name🙂, I noticed him already back then — and already last year, he was the most capped player in Germany’s national team.

The best thing about this story (so far) though, is that he has kept both feet on the ground. He  talks to the press only occasionally, and only because it is part if his job, being a professional top footballer.

No CR7, no Zlatan, but Jonas. The story continues. Hopefully in Cologne.

An then there were seven

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twenty-Two

I know it. I know now which the famous eighth team in the quarter-finals is. Wales. It is Wales after all. I saw a news heading on Facebook saying that they will play Belgium. I really hope the dragons are going to devour the devils.

As I learned last week that only one of the ‘big four’ — Spain, Germany, France and Italy — can reach the final, the winner of that match will play Portugal in the semi-final. For they did win against Poland yesterday after all. The silence in the evening here in Little Portugal did not signify that the team had lost. It signified that it took time for them to win. A penalty shoot-out in fact. And the initial evening silence was interrupted by the occasional honking car and cheering chauffeur even later in the evening.

Damn. Poland out. So of the three left in this ‘half’ of the knock-out pyramid, only Wales is an acceptable winner for me. Not CR7. And please not the Vrietenvreters.

I also picked up that Iceland is now dealing with the host nation, and Germany will deal with Italy. So let’s hope for (but perhaps not bet on) Iceland vs Germany in the semis.

It does annoy me somehow that I found out, even by coincidence, who the eighth team is. I had almost guessed it but was far from sure. I mean: Wales? Cymru?? Seriously??? OK, it is a beautiful, an amazingly beautiful place. But football?



Anyway, you humongously beat Belgium when it comes to coastline. Now do the same on the green pitch. Please. Do.

Two thirds into the tournament, and still a team missing

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twenty

Incredibly, today I have learned nothing new about the EURO 2016! Nada, nothing, zilch! Perhaps it is a day off, as I figured yesterday?

Therefore, let’s summarise what I have picked up about the tournament so far. The new points, since the sum-up twelve days ago, are in italics.

• It is held in France
• France, Romania, Switzerland and Albania must have played in the same group
• Switzerland scored against Albania
• Albania beat Romania and fans celebrated in the streets of Albania until 2 am
• Albania came third but this did not suffice to reach the knock-out stage
• Iceland, Portugal, Austria and Hungary must have been in the same group
• Iceland drew 1:1 against Portugal (and Ronaldo was angry at reporters)
• From this group, only Austria did not reach the knock-out stage
• Poland, Northern Ireland, Germany and Ukraine must have played in the same group 
• Poland beat Northern Ireland by 1:0 (and Lewandowski was angry at his team mates)
• Germany beat Northern Ireland too, apparently by a few more goals
• Wales played against Russia
• Italy beat Sweden 1:0 at the group stage
• Turkey were in there somewhere too
• Sweden was eliminated at the group stage (and Zlatan was angry at the referees)
• Italy beat Spain in the eighth-finals
• Belgium beat Hungary in the eighth-finals
• Germany beat Slovakia in the eighth-finals 
• France beat Ireland 2:1 in the eighth-finals after Ireland had been up 1:0 on a penalty
• Iceland beat England in the eighth-finals
• Everybody loves the Icelandic Vikings — even the English 
• Poland plays Portugal in the quarter-finals
• Germany plays Italy in the quarter-finals
• Iceland, France and Belgium have also reached the quarter-finals

Now, this may seem like a lot of information picked up by someone who actively tries not to follow the tournament. But when you think of it, it adds up to very few facts:

1. As little as four exact results
2. Angry primadonna players
3. And not even all of the eight teams still fighting for the Henri Delaunay Cup…

The mysterious eighth team

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Nineteen

Belgium thrashed Hungary. I don’t know by how much but I saw headlines such as ‘Belgium seriously signs in for the fight for medals’ and ‘Belgium’s captain: We could have won even higher’. So I am supposing it was by more than three goals, which for some newspapers is enough to call a victory ‘thrashing’.

Anyway, I hope the won’t go all the way, that would simply be unbearable. One of the usual suspects, I can bear, even France or Italy. But not Belgium.

France won against Ireland, as I wrote about a couple of days ago. And I know the Squadra azzura is through too, as they played against another usual suspect, Spain, and I read that Spain is out.

The remaining of the four usual suspects is the only one I would support: Germany. I am pretty sure they won their eighth-final against Slovakia, as I saw photos of a celebrating Thomas Müller and Mario Gomez, the latter being one of the most overrated strikers to have worn the white jersey. But apparently he does live up to this honour now in his (for a footballer) older days. Maybe it’s just me who never got over watching him scoring a hattrick in RheinEnergieStadion back in 2009 when VfB Stuttgart was a top team and 1. FC Köln was (once again) newly promoted.

Who I’d really support though, if I was in fact following the EURO 2016, and who everyone seems to be supporting now are the volcanic wonderboys from Lavaland. Yes! Iceland were the wizards behind the second Brexit within a few days, this time just in a football tournament. I had caught a liveticker displaying that they were up 2:1 against England, and this morning I saw a text from my best friend, an Englishman, reading: ‘Yes! Iceland hand out just punishment for Thursday! Great result!’

Indeed.

A close Polish source also told me in a slightly worried tone that Poland will play Portugal in the quarter-finals. I will know the outcome of that one by the honking or the silence in my street. Although I actually do not know when the matches take place. My guess is that today is a day of rest, which then leaves exactly twelve days till the final on 10 July. That is a lot for seven more matches. Could it really be that tomorrow is a day off too, followed by only one quarter-final a day until 3 July? That would make space for a two-day break before the semi-finals on 6 and 7 July and another two days’ rest before the final.

So who is through anyway. Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Poland and Iceland. But who is the eighth quarter-finalist? Truth is, I honestly have no clue. Croatia? Turkey? Who am I forgetting, or rather not knowing about?

I think it proves a certain success in my self-experiment to not follow the EURO 2016: There is even one of the eight teams still in the tournament that I do not know of! Let’s celebrate that by watching the highlights of another quarter-final, not at a European but at a World Championship, and not with a good outcome but truly one of the most exciting matches ever:



Oh, wait! Maybe Wales is through?? Despite voting to leave…

The Union that does not want to be part of a Union

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Fifteen

Today does not call for a blogpost about football, after 51.9% of the UK voters chose to leave the European Union of peace.

So I will make it short and try to link the two. Which is easy: Now there is a real chance that, after almost a decade and a half, it will be justified for more than mere historical reasons that the UK has so many ‘national’ teams.

Because the United Kingdom will soon not be one. It is a now a far from unrealistic scenario that within a pretty near future, Scotland and perhaps even Northern Ireland will actually leave the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, just as the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. Wales, surprisingly, did vote to leave the EU …and the beautiful hilly country will probably keep its ‘national’ team.

The only thing I did pick up about the European Championship today was in my team’s newsletter where it says that our two players Jonas Hector and Dusan Svento will play against each other in the eighth-finals.

So now I know that Slovakia is through to the knock.out stage and that they will face Germany.

A duel between two countries that are both among the 28 members (soon 27, then 29 or a few more) of the European Union of peace.

Too much information?

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Thirteen

Oh dear, now I’ve done it.

First, in my afternoon coffee break — which was not even a planned one as I hardly ever take these — I heard a male German colleague enthusiastically explaining to a non-male non-German colleague that only one of (what he considered) the four big teams: Germany, Spain, France and Italy can now reach the final. Which must mean that they are playing in such constellation in the knock-out phase that they will play each other no later than in one of the semi-finals.

However, this does not necessarily mean that there will be a small(er) team in the final. For even if I keep hearing hints about Cristiano Ronaldo being pissed off at Portugal’s performance, I do not believe that they will not actually go through to the knock-out phase. For with this system of 24 teams, two thirds will. And no way Portugal will end up last in their group, or as one of the two number threes with the fewest points.

Second, what I just wrote was confirmed later. It was naïve of me to think that I could go to kicker.de just to check out if there were any news about my team (players bought, players sold, who they are playing in the first round of the cup), without seeing anything I shouldn’t see about EURO 2016.

For I did. And got a lot of information even if I only got a glimpse of one single heading. Compact with information, too much information, I believe it read something like: ‘CR7 saves Portugal. Iceland celebrates. Austria mourns.’

Still, despite the first bit of information in that single heading, I have not heard any honking cars here in Little Portugal. Perhaps the dear fado people save it for the final where they will have to play either Germany or Spain or France or Italy.

Part of me hopes not, as I support the small teams, like this time Iceland and Albania. Part of me does hope so as I will not watch it…

Those snippets that make it harder

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Twelve

The local cinema chain is running a promotional campaign, which is a classical example of a lost main message. It advertises ‘EURO 2016 from 10 June to 10 July — 6 € per ticket at your second visit’. It is evident to read the advert as if the cinemas actually project the European Championship matches on their big screens.

But they don’t. It is just a way to attract a few visitors over the summer and not lose them completely to the televised matches. By making them watch films during the tournament at a (very slightly) reduced rate. Not exactly clear.

What is clear is that Albania beat Romania. I do not know by how much but my Albanian connection told me there were celebrations in the streets until 2 am.

I also overheard a Pole explaining to a non-Pole that ‘we need a 0:0 against Ukraine’. Sigh. This is one of my pet peeves in football as a sport: A team can actually get a point without scoring a goal …provided that the opponent does not score either. And yet, football is allegedly about scoring goals, or at least attractive football is.

Now how is that for a competitive sport? Yes, I know. In other sports it may be similar. But a goalless draw hardly ever happens in ice hockey, for example. I recall such result a few years back in a European top league, and they said it was the first time in many years it had happened — and when it does happen, the match goes into extra time, sudden death or if necessary penalty shoot-out (pardon me if the terms are not correct) until one of the teams does score and ultimately wins. Not to speak of handball where goalless draws never occur.

In the Soviet football league there was no point for a goalless draw. Even if my own favourite team would suffer greatly from such rule, I think it a more than fair one. In fact I even once suggested that scored goals should be the first criterion to ranking teams in the league table. The counter comments I received in that forum were rather amusing. Football fans are, like most other religious people, rather conservative.

Anyway, the fact that biało-czerwoni had to go for at least 0:0 against Ukraine proves that the latter team is in the tournament, which I was not certain about (see yesterday’s post). In what must then be the same group, apparently Germany thrashed Northern Ireland who is probably out then, as I know for a fact they lost 0:1 against Poland earlier in EURO 2016.

So even if I try not to actively follow the tournament, the snippets of information I capture anyway start coming together to what is at least a bigger picture of how things are going and how teams are doing.

Which, admitted, makes it a bigger challenge not to actively follow.

How many out of twenty-four?

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Eleven

Time for a self-test. Yesterday when chatting to a couple of friends who had read my blog, I realised that since the number of teams in the European Championship is for the first time 24, there are eighth-finals after the group stage, as opposed to quarter-finals since 1996 I think, and before that even just semi-finals.

This also means that in four of the six groups, number three out of the four teams qualifies for the knock-out stage. I always found this a stupid rule: ‘the four best number threes’. It was invented by FIFA in the 1986 World Cup. Already four years before, the World Cup had been upgraded from 16 to 24 (and nowadays even 32!) teams.

As the system of having the two top teams of each of the six groups advance to the next round, and then play in four groups with three teams in each did not work well, eighth-finals were introduced from 1986, meaning that the ‘best’ four of the six teams finishing third in their respective groups also got a ticket to this round.

Anyway, back to the self-test: Do I actually remember which 24 teams qualified for EURO 2016? Let us see: Poland, Germany, France, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Russia, Romania, Albania, Iceland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland and Portugal I know for sure.

That’s 18 already. Spain must be in there as well, and I’m pretty sure that Germany had to play against Ukraine. Oh, and Belgium is in there too of course, as everybody’s (not so) hidden favourite.

So we’re at 21. Which ones can the remaining three be? Croatia would be a good bet. I do know that The Netherlands are not in. But who else is? Greece? Might be. Czechia perhaps? I don’t think so but I’m not sure. Ireland could be though, as I saw a link to some young lads in green jerseys with pints in one hand and garbage bags in the other:




I love that green country and their people! And it seems they are among the 24! Good!

Colours of football

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Nine

A trip to Germany. The occasional schwarz-rot-gold flag hanging from on a balcony, but surprisingly also a couple of bleu-blanc-rouge ones on poles. Grown men enjoying a pils in their national team jerseys. A girl running on the sidewalk wearing one too. A village café with a sign saying ‘Watch all EURO 2016 matches here’. A lakeside café with Özil, Schweini and five or six other players plus the whole team’s autographs printed on a flag. It’s EURO 2016 and the fans of the World champions display their affection.

Not a single car with those small plastic flagpoles fixed to the window frames though. So Germany is probably not playing today. And somehow, overall, I have the feeling that the enthusiasm does not reach quite the same heights as in recent years.

I did catch another result by accident though. While having a tea, I superficially browsed through a Bild, and as my eyes fell on a football field graphics with a heading saying that Italy has beaten Sweden 1:0, I quickly skipped past the sports pages — there was a dozen of them, and they seemed to be only about EURO 2016 — and only caught that Turkey played as well, and that there are some problems in the German team. At least according to Bild that of course listed the six reasons for these problems and …probably in their usual sublime journalistic style… analysed them in depth…

Italy 1:0… what a surprise… The safest bet one can place is that Italy wins 1:0, no matter who the opponent is. I have always had a hard time understanding football fans who follow Italian football (except for Italians of course). To me, they have always played this 1:0 football. Make a goal, and as soon as you do, just make sure the others don’t make one. How boring can it get, and then from this cheerful people who on other fields than the football field spread so much joy of life and colour.

Speaking of colours: Turkey. I had forgotten they were in there too. And they too have a Lukas Podolski connection, as he plays for one of the country’s big three, Galatasaray Istanbul. Galatasaray plays in unusual colours: a dark shade of yellow, approaching orange, and a brownish red. The colours are not far from those of AS Roma, and what I find interesting in both cases is that while such colours look somewhat too dark at less sunny latitudes, they look brilliant down there.

The story so far

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Eight

Wow! It has been a week since the opening match already! And what I know for sure about the EURO 2016 matches is that:

• It is held in France
• The host nation played against Romania
• Switzerland scored against Albania
• Iceland drew against Portugal (and Ronaldo was angry)
• Poland beat Northern Ireland by 1:0 (and Lewandowski was angry)
• Germany played against Poland
• Austria played or will play against Hungary
• Wales will play against Russia

I don’t think I learned anything new about the tournament today. It was simply too busy at work, and during lunch, when one side of the table started talking football, I had the reflex to focus on the other side, discussing books.

Ironically, after one of my colleagues mentioned a dystopian book in which the World’s population (apart from one person of course) had gone blind, my contribution to the discussion was to recommend a play called ‘The Sightless’…

PoL-Di — and the paradox of a possible Brexit

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Seven

An English friend told me that the England’s last group match — to be played three days before the UK referendum on whether or not to be part of the European community we are building together for some sixty years now — can actually influence that group of still-doubting voters who might very well be decisive to the outcome.

Is that really what the World has come to? Is football, or rather following football, the modern-day battle between tribes?

If so, it is actually a paradox of big dimensions. If one looks to the ethnicity of players on the different teams, especially but not only the former colonial powers, the plethora of diversity is evident.

One famous example is Lukas Podolski. Born in Gliwice in Southern Poland, his family moved to a suburb of Cologne when he was very little. Already as a teenager, he became the star of my team 1. FC Köln where he remains a cult figure. In fact, the only club where Prinz Poldi has had real success is here.

Given Germany and Poland’s long intermingled history, there is even a book about Polish players who carried the black eagle rather than their own white one. Apparently, tonight the two countries play each other. Should Poldi score …although it seems unlikely he will even play; some claim he is only part of the Germany’s squad of 23 because of his persistent good mood and positive influence on his team mates… he will not celebrate, out of respect for his country of birth.

Podolski made the same gesture, of not celebrating that is, when he played for Bayern München against 1. FC Köln years ago. I was there, in the stadium. Before the match, during the warm-up, the kölsche supporters celebrated their lost star. And they celebrated his goal despite that it consolidated the 0:3 defeat against the spoiled Bavarian millionaires. As the German media reported: Das gibt’s nur in Köln!

Incidentally this happened to be the only time my Polish better half has joined me for a live football match, to see what on Earth made me spend entire Saturdays on driving a couple hundred kilometres and back to see 22 men chase some ball for 90 minutes.

Beats me.

Memorable moments from 2012 and 2014

Avoiding EURO 2016: A self-experiment — Day Four

It had to happen rather sooner than later: Some friends asked me who I support at EURO 2016. I explained that I do not follow the tournament, and why.

Before that, they asked me if I was also joining to watch tonight’s match on a big screen on the city’s central square. It brought back memories of the Match of the Century two years ago when Germany crushed the Brazilian hosts in the World Cup semifinal. I watched it right there, on that square.

I also saw a car with a Polish flag drove through my street. It is the first and so far only sign of supporters I have seen this year. I wonder if it is because interest this year is actually lower in general, or if it is that I simply do not see it.

Anyway, I was happy it was a Polish flag as I have close connections with Poland. It turned out they had beaten Northern Ireland 1:0. That’s all I know. The first actual result that I have seen, of course by accident, through a Facebook post. I also learned that Robert Lewandowski had shouted at team mates because he was unhappy with the performance.

Whether Lewandowski was the one who scored the goal, I do not know. But I have a fond memory of him. Four years ago, when the European Championship was held in Poland and Ukraine, I placed a 10 € bet on him being the tournament's first goal scorer. And he was. I watched the game in a pub with the local Polish community — beautiful girls with red and white flags painted on their cheeks.

I don’t recall if the bookmakers credited 40 or 60 € to my account — ‘first goal scorer’ is a risky bet with consequently high odds, on the other hand Robert Lewandowski must have been among the favourites and thus among the lowest odds in this category — but I do recall that all in all I lost money on that won bet, as people expected me to celebrate it by buying drinks. Heck, it’s just a game.

Na zdrowie.

Kritzelart

Mein Beitrag zur „Kritzelei der Woche“ in Die Zeit…

Entstanden ist diese Kritzelei bei einem internationalen Workshop in Berlin zum Thema EU-Recht, -Wirtschaft und -Politikwissenschaften. Nicht dass ich mich langweilte, aber diese Themen sind so gradlinig, dass ich Angst hatte, meine Gehirnzellen würden sich in parallelen Reihen ordnen, und um dies zu vermeiden, habe ich dann kreuz und quer gekritzelt, allerlei kleine Bildchen und Symbole, die mir eingefallen sind. Während einer Pause hat eine Mitstudentin aus Kosovo — ich selbst bin ein luxemburgischer Däne, was man sicher auch aus meinen grammatischen Fehler sehen kann — das Blatt geklaut und einige ihrer eigenen Kritzeleien zugefügt. Deshalb sind einige Details am Rande des Werks viel künstlerischer als der Rest.

 ©2013

"Plastik"tüten aus Naturmaterial im Recycling-Center abgelehnt

Brief an Naturata:

Hallo Naturata-Freunde

Seit Langem bin ich Naturata-Kunde und seit der Einführung von den biologisch abbaubaren Tüten für Frucht und Gemüse werfe ich diese in den Containern für Gartenabfälle.

Heute morgen wurde ich dabei zum ersten Mal "erfasst", und ich hatte Schwierigkeiten, den Mitarbeiter der "Centre de Recyclage" verständlich zu machen, dass es sich bei den Tüten tatsächlich um abbaubares Bio-Material handelte, und natürlich kein Plastik war, das ich da im Gartenabfallcontainer reingeworfen hatte.

Vielleicht wäre es sinnvoll, wenn Sie sich an der "Service d'hygiène" (in Luxemburg Stadt: hygiene@vdl.lu) wenden um denen die Tüte zu präsentieren, damit sie es den Mitarbeitern weitersagen können, dass sie (die Tüten, nicht die Mitarabeiter) in den Gartenabfallcontainern gehören :)

Im Voraus besten Dank!
MfG Bjørn Clasen, Rollengergronn


Antwort:

Sehr geehrter Herr Bjørn Clasen,

besten Dank für ihre Anfrage.  Wir möchten Ihnen zu unserer durchsichtigen biologisch, abbaubaren, kompostierbaren Tüte aus Maisstärke ohne OGM folgendes mitteilen.
Diese Tüte ist für uns die zur Zeit unseres Wissens nach beste Alternative, die wir finden konnten und daher auch an dem „Keimling-Logo“ zu erkennen.

1)    Wir sind davon ausgegangen, dass diese kompostierbare Tüte auch für Biogasanlagen kein Problem darstellt. Dem ist aber anscheinend nicht so. Nach einem Telefonat mit dem Service d’Hygiène von der Stadt Luxemburg wurden wir eines Besseren belehrt. Die Tüte sei dafür nicht geeignet, da die Vergärung viel schneller abläuft als eine Verrottung oder Kompostierung. Das Resultat sei, dass die Arbeiter der Biogasanlage immer wieder die Tüten aus dem Fermenter herausfischen müssen.

2)    Dass nun aber bei Gartenabfall, der meines Wissens ja kompostiert wird, dies auch der Fall ist, davon habe ich aber zur Zeit noch nichts gehört. Wir haben Kontakt mit dem Service d’Hygiène aufgenommen. Es ist so, dass in die Gartenabfallcontainer nur Grünschnitt, Holzschnitt, Rasenschnitt reingehört. Dies alles wird dann kompostiert. Da ja unsere Tüten auch kompostiert wird meinte ich , dass das doch möglich sein sollte. Mir wurde dann gesagt,“ …war die kompostierbare Tüte leer oder mit Lebensmittelresten gefüllt, mit Lebensmittelresten geht ja auch nicht…“.
Hier kann es aber auch sein, dass die benutzte Technik dem Stand der Weiterentwicklung von unseren Tüten nicht standhält. „Jede Kompostanlage muss professionell betrieben werden und dazu gehört es auch, sich mit der Kompostierbarkeit von Materialien auseinandersetzen, denen im Verpackungsbereich die Zukunft gehört. Unsere Tasche kompostiert innerhalb von 2 bis 3 Wochen in industriellen Kompostanlagen CO2 –neutral.  In Österreich werden viele Millionen Bioabfallbeutel pro Jahr aus demselben Material wie Ihre Taschen eingesetzt, ohne dass es zu Problemen kommt „ so der Hersteller unserer Tüte.

3)    Als Lösung bliebe zur Zeit da nur die schwarze Tonne für den normalen Hausmüll.

Als Fazit muss hier leider gesagt werden, dass die Abfallwirtschaft hier noch Nachbesserungspotential hat. Wir von NATURATA lassen das natürlich nicht auf uns beruhen, sondern wir werden einen Brief diesbezüglich an die Gemeinde Luxemburg schreiben.

Entschuldigung, dass ich Ihnen keine bessere Lösung anbieten konnte.

Mit besten Grüßen

Roland Majerus
NATURATA SA
adm.délégué

Kinder wann? — Kids when?

„Ich will nicht irgendwo angekommen sein, bevor mein Kind auf der Welt ist, ich will es mitnehmen.“
Patrick Bauer
in „Jetzt ein Baby?“ (Neon, Januar-Ausgabe 2012)

‘I do not want to have arrived somewhere before my child is born, I want to take it with me.’
Patrick Bauer
in ‘A Baby Now?’ (Neon, January edition 2012)

Meine Kandidatur für die Wahl zum FC-Verwaltungsrat

Liebe FC-Mitglieder

Die Mitgliederversammlung steht kurz bevor, und darunter auch die Wahl zum Verwaltungsrat. Ich habe beschlossen, für diesen zu kandidieren und brauche daher bis Sonntag 50 Unterschriften, die meine Kandidatur unterstützen.

Wer mich dabei helfen will, kann mich kontaktieren (fc [at] clasencoach.eu). Ich werde Ihnen dann einen Bogen zuschicken, wo Sie (und natürlich gerne auch andere Mitglieder in Ihrem Umfeld) sich mit Name, Mitgliedsnummer und Unterschrift eintragen können. Ausgefüllt können Sie den Bogen dann scannen und per E-Mail an mich zurückschicken (Original unbedingt aufbewahren; den brauche ich später) oder eventuell am 30. persönlich an mir abgeben.

Unterschreiben kann jede(r), die/der bei der Mitgliederversammlung Stimmrecht hat (auch wenn Sie nicht kommen bzw. mich nicht wählen), d.h. am 13. November 2011 mindestens 18 Jahre alt ist. Dabei ist es wichtig, dass Sie nicht nur Ihren Namen, sondern auch Ihre FC-Mitgliedsnummer angeben!

Ein Bisschen über mich:
Ich bin ein lebendiger Beweis für „einmal FC, immer FC!“. Die Geschichte ist zu lang um hier zu erklären, aber sagen wir mal, dass obwohl ich Däne bin und in Luxemburg aufgewachsen bin, steht die Bundesliga für mich über die Champions League, der FC, selbst in den Jahren in Liga Zwei, über jeden anderen Verein, national wie international. Dass 50.000 Zuschauer aufstehen und das FC-Lied 10 Minuten vor Schluss am letzten Spieltag in der letzten Abstiegssaison singen sagt für mich eigentlich alles. Ich war dabei. Und habe ironischerweise an diesem traurigen Tag mein Herz endgültig an den FC verloren. Seitdem fahre ich so oft, es meine Zeit und mein Geld es überhaupt erlauben, ins RheinEnergieStadion, zu Auswärtsspielen oder einfach nur nach Kölle. Könnte ich nach Kölle ziehen, würde ich es tun.

Ein Lebenslauf schicke ich gerne auf Anfrage. Online gibt es einen hier. Dazu können Sie auch gerne meine Firmenseite besuchen.

Einige Punkte wozu ich stehe:

— Der FC ist laut mehreren Untersuchungen einer der allerbesten Vereine Deutschlands im Bereich Fan-Service und Branding. Diese Position müssen wir auch in Zukunft halten und erweitern. Ich bin für eine Fortsetzung und einen Ausbau des Dialogs zwischen dem Verein, seine Mitglieder und seine Fans. Denn unsere Herzen schlagen alle für den FC.

— Profi-Fußball ist auch Geschäft. Darum heisst es Profi-Fußball. Der FC muss sich realistische sportliche und daher auch wirtschaftliche Ziele setzen. Diese müssten auch ambitiös sein, wobei man beachten soll, dass man laufen können muss, bevor man versucht zu sprinten. Stabilität ist das Schlüsselwort; so kommt der FC wieder voran, Schritt für Schritt. Dabei muss der FC nie einen Scheich-Spielzeug werden. Lieber eine Dauermitgliedschaft in der Bundesliga, mit kleinem Geld und mäßigen Ergebnissen (und dann in 2020 Meister werden) als eine durch „einfaches“ Geld gekaufte Spitzenposition, oder dieses ewige Zig-Zag zwischen den Ligen weil man zu früh zu hoch strebt.
— Auch hier gilt die Transparenz: Der Verein muss um seine Ziele offen sein, und darüber ehrlich bleiben wenn und warum etwas weniger gut läuft.
— Konkret könnte man überlegen, eine lebenslange FC-Mitgliedschaft anzubieten, zum Preis von z.B. 20 Jahre Mitgliedschaft. Die Rentabilität muss natürlich erst überprüft werden.

Übrigens habe ich die FC-Hymne in mehreren Sprachen übersetzt. Demnächst im Geißbock-Echo zu lesen!

Für Fragen bin ich natürlich offen. Schreiben Sie mir einfach.
Ich bedanke mich bei Ihnen sehr herzlich für jede Unterstützung und für Ihr Vertrauen!
Mit FCreundlichen Grüßen
Bjørn Clasen

FC Cologne, We Stand By You

The FC Cologne anthem in English — ©2011 Bjørn Clasen
Translated from the ‘kölsch’ version — Melody: ‘The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond’

Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Edinburgh and London Town
Everywhere, you’ll find FC supporters
In Sydney, New York, Brighton, Cardiff and in Cork
Everywhere, there are FC supporters

Yesterday and today, whether joy or sometimes pain
It’s the feeling that makes FC Kölle
Forward or back, each new game brings us new luck
That’s the feeling that makes FC Kölle

We swear to you on our honour and pride
FC Cologne, we stand by you
And we’ll go with you on each rollercoaster ride
We will always support FC Kölle

The old and the young, the poor and the rich
Together we are strong, FC Kölle
Through thick and through thin, through the fire, everywhere
Together we stand, FC Kölle

We swear to you on our honour and pride
FC Cologne, we stand by you
And we’ll go with you on each rollercoaster ride
We will always support FC Kölle

We swear to you on our honour and pride
FC Cologne, we stand by you
And we’ll go with you on each rollercoaster ride
We will always support FC Kölle

Vi Er Med Dig, FC Kölle

1. FC Kölns fanhymne på dansk — ©2011 Bjørn Clasen
Oversat fra den “kölsche” udgave — Melodi: ‘The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond’

Odense, København, Aalborg, Århus, Aabenraa
Overalt er der fans af FC Kölle
I Tórshavn og Nuuk, på Bornholm og i Hobro
Overalt er der fans af FC Kölle

I går og i dag, om det går frem eller tilbag’
Er det følelsen af FC Kölle
Om op eller ned, lykkebringer er vor ged
Det er følelsen af FC Kölle

Stolthed og ære, det sværger vi på
Vi er med dig, FC Kölle
Og vi følger dig gennem ild hvis det ska’ vær’
Vi vil altid vær’ dig tro, FC Kölle

Gammel som ung, og fattig som rig
Sammen er vi stærkest, FC Kölle
Hvor end det går hen, gennem tykt og gennem tyndt
Er det sammen vi er bedst, FC Kölle

Stolthed og ære, det sværger vi på
Vi er med dig, FC Kölle
Og vi følger dig gennem ild hvis det ska’ vær’
Vi vil altid vær’ dig tro, FC Kölle

Stolthed og ære, det sværger vi på
Vi er med dig, FC Kölle
Og vi følger dig gennem ild hvis det ska’ vær’
Vi vil altid vær’ dig tro, FC Kölle