Short and sweet

By: Chris | April 25th, 2008

Tomorrow is the second of HSV’s six-pointers versus other Bundesliga contenders. Ha. HSV aren’t contenders anymore. If they somehow manage to sneak into the CL qualifying, they will have done so because one of the contenders (Schalke, Bremen, Stuttgart) somehow slipped up and spit the bit.

Most of the team are available tomorrow, with the notable exceptions of David Jarolim (suspended) and Juan Pablo Sorin (injured, AGAIN), but that doesn’t mean that things are on the upswing. This is Team Turmoil. Huub’s on his way out and doesn’t care–he’s managing a CL side next season anyway. VDV is right behind and chances are he’ll be playing in the CL too. So what’s left to play for? Nuthin’. Yeah, we’ll be in European competition next autumn. But still. . .

Schalke come into the match having had a busy week. After sacking Mirko Slomka, who will not be HSV’s new manager (see below), Schalke went out and destroyed B’liga-dregs Cottbus 5-0 at home. Kevin Kuranyi had a nice Frank Lampard-esque afternoon with 4 gates. And now we know why Fred Rutten kept putting off HSV’s overtures.

My S.W.A.G. prediction: HSV come out and take the full three and draw even with Schalke in the table. 1-0 to the Rotthosen. Skol!

Speaking of clubs with openings for a manager, it looks more and more like Gerrard Houllier will be HSV’s next manager. His contract with the FFF (French Football Federation) is up in May (as The Church Lady might say, “How convenient. . .”), and now his buddy Alain Cayzac has resigned as president of PSG (They’re bound to be relegated? You don’t say.) so he can politely decline Mssr. Cayzac’s earlier job offer. Negotiations are proceeding quietly and Houllier has some small professional and personal matters to attend to. HSV are reported going to throw something like a €2.5 Million contract his way, so maybe he can keep dual residences in Hamburg and Paris. Let’s hope so. I am tired of this crap.

And that wraps the short but sweet preview for HSV and Schalke. The KLM departure lounge at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is nice and quiet and pretty deserted this evening. My flight to Amsterdam doesn’t leave for an hour or so and the champagne here is exquisite, and, of course, free. My employer is gracious enough to book us in business class when we travel overseas, and sadly, KLM doesn’t have business class on 747’s–only first class. Sigh. Oh, and Amsterdam is always a crummy place to have to visit, especially in the spring. If you’re near the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, look me up. I usually hang at the Five Bells to watch football and I am often the only eff’ing American in the place. We do get a fair number of Englishmen, though. Skip the London Bridge–it’s too smokey.