THE PROMOTION OF RB Leipzig to the Bundesliga has caused resentment amongst hardcore fans of traditional teams, sparking fears that ‘plastic clubs’ could ruin the traditional culture in Germany’s top flight.
RB Leipzig are backed by Austrian energy drinks giants Red Bull, who took over a football licence and founded the club in 2009.
The team was renamed RasenBallsport Leipzig, specifically to get around the German league rule forbidding teams from carrying a sponsor’s name.
Four promotions in seven years has taken Leipzig to the Bundesliga and their young squad are unbeaten after six games on their first season in the top tier.
They have beaten both Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg, while drawn with other big clubs Cologne and Borussia Moenchengladbach.
But their impressive performances so far in their debut season has earned little respect from Germany’s hardcore fans.
Some Leipzig matches have been boycotted and a severed bull’s head was even thrown onto the playing area for an away German Cup match.
Ultra fans of Cologne blocked the Leipzig team bus for their home game in September, which led to the kick-off being delayed, while banners reading “We Hate RB” were on display around the city.
Borussia Dortmund’s ultras boycotted their away game in Leipzig last month, with supporters groups refusing to put their money into Red Bull’s pockets.
“Red Bull Leipzig is leading the whole system of football to ad absurdum,” filmmaker and Dortmund fan Jan-Henrik Gruszecki told broadcaster Sport1.
“Traditional clubs like Dortmund, Schalke, Cologne and Bayern Munich want to make money and play football.
“Red Bull want to sell a product and a brand. This is the basic difference.”
Hostility towards sponsored teams in Germany’s top flight is nothing new, but RB Leipzig have crystallised growing resentments.
Ingolstadt, Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and now Leipzig are all backed by wealthy companies or individuals.
None are widely popular and all are dubbed plastic clubs.
When Wolfsburg, backed by car manufacturers Volkswagen, played Bayer Leverkusen, sponsored by pharmaceutical firm Bayer, last season, trade magazine Kicker dubbed it ‘El Plastico’, a play on words using the ‘El Clasico’ reference to the Real Madrid-Barcelona clash.
Theoretically, Germany has a rule that should prevent individuals or institutions owning clubs outright.
The 50+1 rule also states that a club must hold a majority of its own voting rights.
But Leipzig bypassed the 50+1 rule with 51 percent of the club owned by Red Bull employees — and the other 49 percent is owned by Red Bull.
“The peculiarity of the culture of football in Germany is that the clubs were founded as an association, in which the supporters have control of power and decision-making,” Jonas Gabler, an expert on football culture in Germany, told AFP.
The wishes and interests of the fans are taken very seriously. This interaction of fans with their clubs is an essential element of the culture of football.
“Now fans have the impression that this tradition is perverted by clubs who are created by companies.”
Fans of traditional teams criticise plastic clubs for relying on a sponsor, who can withdraw the cash at will, and for taking the place in the top flight of a less wealthy club.
For example, Leipzig beat Nuremberg, who have a strong tradition in Germany’s top flight, to an automatic promotion spot last season.
Reasonable ticket prices are a feature of German club football, but fans fear a deterioration of the mutual respect between clubs and their supporters could lead to a rise in prices.
“Many leaders personally reject this economic model. And many prefer not to oppose the majority of fans on this, so they remain cautious,” observed Gabler.
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Yikes! Not what we need before we start… well this is why you need a squad to win a World Cup, Ireland’s depth will be tested.
@Aaron Tynan: big loss in centre but could be a silver lining later in tournament to have Addison as full back option
@BMJF: silver lining henshaw out???? That’s a huge loss!!!! Adisson or Henshaw v SA or NZ give me a break. Kearney will be solid dont worry about him
I’m on my way lads
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: “You’re my Boy Blue”!!!
@#JUSTICE4NOEL:
NOT YET !!!!
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: sorry Noel but no overseas money grabbers allowed.
Ah feck. He just can’t stay fit these days. He was so good last week & for me would have started against the Scots. Hopefully it’s not his World Cup over. Luckily we’ve good cover there but it’s not an ideal way to go into the tournament.
@Kevin: nothing to do with fitness, he did his hamstring. Could happen to anybody.
@Harry Fanning: I’m not just talking about this most recent injury. Henshaw has had a very unlucky run of injuries over the last couple of years.
@Kevin: ever since he left Connacht he’s seemed injury prone.
@David Finn: yup, broke hand against Munster in Thomond. About the only major injury in four seasons with seniors at Connacht…
Hope he recovers but I don’t mind Ringrose and Aki. Ringrose is a dancer, love his play.
Ringrose is just as good a replacement to have. But hopefully if Henshaw recovers in time for SA. That would be a huge boost!
@Harry O’Callaghan: Pretty presumptuous there!
@The Guru: you’re right… could be NZ!
@Sam Ahern: Irish rugby fans becoming increasingly like English football fans.
@The Guru: stirring the pot there
@Harry O’Callaghan: it time for the Italy quarter final
@The Guru: Very insightful
@The Guru: Shurrup ya scruffy fleabag :P
Said it before, has to be something wrong with the training regime when players can’t put 2 games back to back without picking up injuries, Sexton next!
@Martin McKenna: it’s the nature of the game, aging team and it’s about as contact as contact sports can be
@5hbeZh0I: Henshaw has played very little and keeps getting injured, has to be an underlying cause.
@5hbeZh0I:
What does “aging team” have to do with Henshaw ??
Not sure if it was enforced but Addison was pulled from the team for Ulster today at the last minute. Wonder was it a precaution to prevent him being injured if he needs to go to Japan.
@Ruckin’ Hell: God I really need to read articles before I comment
@Ruckin’ Hell: haha it helps. Henshaw bad injury profile, might see Will fly in alright.
A pity. We have good replacements but Aki and Ringrose don’t have the same kind of synergy together.
Loads of comments about Aki and Ringrose covering, nobody mentions that Farrell can do a job at 12, big, strong and abrasive, wouldn’t be shocked if JS picks him to cover Henshaw who is …..big strong and abrasive
@Kevin50: yep, I’d say Farrell could easily be picked instead. Either way ringrose is a class act, hasn’t really been himself the last few months but a lad like him could turn it in a game. Be an awful shame for Ireland & especially henshaw himself if he were to miss out. He’s starting to get tod type luck and in fairness last week he looked class, up against one of the world’s top centre pairings. Looked like he was spot on for a great wc
@Tim Magner: Aki Farrell didn’t work. Not much point in Farrell at 13 if aki only passes after contact. Farrell And ringrose would be better
@Chris Mc: are you saying that because of that 1st Welsh friendly? Cos back in the grand slam year v Wales, Aki & Farrell played and Farrell was mom
Poor fella can’t catch a break.. fingers crossed
Some bodies are just injury-prone and Henshaw’s injury profile is dreadful at this stage. Sad for him and a big blow for Ireland if he’s not available for quarters.
Gutted for him if the issue is confirmed. But as a squad someone else will hopefully get a shot.
What a disaster.
Should never happen in training.
We haven’t even kicked a ball yet and a key guy is out!
What have they been at for the last week?
A few days off and then some unavoidable travel/recovery time.
But 7 days without being on a pitch with a rugby ball?
A week before the biggest game of their careers? Ain’t no expert but It seems odd.
@Oran Burns: why should it not happen in training? Training loads at this stage should be heavy and at match intensity to acclimatise to humidity etc. with loads getting lighter closer to games.
@Oran Burns: nowhere near the biggest game of their careers, it’s a world cup group game. This squad have played grand slam deciders, world cup 1/4 finals and many bigger games. Henshaw has been massively unfortunate but any professional team must train as they mean to play. You cannot train at 75% and expect to ramp it up to 100% on match day. But as you say, your no expert, so il forgive and forget
If he could be fit for a potential qf then he’s worth keeping in the squad.
Is it over yet?
Irish Rugby just had a press conference in Japan at 1am our time. The official word is he “felt a tightness in his hamstring at training yesterday. He will be scanned today and monitored this week. No replacement player has been called up at this stage”. Fingers crossed it is only tightness and not a tear. We can do without him against Scotland, we’ve got coverage. But I feel we’ll definitely need him in the quarter finals, and to play in that game he’ll need minutes in the group games.
Ffs!