Leipzig were nothing a few years ago before the Red Bull owner bought 4 clubs around the world: Leipzig, New York, Salzburg and in Brazil. Leipzig have been promoted in 4 consequetive years with the exception of one year and are now heading for the big prize. Today it did not happen for them with the game petering out 0-0. The crowds at German games though are always good and pretty sure is the best supported league globally. The Australian Lecce played for Ingolstadt but was woeful before coming off early on.
The stadium is impressive too. It was rebuilt in time for the 2006 World Cup but was built inside the old 120,000 stadium which was for the DDR Lokomotive Leipzig team. It's pretty cool as they have kept the original infrastructure. There are bridges you walk over to get into the new peice.
Susanna's son met us after the game - he is signed at RB Leipzig's youth academy. We visited it and it is impressive. He signed from Berlin Viktoria at the tender age of 13 which meant moving away from home. They live at the training complex (recently built by Red Bull for ~50m euros) and now 16 (born 2000) he has just signed for another three years. It's tough being away from Berlin, training twice a day and having to fit in the small matter of his school work - Leipzig pay for all academy players to attend a private school.
We got the van back with him and he was giving the goss on what it takes and the zero tolerance policy at the club. This means no messing around and eating literally NO crap. He gave us a load of free Red Bull but he is band from drinking it and refused all chocolate and sweet offers in the car. Next week he is away in Duisburg for the German national u17 trials, perfect timing for his GCSEs the following week. Yikes.
I've said this before. Germany treats its younger generation with a lot more respect than in Anglo Saxon societies and therefore they behave better. It's actually not just football but German society as a whole.
The stadium is impressive too. It was rebuilt in time for the 2006 World Cup but was built inside the old 120,000 stadium which was for the DDR Lokomotive Leipzig team. It's pretty cool as they have kept the original infrastructure. There are bridges you walk over to get into the new peice.
Susanna's son met us after the game - he is signed at RB Leipzig's youth academy. We visited it and it is impressive. He signed from Berlin Viktoria at the tender age of 13 which meant moving away from home. They live at the training complex (recently built by Red Bull for ~50m euros) and now 16 (born 2000) he has just signed for another three years. It's tough being away from Berlin, training twice a day and having to fit in the small matter of his school work - Leipzig pay for all academy players to attend a private school.
We got the van back with him and he was giving the goss on what it takes and the zero tolerance policy at the club. This means no messing around and eating literally NO crap. He gave us a load of free Red Bull but he is band from drinking it and refused all chocolate and sweet offers in the car. Next week he is away in Duisburg for the German national u17 trials, perfect timing for his GCSEs the following week. Yikes.
I've said this before. Germany treats its younger generation with a lot more respect than in Anglo Saxon societies and therefore they behave better. It's actually not just football but German society as a whole.
Interesting about their discipline to nutrition at such a young age. Explains a lot. The German players always look cut.
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