Bayer Leverkeusen
Introduction:
I have to admit, the first thing that came to my head when I thought about German football was the 5-1 thrashing at the hands of England all those years ago. Second to this though was the great Bayer Leverkeusen team of the early noughties. For anyone who doesn’t know about this relatively successful era in the clubs history, it’s the time when the bottled a lead in the German league in 2000, then managed to bottle another League, German Cup and Champions League in 2002. Okay, losing against Real Madrid to that goal from Zinedine Zidane may not be a bottle, but losing out on 3 titles sure is!
This team was made up of stars who they predictably lost to larger European teams; Ze Roberto and Michael Ballack both left for Bayern Munich which really hurt Leverkeusen. Players such as Lucio, Jens Nowotny, Bernd Schneider, Hans Jorg-Butt, Carsten Ramelow, Oliver Neuville, Yildray Basturk, Dimitar Berbatov, Marko Babic and Ulf Kirsten all made up the 2002 squad which was famously named “Neverkeusen” after the treble failure.
Since that time they’ve not really been the same again, they managed a 3rd place finish in 2003/04 but since then they haven’t finished above 5th. They really are a team in a transition period that needs a few top players to take them to a place they’ve never been before – Bundesliga champions.
Fact File:
Full Name: Bayer 04 Leverkeusen
Stadium: BayArena (30,000 all-seater)
Training Facilities: Top training facilities
Youth Facilities: Excellent youth facilities + Youth Academy
Media Prediction: 9th
Board Expectations: Top half finish
Continental Competitions: None
The Squad:
The team is full of great individuals but really lacks enough quality throughout the squad. I'll only be highlighting the good players in this guide as there are about 50 players in the first team and reserves who will never get close to the team! These can all get sold for for a tidy profit allowing you to bring in over £10m in the first summer.
In the goal keeping department you are blessed with one of the greatest goalkeepers on the game; Rene Adler. Rene has high ambitions though, so if he does not see the club progressing after 18 months – 2 years then you might be in trouble. Keep him tied down on a long term deal on frequent periods so you can demand top prices for him when he inevitably asks to leave. If he doesn’t ask to leave then you’re succeeding as far as I’m concerned. You must be in and around the top of the table and competing in the latter stages of the cup competitions to keep him around. Other than Mr Adler though, there is no real back up or competition. Benedikt Fernandez is the best of a bad bad bunch – you wouldn’t want him in goal for more than a handful of games a season!
In defence we have more good quality players but we’re really lacking any top class players. Daniel Schwaab and Michal Kadler are two good improving fullbacks who are solid enough in both the attacking and defending elements of their game. They could both be employed as a center half if you’re desperate for cover, although you’re going to really be missing out on their explosive styles from full back. If you wish to play with wingbacks then they’re also very capable of filling the right and right roles respectively. Gonzalo Castro is also another good young fullback, not quite at the level of Schwaab or Kadlec but he’ll offer more than adequate back up on the right. There’s little cover for the left though, definitely a place to strengthen.
Center backs at Leverkeusen come in abundance, although you feel there is something lacking from everyone of them that will stop them getting to the top of their game. Sami Hyypia is a recent signing from Liverpool although his legs have almost completely gone now and has shocking pace, he strikes me as a perfect substitute for when you’re defending a 1 goal lead on the edge of your 18 yard line. Manuel Friedrich is another good defender but there are questions about his lack of concentration. In truth he’s probably the best center back at the club so you need to take a punt with him really and hope any mistakes he does make are not costly. I’d partner Friedrich with Lukas Sinkiewicz, a 23 year old defender. His weakness, like Hyypia, is his poor acceleration although he does have a bit more pace to make up for it. At 6’3 he’s a menace in both boxes from set pieces and definitely one to keep hold of. Stefan Reinartz would be my 4th choice defender. At just 20 years of age he’s still very raw but would do a job for a number of games in a season if called upon. He’s solid all round defensively with no obvious weaknesses. Stefan could fill in in midfield either holding or breaking up the play with relative ease. A product of the youth system here almost guarantees he’ll be a fans favourite in years to come.
Midfield is where Leverkeusen have been arguably at their strongest in years gone by. Michael Ballack, Ze Robero and Yildray Basturk are just 3 of the names that have lit up the BayArena with great displays. You’ll be pleased to know this current team isn’t far off the pace, either. The best of the bunch in my opinion is Simon Rofles. The holding midfielder is in his 5th season with Leverkeusen and is one of the best in current times. Whilst he’s at his best sitting deep breaking up play and spreading the ball, Rofles can also be used in a central midfield role as a box to box midfielder. He could also cover the left flank if you got really desperate but I think that’s reducing his ability to control the game. Arturo Vidal is in a similar mould to Rofles, the holding midfielder has an all round game that could match the majority of Bundesliga midfielders, and to think this kid won’t make it into your starting line up! His only weakness is his finishing, although it never did Makelele harm from in front of the back 4 so I see no reason why Artuto cannot develop to one of the stars of Leverkeusen. At just 22 he still has a fair amount of potential that can be unleashed with the correct training; the Chilean international came through the famous Colo Colo youth set up so has a decent enough pedigree. Lars Bender is the third and final holding midfielder at the club worthy of first team football. The young German signed from 1860 Munich in the summer so wants to make a name for himself in the coming years.
Toni Kroos is an exciting player on loan from Bayern Munich. This is probably the most controversial point of this article but I’d terminate his loan immediately. There is little chance of you affording his transfer fee, which I’ve seen to be upwards of £20m in recent games, so I’d be quite tempted to let him go back to Bayern. He’s on huge wages too, upwards of £30,000 per week which is going to take a lot out of the bank over the period of a year for little return. There’s no doubt he’s going to have a massive future but for £30,000 per week at this stage in his career? No thanks. His readymade replacement is already at the club in Renato Augusto. The versatile midfielder can play right along the pitch and will always put in a decent shift. I’ve found him to be most useful on the right wing but with the freedom to cut inside in the “inside forward” role. On the left there’s Tranquillo Barnetta who is always highly coveted by Europe’s elite but won’t be that pushy in forcing himself out of the club. If you wish to use a formation that doesn’t use wingers or just want to sell him then you can make around £15-20m from him in the first season, which will increase as seasons pass. The attacking midfield/wing positions are where you really have the most quality but least amount of depth. If you were to keep Kroos it won’t be too bad, but otherwise you’d really need to dip into the transfer market at least once.
Upfront there is an abundance of different strikers, firstly there’s the big target man in Stefan Kiessling. At 6’3 the 24 year old German is the best physical presence you could employ upfront. He’s suited to the stereotypical target man role or, the more modern take on a defensive forward. He’s pretty much a German Kevin Davies/Emile Heskey. He won’t get you goals but his contribution to the team shouldn’t be measured in goals. Eren Derdiyok is next up, the recent signing from FC Basle is another target man but has a bit more about him. At just 20 years old he’s got a lot of potential he’s yet to fulfil, plus being already worth £6m can only bode well for the future.
Theofanis Gekas is without doubt your best goal scorer already at the club. The 28 year old Greek international lacks the physical presence of either Stefan or Eren, but he will give you the goals they will not. He’s probably best suited to the poacher role, especially if he’s playing alongside a target man, although he could play the advanced role with relative ease. Another great finisher at the club is Patrick Helmes. The complete forward starts the game injured but when he’s returned to full fitness he is without doubt your best striker. The 24 year old has only one goal for the national team but 100 in 188 for his club teams. This may point towards the fact he’s not a great big time player, or perhaps he’s just been unlucky, nonetheless he’s going to be key to your Leverkeusen future.
Richard Sukata-Pasu, touted by German media as the next Jurgen Klinsmann, is without doubt the brightest prospect at Leverkeusen. The 18 year old is very raw but has the potential to be an international-class player for club and country, but he needs to be handled carefully. When the big clubs come calling he will demand a move away unless the club has progressed to one of the best in Germany, if you’re outside the elite few then say bye bye to RSP!
Recommended formation/starting XI:
Adler
Schwaab – Sinkiewicz – Freidrich – Kadlec
Rofles – Vidal
R. Augusto - - - - - - - - - - - - Barnetta
Kiessling – Helmes
Recommended signings:
Marek Sapara – Rosenborg - £1.1m
Brilliant all round midfielder for a snip at around £1m. Will offer a more attacking edge to your team.
Mehmet Eckci – Bayern -- £475k
The young German is often transfer listed and will develop at a rate similar to Lars Bender. A must at half a million.
Kikin Fonseca – Tigres - £700k
Goals may well be your problem so a proven scorer this cheap is too good to turn down. Short term option which will allow RSP to develop.
Bofa Bautista – Jaguares - £1m
Same as above really, plays better at AMC although he scores from anywhere. Another short term option that'll prove worth every penney.
Aleksander Lukovic – Udinese - £925k
The left back will offer great competition up against the likes of Kadlec at fullback, allowing you to ship out the un-needed players.
Asmir Begovic- Pompey - loan
Back up to Rene Adler, won't be called upon, good long term option if you can get him cheap enough though.
Finances:
Start of season balance: £12.8m
Loans outstanding: £61m bank loan (£270k p/m until 2028)
% of transfer revenue made available: 55%
Current wages: £475k p/w
Expectations:
Top Half Finish - £2.6m transfer budget, £525k wage budget
Continental qualification through league finish - £3.1m transfer budget, £550k wage budget
Title challenge - £3.3m transfer budget, £575k wage budget
Winner - £3.6m transfer budget, £575k wage budget
Good luck!
