Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Teams on Tour Part 9 West Germany’s South American Tour of 1987
Teams on Tour Part 9 West Germany’s South American Tour of 1987
As the hosts of the 1988 UEFA European Championships, West Germany were restricted to friendly matches ever since the end of the 1986 World Cup.
West Germany Manager Franz Beckenbauer had been rejuvenating a squad following the departures of the old guard (Rummenigge, Magath, Briegel, etc..).
In addition, his starting goalkeeper and Captain Harald Schumacher was out of the picture following the publication of his controversial autobiography in early 1987.
Experienced stopper Karlheinz Foerster had temporarily asked not to be considered for International duty after joining French Club Olympique Marseille in 1986 (In the end he would announce his International Retirement in early 1988).
Beckenbauer had kept faith on a group of veterans such as Klaus Allofs (the new Captain), Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme, Pierre Littbarski, Matthias Herget and Rudi Voeller.
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Photo From: Onze, Issue 150, June 1988 (West Germany manager Franz Beckenbauer) |
He was intent on building the side around the talents of Schalke�s young midfielder Olaf Thon, who was seen as the bright hope of Germany�s future.
Other newcomers to have made headway post-1986 were Nuremberg�s Stefan Reuter and the new Koln stopper Jurgen Kohler.
In December of 1987, West Germany were to tour South America a part of their preparations to face the Continent�s top two teams: Brazil and Argentina.
This Tour gave Beckenbauer the opportunity to be with his squad for a longer span of time and also to test out more new players.
However, Beckenbauer was unable to select his strongest squad as a number of withdrawals derailed his plans.
Hans Dorfner, Uwe Rahn, Wolfram Wuttke, Pierre Littbarski and Dieter Eckstein all withdrew mostly due to injuries. In addition, the foreign-based trio of Allofs (Olympique Marseille), Thomas Berthold (Verona) and Rudi Voeller (AS Roma) were not not released by their employers.
The starting sweeper Matthias Herget (Bayer Uerdingen) nearly missed the trip as well. He had been suspended for four League matches after being sent off and insulting a Referee in Bundesliga play. As a rule in German Football, any suspended player was barred from lining for the National Team. However, Beckenbauer appealed to the German Federation (DfB) to take Herget due to the accumulation of the missing players.
The absences forced Beckenbauer to call-up many uncapped players: Jurgen Klinsmann (VfB Stuttgart), Frank Ordenewitz (Werder Bremen), Franco Foda (Kaiserslautern) and Borussia Moenchengladbach�s Christian Hochstatter.
Other inexperienced (Internationally) players on the squad were Nuremberg midfielder Manfred Schwabl (capped once prior) and Koln goalkeeper Bodo Illgner (2 caps).
Illgner (Schumacher�s replacement at the club) had made rapid progress and was now just behind Eike Immel in the pecking order in the net..
Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthaus would captain the side in Allofs� absence.
Brazil would first meet Brazil at Brasilia�s Est�dio Man� Garrincha on December 12th, 1987.
Brazil had last played in the previous summer�s Copa America and were still on the doldrums following their drubbing at the hands of Chile (0-4).
As weakened as the Germans were, the home side was even weaker and experiemntal. The absence of foreign based players was a given especially in the middle of the season. Players from Flamengo and Internacional were also excluded from selection because the teams were involved in the National Championship Final.
The only notable players were 1982 World Cup veteran defender Luizinho, along with Rai, Luis Muller and Valdo.
Beckenbauer had decided to use both goalkeepers (Immel and Illgner) on this Tour and left it up to his starter (Immel) to choose which match he wanted to play in and Immel decided on Brazil.
Beckenbauer started with the then-uncapped Klinsmann upfront and also gave a second cap to Schwabl.
Beckenbauer had stated that he would employ counter-attacking tactics and expected Brazil to attack more.
It would turn out to be a poor match with a lackadaisical Brazil, unable to break through for long periods.
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Photo From: Placar, Issue 916, December 18, 1987 (December 12, 1987, Brazil 1-West Germany 1) |
Some felt with a little more initiative the Germans could have come away with more from the match. Olaf Thon and Matthaus were unable to create the chances for Klinsmann, who was virtually isolated as the lone striker.
The teams were virtually restricted to fight it out in the midfield.
For the second half, Beckenbauer instructed his players to attack more. He replaced Brehme at the half with Christian Hochstatter (another debutant) with this in mind.
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Photo From: Kicker Sportsmagazin, Issue 102, 51, December 14, 1987 (Valdo and Olaf Thon, December 12, 1987, Brazil 1-West Germany 1) |
Brazil scored first in the 68th minute. Pita�s corner from the right side was powerfully headed in by Batista (Immel was faulted in his positioning).
With eight minutes remaining, Beckenbauer sent on two new debutants. Frank Ordenewitz and Franco Foda replaced Manfred Schwabl and Michael Frontzeck.
It was said that when Foda was substituted in, some in the Stadium laughed because in Portuguese Foda means ���..
The match seemed headed for a home victory, when the Germans struck back just before the end.
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Photo From: Kicker Sportsmagazin, Issue 102, 51, December 14, 1987 (Manfred Schwabl and Sergio Araujo, December 12, 1987, Brazil 1-West Germany 1) |
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Photo From: Kicker Sportsmagazin, Issue 102, 51, December 14, 1987 (Stefan Reuter, December 12, 1987, Brazil 1-West Germany 1) |
A cross from the right side was headed across the goalmouth by Klinsmann, Kohler failed to connect with it and the ball reached Reuter who scored the equalizer.
West German libero Matthias Herget came away with some credit for his performance as did Schwabl. Olaf Thon, on the other hand, was criticized for under-achieving.
Beckenbauer declared satisfaction with the Germans� performance, including getting used to the weather differences. He was criticized for perhaps over-estimating Brazil, not realizng that this was nor the �Real� Brazil.
Four days later (December 16th), the Germans faced Argentina at Buenos Aires� (Estadio de V�lez Sarsfield- Jos� Amalfitani).
This was a rematch of the 1986 World Cup Final and unlike the Brazilians, the Argentineans fielded a near full strength side with Diego Maradona.
The Napoli star was present along with many of the 1986 World Cup winning squad such as Pumpido, Ruggeri, Brown, Cuciuffo, Batista, Burruchaga and Valdano.
Beckenbauer made some changes from the Brazilian match. Immel, Brehme, Buchwald and Michael Frontzeck were out of the squad. They were replaced with Illgner in goal, along with Hans Pfl�gler and Wolfgang Rolff.
Frank Ordenewitz started as well to partner up Klinsmann up front.
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Photo From: El Grafico, Issue 3559, 1987 (Pedro Troglio and Hans Pflugler, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0) |
The Germans started better and Klinsmann struck the post with a header in the 25thminute.
Argentina started the second half better and in a more determined mood.
Argentina took the lead in the 55th minute. Maradona�s cross from the left side was met with Burruchaga, who just like the World Cup Final, scored the winner.
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Photo From: El Grafico, Issue 3559, 1987 (sequence of goal, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0) |
After falling behind, Beckenbauer sent on Franco Foda (replacing Reuter) and later Christian Hochst�tter (replacing Schwabl), but the result remained and Argentina won (1-0).
After the match Beckenbauer singled out the German weakness to be on the defensive outside back positions (Reuter and Pflugler). He underlined the importance of the absent West German right back Thomas Berthold.
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Photo From: El Grafico, Issue 3559, 1987 (Jorge Valdano and Jurgen Kohler, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0) |
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Photo From: El Grafico, Issue 3559, 1987 (Jorge Burruchaga celebrating, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0) |
Despite the loss, West Germany�s performance was better than the Brazil match. Foda, Klinsmann and Schwabl were praised for their performance in this match.
Given the key absences, it would be difficult to assess the West German performances. Certainly many players were given opportunities that otherwise might not have had if not for the withdrawals.
Bodo Illgner was already being groomed as the future West Germany goalkeeper and his future within the German squad was virtually asured.
Despite positive performances, Schwabl made one more solitary appearance for West Germany in the new year (1988) and then was never selected again.
Foda, Hochstatter and Ordenewitz made their only appearances for West Germany on this Tour and were afterwards out of Beckenbauer�s plans.
Olaf Thon failed to be the leader the Germans were looking for and this would be confirmed in the Euros despite still being a starter.
Matthaus took upon his role as the new Captain and would soon be the official Captain as Allofs would be injured and out of the National Team set up.
Perhaps historically this Tour should be remembered as the International launching pad of Jurgen Klinsmann.
From the debutants, only he made a lasting impression and would stay in the National Team set up for the next decade and eventually the National Team Manager.
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Photo From: El Grafico, Issue 3559, 1987 (Jurgen Klinsmann and Jose Luis Brown, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0) |
The selected squad for the Tour:
Goalkeepers:
Eike Immel (Verein f�r Bewegungspiele Stuttgart 1893 e.V.) (November 27, 1960, Stadtallendorf)
Bodo Illgner (1. Fu�ball-Club K�ln 01/07 e.V.) (April 7, 1967, Koblenz)
Defenders:
Matthias Herget (Fu�ball Club Bayer 05 Uerdingen) (November 14, 1955, Annaberg-Buchholz)
Stefan Reuter (1.Fu�ball-Club N�rnberg - Verein f�r Leibes�bungen e.V.) (October 16, 1966, Dinkelsbuhl)
J�rgen Kohler (1. Fu�ball-Club K�ln 01/07 e.V.) (October 6, 1965, Lambsheim)
Guido Buchwald (Verein f�r Bewegungspiele Stuttgart 1893 e.V.) (January 24, 1961, West Berlin)
Hans Pfl�gler (Fu�ball-Club Bayern M�nchen e.V.) (March 27, 1960, Freising)
Franco Foda (1.Fu�ball-Club e.V. Kaiserslautern) (April 23, 1968, Mainz)
Michael Frontzeck (Borussia Verein f�r Leibes�bungen 1900 e.V. M�nchengladbach) (March 26, 1964, Moenchengladbach)
Midfielders:
Andreas Brehme (Fu�ball-Club Bayern M�nchen e.V.) (November 9, 1960, Hamburg)
Lothar Herbert Matth�us (captain) (Fu�ball-Club Bayern M�nchen e.V.) (March 21, 1961, Erlangen)
Olaf Thon (Fu�ballClub Schalke von 1904- Gelsenkirchen) (May 1, 1966, Gelsenkirchen)
Wolfgang Rolff (Turn und Sportverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen e.V.) (December 26, 1959, Lamstedt)
Manfred Schwabl (1.Fu�ball-Club N�rnberg - Verein f�r Leibes�bungen e.V.) (April 18, 1966, Holzkirchen)
Christian Hochst�tter (Borussia Verein f�r Leibes�bungen 1900 e.V. M�nchengladbach) (October 19, 1963. Augsburg)
Strikers:
J�rgen Klinsmann (Verein f�r Bewegungspiele Stuttgart 1893 e.V.)(July 30, 1964, Goppingen
Frank Ordenewitz (Sport Verein Werder Bremen von 1899 e.V.) (March 25, 1965, Bad Fallingbostel)
Coach: Franz Beckenbauer (September 11, 1945, Munich)
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Photo From: 87-88 Panini Fussball (West Germany�s squad) |
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