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Sep.04
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Playing 5-3-2, with a sweeper, the first course of action was to find a defender who could play sweeper, and sharpish. Phillipe Mexes had a Release fee of 3.4m, and so he became the first signing of the season. A fortnight or so late, Patrick Kluivert joined FC Bayern on a free transfer. With a squad that already included Kahn; Lizarazu; Kovac; Rau; Sagnol; Jeremies; Ballack; Hargreaves; Salihamadzic; Z Roberto; Scholl; Santa Cruz and Pizzaro I set about starting the season.
I remember drawing the first game against some mediocre team, however, the side soon recovered and won the following seven or so games to develop a slender early lead in the Bundesliga. It wasnt until game 16 that Bayern Mnchen were finally beaten. In the champions league, Bayern had been drawn in a mediocre group, which they would eventually qualify from with 16 points, only slipping up by drawing a disappointing game at home to Austria Vienna. In der Pokal, Bayern continued to dominate lower league sides, and went into the winter break in the CL Second Round, Pokal semi-final and top of the Bundesliga by several points.
Then, in the New Year, Bayern made one of the biggest signings theyre ever likely to make. Cristiano Ronaldo was transfer listed by Manchester United for just 4.9m, having sold Pizarro to Barca for 9m, Bayern swooped at the chance and Ronaldo moved eastwards across Europe.
After the winter break, Bayern were disappointingly knocked out of the Pokal away to Schalke in the semi-finals, but they continued to impress elsewhere. In the Champions League, they got the tough draw of Milan in the second round. 2-2 away and 2-0 at home was good enough for a Quarter final tie with Real Sociedad. Bayern narrowly won the home game 2-1, but the away game was a different story. Bayern stormed to an astonishing 10-0 victory and steamrollered into the semi final clash with Manchester United. Patrick Kluiverts 90 minute header gave Bayern a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, then they coasted to a 2-0 victory at home a few weeks later.
Before the final though, Bayern would seal the Bundesliga. They needed just one point from their last 7 games, Grip Dickens put out a second choice side for the last seven games of the season. They would win five, draw one and lose one. Now for the CL final. Having stormed into the final, the bookies had Bayern as the favourites, but it was the closest game yet. The game seemed to be heading for extra time until Michael Ballack, the golden boy of Bayern Mnchen and German football scored the winner in the 90 minute.
England went on to win the European Championships, Grip Dickens applied for the Germany job, but did not get it. Several weeks later though, he was offered the opportunity to take control of the Croatian national side, which he obliged to do.
During the close-season, star forward, Roy Makaay, 29, left Mnchen for their greatest rivals, Dortmund for a fee of 31,000,000. Dickens signed Norway international Jesper Brathen for 120k compensation from Tollnes. Long-time Mnchen striker, Alexander Zickler left the club on a free transfer at the end of the season, along with a host of youngsters. Many of Europes top clubs became interested in the likes of Hargreaves; Deisler; Ballack and so on but there were no more big name departures or signings.
Second Season (04/05)
No major transfer developments hitherto, but none were really necessary. Bayern carried on where they left off the previous season by winning the first six games in a row. It took a little while to get the goals going in, the first three games were all won 1-0. The streak was stopped as early as game 7 as Bayern failed to convert chances in a game they dominated.
In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn against PAO, Roma and Austria Vienna again. Bayern would slip up just once again, with a 1-1 draw at home to PAO this time. Again, Bayern cruised through the group stage with 16 points. The most impressive part of this is that they trampled Roma 3-0 in Italy, and then the second choice side beat Roma 2-0 in Mnchen.
In the Bundesliga it was the same old story, Bayern rarely needing to get out of second gear to beat the majority of the teams in the league. One interesting game, was the huge match Dortmund vs Bayern at the Westfalenstadion, particularly after Makaay had switched during the summer. Makaay under performed, and was subbed on 70 minutes Patrick Kluivert scored the only goal of the game. At this stage, Dortmund were down in 7th, with Bayern disappearing quickly.
In der Pokal, Dickens put faith into his second string side in every pre-Christmas game, they encountered lower league opposition every time and inevitably smashed them. Although this was the second choice side, it still included the likes of Salihamidzic, who were far too much for inferior opposition.
In the World Cup 2006 qualifiers, Croatia played three games before Christmas. First, a shocking 2-1 defeat away to Greece, Dickens had to concede that the tactical was set-up was off-key. However, next would be one of the most historical wins of Croatias history, a 5-0 demolition at home to the Czech Republic, Ivica Olic stole the show scoring a hat-trick. In October, Croatia played host to doormats Andorra, Olic scored a hat-trick again as Croatia decimated the minnows 8-0. In the Bundesliga, Bayern went into the winter break 14 points clear, eclipsing the 11 point gap they had the previous year.
In the January transfer window, Dickens had 50m to spend, however he opted to spend less than 6m. So impressed he was by Olics performances for Croatia, he made him a Bayern player by activating CSKA Moscows 5.75m minimum fee release fee. He then stumbled across a Thai youngster called Supat something or other playing for Pompey in England, he swooped him up as the 16 year olds contract was not protected.
As the new year went on, injuries and such meant that the team was constantly shuffled, but the versatility of the squad shone through. Cristiano Ronaldo was given the chance to prove himself over Deisler, Ronaldo set alight the Champions League in particular. In the Pokal, Bayern beat Schalke 5-0 in the semi-final to set up and epic final clash against Dortmund some three months later. In the Bundesliga, Bayern continued to stretch away despite a couple of disappointing results.
In the champions league, Bayern drew Porto, the former champions in the second round. Bayern looked in danger after a 1-1 home draw, however, Bayern destroyed Deco and co. 6-1 at the Dragao for the place in the last eight. With several mediocre teams still in, Bayern were hard done by to draw Arsenal. Vieira gave them the lead in the first leg at Highbury, but then something happened. They went in 1-1 at half time, but Dickens must have said something that got his troops riled. The game ended 1-7 to Bayern Mnchen! In the return leg, Dickens played his second string side, and they demolished Arsenal 4-1! Amazingly, Dortmund eliminated Marseille to set up an all German Champions League final just three days after the Pokal cup final.
In the league Bayern destroyed everything in their path, including a 5-1 victory at home to enemies Dortmund. Bayern won the league with 5 games to go, the second side played out the remainder of the games, Bayern would end with more points, less against, and a better goal difference than the previous season.
That reminds me European Super cup: Bayern met UEFA Cup winners Juventus in Monte Carlo, the game went to penalties but Kahn saved all three of Juvs efforts! Bayern won the shootout 3-0. In the Intercontinental Cup, Tevez and co. sought to embarrass the European Champions, but Bayern destroyed Boca 4-0, to bring home another trophy.
In international news, Croatia would lose 2-1 away again, this time to the un-fancied Iceland. An almighty host of injuries left the Croats playing with players who usually wouldnt get a look in at the national squad. However, Croatia pulled out the win they needed against Lithuania, 2-0, with Bayerns Olic scoring both goals.
Now then, the biggest four days of the season. The Pokal final. Roy Makaay, formerly of Bayern gave Dortmund the lead around the half our mark, but the goal was quickly cancelled out by Santa Cruz, who would then go on to score again for 2-1. Dortmund changed to 4-2-4 late on, but Cristiano Ronaldo hit them on the break in the 86 minute to make it 3-1 and gave Bayern the only trophy Dickens had not won with them. It was the third time Bayern had beaten Dortmund that season.
Four days later was the Champions League Final, with Bayern, reigning Champions, 5-4 favourites according to the bookies. Santa Cruz was injured in the Pokal final, so Brathen partnered Kluivert up front. The game agonisingly went into extra time with the score locked at 0-0. The first fifteen minutes came and went, with Philippe Mexes getting sent off for arguing with the ref after already being booked. On 112 minutes however, Patrick Kluivert rose highest to head Bayern into the lead. Dortmund went super attacking again, Owen Hargreaves played a long ball that Kluivert ran on to, the big man finished the job in the 118 minute, and that was that. Final score, 2-0 Bayern. Six trophies and one season, and a clean sweep of 4-0 in matches against their rivals Dortmund.
Having been named FIFA Footballer of the Year, and having reached 105 caps for France, Lizarazu finally bid farewell to Mnchen. The 35 year old signed for Juventus for 250k, leaving German International, Tobias Rau, to take over at left back. Mehmett Scholl also left the club after years of service on a free transfer. Oliver Kahns long term replacement has been found as well, Dickens made a record signing, for him, of 7.75m to bring Petr Cech to Bayern. Dickens still has well over 50m to spend. The club has also moved from the Olympic Stadium to the new Allianz-Arena, with 66,000 capacity, a retractable roof and heated soil.
During the summer, Croatia played two more World Cup qualifiers. First, a 1-0 home victory against Greece, Olic the only goalscorer. Then, a 1-1 draw away to Czech, with Olic scoring the important equaliser. As it stands, Czech lead the group with 14 points, Croatia are second with 13, but Greece are down in 5th (of 6) and are just three points behind with 10.
This is the team's record after two seasons, followed by the squad at the end of the second season.
