UEFA Cup: http://football-journey.com/

West Germany the Cup: http://football-journey.com/

The Bundesliga was the place to be, but this season the top European championship was a carbon copy of the German second division. Much stronger, of course, yet, clearly divided into 3 parts – 2 hopeless outsiders at the bottom, fairly equal main bulk, and 2 favourites way above the rest of the league.

Eintracht (Braunschweig) was dead last with 20 points – hardly a surprise. They were the only team winning less than matches in this championship. They were also the only team scoring less than 1 goal per game average: 32 goals in 34 matches. The next weak scorers were Schalke 04 with 40 goals. Nothing really strange... Eintracht were never strong and their main aim was survival. Perhaps their squad explains the disastrous season: their best players were veterans, who reached their peak in the first half of the 1970s – Franke, the Yugoslavian Popivoda, and Worm. Players of the past.

The other outsider was also expected failure, although such a collapse was perhaps unexpected. Werder (Bremenn) had weak 1970s, staying in the lower part of the table year after year. This year they were not even able to fight for survival – 25 points was 5 points better than Braunschweig, but also 4 points less than the 16^th placed. Werder scored lots of goals – 52 – but received much more. Actually, they ended with the worst defensive record – 93 goals. The next leaky defense belonged to Fortuna (Dusseldorf) – 72 goals. Werder allowed in their net nearly 3 goals per game average!

The squad was nothing much, of course, but still one can feel sorry for a newcomer – the English national team central-defender Dave Watson came to play in Germany, following Keegan and Woodcock. And immediately faced relegation... Well, Watson was hardly a stranger to second division football, but what a disappointment. With the relegation of Werder the number of the original members of the Bundesliga was further reduced – only a handful of the initial Bundesliga remained constant members.

Nine clubs – half the league – were concerned with escaping relegation. The unlucky one was decided by goal-difference: MSV Duisburg, Bayer Uerdingen, and Hertha West Berlin finished with 29 points. Hertha had the worst goal-difference and ended 16^th.

Somewhat strangely Hertha was unable to build strong team - it was notoriously up and down club, more often down. Money was a problem and may be because of that Hertha's squads were always strange: oldish stars were frequently hired for a season or two, but serious team-building was never done. This year Kleff, one of the best goalkeepers of the 1970s, was at hand – and ones again, it was a player already beyond his peak. Of course, Kleff was not alone – there were few more good players and one of the top German coaches at the time, but chemistry was wrong. Hertha was relegated.

Up the table was the large group of fairly equal teams – stretched from 16^th to 5^th place. In the middle of the table were those already declining – Borussia Moenchengladbach (7^th), Schalke 04 (8^th) – those not improving for some time – Fortuna Dusseldorf (11^th), Eintracht Frankfurt (9^th), and 1. FC Koln (5^th), and those, who were pretty much the same all the time – clubs like MSV Duisburg, VfL Bochum. Only one club was seemingly rising: Borussia Dortmund.

6^th this season with 36 points. Not really strong, but a promising team – Burgsmuller, Votava, Geyer, Freund, Immel. Coached by Udo Lattek. Not first rate yet, but the crisis of the early 1970s was over and Borussia was seemingly on the right track. How far they would go remained to be seen.

The 'bulk' was topped by slightly stronger then most teams, which competed for third place – but nothing more than that. 1.FC Kaiserslautern and VfB Stuttgart. Up and coming Stuttgart, not ready for competing for the title yet, and notoriously fluctuating Kaiserslautern, having a good season. Shoulder to shoulder to the end – the opponents finished not only with equal points – 41 – but also with exactly the same goal-difference – 75-53. Perhaps head-to-head record determined the final positions – Kaiserslautern was placed 4^th.

Unpredictable team, but having young promising coach – Feldkamp, and depending on strong group of players: some familiar for years – Hellstrom, Gaye, Bongartz, Wendt – and some bright young players of the next generation, rapidly becoming famous – Topmoller, Briegel, Groh. Good year, but one was reluctant to bet on the Lauters.

Stuttgart was lucky to get bronze medals, but they were noticed earlier as the rapidly climbing up team.

Still not the polished product – a bunch of highly promising young players: Karl-Heinz and Bernd Forster, Ohlicher, Roleder; some veterans – Volkert and the Yugoslav Holcer; and some reliable, but not great professionals like Hadewicz and the Austrian Hattenberger. And the big current star in the middle of it: Hansi Muller. Stuttgart needed a little bit further shaping, a bit of minor changes to be ready to conquer the Bundesliga. They were not yet close to best.

Above the league were revived Bayern and Hamburger SV – the best teams this season. They fought to the end for the title. Hamburger SV outscored Bayern by 2 goals – 86 to 84, but Bayern won 2 more matches and Hamburger SV finished 2^nd with 48 points. 7 points ahead of Stuttgart – the top clubs were never concerned of any other club, but only of each other.

HSV perhaps lacked a bit of character, for there was no other reason for losing the title: they had the best squad at the moment. Buljan, Hrubesch, Jacobs, Memering, Hieronymus, Reimann, Hartwig, Nogly, Hidien, Kargus – a great mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters. And three superstars – Kaltz, Magath, and Keegan. One in every line, conducting the team. Magath was perhaps the relative newcomer to stardom, but in this season he was recognized as the rival of Hansi Muller. The coach Branco Zebec needs no introduction too. Wonderful team, but they lost the title, however minimally. Character... well, everything was going to be strengthened soon – with a new coach, a master of character building and motivation.

Bayern was overwhelming champion – 22 wins, 6 ties, and 6 losses. They scored slightly less goals than HSV and had slightly better defensive record. The rivals lost exactly the same number of fixtures – 6 each – so the title was determined by another factor: HSV ended with 8 ties and 20 wins; Bayern – 6 ties and 22 wins. Thus, 2 points of difference were built. Character won – Bayern always excelled in that. It was great moment – Bayern ended its slump, had a new team at last, andwon their first title since 1974. Their 5^th title, which equaled them with Borussia Moenchengladbach, but the Bavarians were still trailing their arch-rivals by Bundesliga titles. No matter – they came back, were on winning track again, and started the new decade on top – meantime, Borussia was declining.

Pal Csernai was instrumental, although not a coach as great as Lattek or Cajkovski. But he broke at last the stigma of the great team of the first half of the 1970s and used whatever players he had at hand well. It was different generation and Csernai utilized its strength,which was not refine andht skilful mastership of great players, but physical, determined, and disciplined approach, compensating the lack of great skills. The return of Paul Breitner was instrumental – he obviously understood well that his team-mates were not at all Beckenbauers and Mullers and proclaimed that football is a war. A war should be fought with only one objective: winning it, no matter how. Breitner took the reigns of the team, spurring it by foul language whenever he felt motivation was lacking. To a point, the new Bayern did not deserve so skilful player, but Breitner did not mind much and adapted – it was enough to have one player with skill and imagination, if the rest run like hell and keep discipline. Rummennige, the other superstar in the squad, more than welcomed Breitner – at last there was somebody to organize the flow and give great passes. The rest were largely helpers... and the whole make of the team was quite ordinary. Maier and Schwarzenbeck were out – both played symbolic role this season, no longer key players. The second raters of the old Bayern were at hand: Durnberger, Gruber, Kraus, Horsmann. Precisely the backbone of the new Bayern – they were with the team for years, always dependable and reliable, but with limited abilities. None ever became a star – they were just support players in great physical shape. And to this group were added more similar to the reliable bunch – Augenthaler, Dremler, Dieter Hoeness, Niedermayer, and Junghans. Junghans was the least satisfying – true, it was almost impossible for anyone to shine after the era of Sepp Maier, but Bayern needed better goalkeeper than only a reliable one. Junghans had a good season, but he was not a permanent solution and goalkeeping remained a problem for some time. Perhaps because the new Bayern was too mechanical and ordinary they needed great keeper – defensive mistakes happened and they were costly. As a whole, this Bayern was not exciting team to watch – they were workers, mechanical, methodical, good warriors, never giving up, but hardly pleasant to watch. The new German football was shaping – it was based not on excellence, but on determination and will. Breitner realized it and accepted the reality, but it was still too bad that he – an excellent player – had to articulate the football model of the 1980s. Run, fight, prevail, and to hell with beauty. Well, it worked... Bayern won and the more exciting team, Hamburger SV, finished below. Who can argue with winners?

West Germany II Division South: http://football-journey.com/

West Germany II Division North: http://football-journey.com/

England the Cups: http://football-journey.com/

England I Division: http://football-journey.com/

England II Division: http://football-journey.com/

England III Division: http://football-journey.com/

England IV Division: http://football-journey.com/

The grain of salt came from the Cup final. It was exceptional final: on their famous stadium, Real Madird A met Real Madrid B. Real Madird vs Castilla CF. An unique event, but also questionable. The second teams of the clubs were not allowed to play in the same league with the A teams, but were permitted to play in the Cup tournament. Apparently, nobody envisioned the possibility of two sides of the one club to compete for the cup – or, if somebody did when the rule was established in the past, it was believed that honorable sportsmanship will prevail. But nobody seriously thought such a final possible – and when the impossible happened, the spirit of the time was very different. In 1980 such a final looked like a scam – nobody believed the B team will even try to oppose the A team. There was no question not only who the winner will be, but even what colours the finalists will use: the B team without any fuss will dress in the reserve kit. There was no point to play the final at all. The other clubs surely pointed a finger and complained – and soon enough the rule was changed. Which provided further unique historic point: a second division finalist, two teams of the same club at the final. Never to be repeated anywhere. The final ended as expected: Real Madrid won 6-1 and enjoyed a double. The critics point was confirmed by the result. On the pitch, the final was seemingly fair – at least judging by the vicious tackles delivered by the Castilla's defenders. But they often missed the ankles... and no matter how they tried, Castilla looked obviously weak, not even close to Real. Which is technically understandable – a mid-table second division team, no matter how enthusiastic, would be weaker than mighty club like Real. As a second team of same Real, it stands to reason that there is huge gap between the stars and mostly promising, but not good enough for the first team players. The most Castilla could do would be on individual level: youngsters trying hard to impress the coaching stuff of the A team, yet, careful not to prevent the stars from winning. Tackle, but miss. Kick the ball a bit off-target. Run energetically, but misread a bit the game flow. Make an interesting, but not dangerous pass. Try to impress, but make sure to lose. A difficult task really, for first and formost Castilla had to lose – and impress in the same time. A lot of running was done as a result.

And all ended cheerfully – there was no loser: both teams smiling with the cup, all winners, for all are Real Madrid players. Precisely the picture all other clubs and their fans hated to see: the end of competitive football, a scam. But unique one nevertheless.

Losers before the match was even started, yet, this is the squad which achieved the biggest success in the history of Castilla CF. It may be a B team of Real, but still has its own bit of history – and this final stands as the highest, never to be repeated again, point. And because Real won the title as well, Castilla was going to play international football too – in the next Cup Winners Cup. Which presented one more amusing possibility: imagine Real eliminated in the European Champions Cup, but Castilla running strong and winning the Cup Winners Cup? Theoretically, possible... the second team with European trophy and the A empty-handed. And from possibility, all kind of suspect activities were easily imagined too: such as Real giving players to Castilla mid-season to ensure they win in Europe. Apart from dark speculations, let see who was on the field for Castilla: Agustin, Gallego, and Pineda. Familiar as Real Madrid players a few years later. The captian Javier Castaneda did not make the first team, but had a good career – after the final he went to play 11 years for Osasuna. Hardly a star... as a whole, this Castilla vintage gave little to big brother...

Which enjoyed a double and therefore was happy.

Unlike the championship, winning the Cup was never a question. Standing from left: Garcia Remon, Stielike, Cunnigham, Benito, San Jose, Pirri, Camacho.

Crouching: Juanito, Del Bosque, Angel, Santillana.

One more trophy and perhaps Cunningham was the happiest of them all, for he started his career in Madrid with a double – his first titles. And, as it turned out, no star had to fear ambitious youngsters from the B team – nobody was invited to take the place of established player after the final.

At the end, the front picture in AS Color sums this final best.

Spain I Division: http://football-journey.com/

 

Spain II Division: http://football-journey.com/

Italy the Cup: http://football-journey.com/

Italy I Division: http://football-journey.com/

Totonero Scandal: http://football-journey.com/

Italy II Division: http://football-journey.com/

Italy III Division: http://football-journey.com/

French football was rising, but in its peculiar way – no trully dominant super-clubs emerged. Thus, doubles were rarely possible and no matter how strong particular club was at any given year, they were not overwhelming. A bit shaky St. Etienne and strong, but somewhat lacking depth Nantes were good in the championship, but the cup was too much. Other clubs reached the final. One was absolute surprise, for they played a minor role in the second division. AS Monaco vs US Orleans. For a second consecutive year one of the finalists was second division club. But if Auxerre was climbing up, Orleans was not. It took overtime to overcome Auxerre the previous year – now Orleans was not a problem. Monaco won 3-1.

Albaladejo - Bodji - Plissonneau - Germain - Lemée - Viot
Berthouloux - Drouet - Loukaka - Hamerschmitt – Marette

Naturally, Orleans deserves praise – it was fantastic run for a lowly club. Unfortunately, heroics were not enough – as a smallish second-division team, Orleans lacked strong enough players. Albaladejo and Loukaka were the only faintly recognizable names. But playing at the final was great and memorable event. Too bad they had no chance of winning.

Monaco won the Cup easily, thus finishing the season on more than bright note. Onnis, Dalger, Petit, Ettori, Emon... good players, but the their number was a bit small for staying among the favourites without a boost. The Cup was the needed boost, yet, the team needed re-enforcement. Dalger, Emon, and Onnis were getting old – the whole attacking line. Beating Orleans was one thing, but for the next year at least one, may be two new strikers were a must. But never mind the next season – this one finished wonderfully.

France I Division: http://football-journey.com/

France II Division Group B: http://football-journey.com/

France II Division Group A: http://football-journey.com/

Belgium the Cup: http://football-journey.com/

Belgium  I Division: http://football-journey.com/

Belgium I Division: http://football-journey.com/

Belgium II Division: http://football-journey.com/

Yugoslavia the Cup: http://football-journey.com/

First Division was strange, because it appeared upside down – traditional favourites were at the bottom of the table and weaker clubs at the top. Decline was not the only reason, for some clubs were just unexpectedly lousy this season. And as good as some of the former outsiders were in their own terms, none was really emerging as a new powerhouse – more likely was benefiting from the weakness of others, than building their own strength. The newcomers to the league, or rather returnees, for both new clubs had been first league members for years, performed at the both ends at the scale: Vardar (Skopje) had excellent season and finished 7^th. Celik (Zenica) was the league's outsider, below everybody else and sunk to the bottom, only to return back to 2^nd division. The second relegated team fought to the end lost the battle by a point – Osijek finished 17^th, 7 points ahead of Celik, but unlucky.

Two clubs finished at the exact the same positions they had the year before:

^th and

Zeljeznicar (Sarajevo) was again 9

Rijeka – 10^th. Maintaining mid-table position was perhaps satisfying for both clubs at the moment. One more club maintained its normal during the 1970s position, but it was perilous one:

Olimpija (Ljubljana) played hide and seek with relegation, concerned generally with escaping it and so far survival by a hair: 16^th in 1978-79, now – 15^th, but both years they finished just a point above relegation zone. This was going on for years. If Olimpija stayed where they were, a group of clubs was clearly in decline: Borac (Banja Luka), Vojvodina (Novi Sad), and most alarmingly, Partizan (Belgrade). Of the three, only Borac was familiar with the bottom end of the table – the other two traditionally were near the top. Partizan was champion in 1977-78. The league was fairly equal up to the 6^th position in the final table – 6 points divided Sloboda (Tuzla), 6^th, from Osijek, 17^th, but the group of those fretting to the end, desperately trying to keep their place in the league included not only Olimpija, the three mentioned above, one more usual outsider – Buducnost (Titograd), but, to a point, Rijeka, Zeljeznicta, Velez (Mostar), and Dinamo (Zagreb). Different cases. Partizan (Belgrade) experienced a crisis as never before: immediately after winning their last title, they dropped 15^th place, escaping relegation by a single point. This season they moved two place up the table – 13^th, finishing 3 points better than unlucky Osijek. But they fooled no one: the team was fighting not for the title, but for mere survival. They finished with 32 points and finished 13^th thanks, losing on goal-difference to Dinamo and lowly Buducnost. Crvena zvezda fans surely enjoyed the suffering of the arch-enemy, but the health of Partizan was to a point a measure of the health of Yugoslavian football, so it was more than just club's crisis. Just above them, edging Partizan only on better goal-difference, finished Dinamo (Zagreb), which perhaps was even more puzzling, if not alarming:

In the previous season Dinamo lost the title only on goal-difference and were considered favourites, for the club finally made a strong new team and were perhaps the most promising side. Instead of winning the title, they struggled to stay in the league... However, Dinamo was different than Partizan – in their case, the weak season was due to the fact that the team was still young and unstable. A momentary slip, yet, a very dangerous one – and, hopefully, a good lesson for the talented bunch.

Similarly, although not to the same frightening point, the other great Croatian club underperformed: Hajduk (Split), the champions of 1978-79, underperformed a bit too and finished 5^th.

Hajduk had one of the strongest, if not the best, squad in the country, but a certain tiredness was detected after 1975 – a fate they shared with Velez (Mostar). No longer improving, but rather maintaining their position, slowly moving down. The usual difficult to judge situation, preventing the club from taking big steps into rebuilding: key stars were around, leading the club, solid players assisted them, and young talent was constantly included. Tomislav Ivic was coaching them. Surjak and Muzinic were the stars, famed from the last Yugoslavian appearance at World Cup finals. But it was in 1974... and the stars had few teammates of the same year still: Rozic, Luketin, and Salov. The next generation grew up along the quartet of not old yet 'veterans' – Katalinic was a prime representative, for he reached the national team, but in the same time competition – Budimcevic – was elbowing him. And there was the newest generation at hand: Zoran and Zlatko Vujovic, Ivan Gudelj, Davor Cop. Something was not quite right... and few experienced players were added: Boro Primorac from Velez (Mostar), for instance. It was not like Hajduk – the traditional policy was dependance on home grown talent, not on stars recruited from elsewhere. A good team, yet, not at the level of the team of the first half of the 1970s, when players like Salov and Luketin were mere reserves, not key starters. Velez (Mostar) was in similar position too.

So, which were the improving teams? Sloboda (Tuzla) surely.

Second row from left: Verlasevic, Meskovic, Dzafic, Mujezinovic, Divanefendic, Mehinovic, Mulahasanovic, Cvetkovic, Hadzic M, Dzambic, Miljanovic.

Crouching: Hadzic I, Huseljic, Smajlagic, Sabitovic (fizio), Kovacevic, Sarajlic, Gerum (coach), Gogic, Memisevic, Tomic, Malisevic, Ibric, Geca.

Normally a lowly club, Sloboda experienced a great period at the end of the 1970s – they were 8^th the prvious season, now they finished 6^th. A strong team by their measures, enforced by the former Hajduk (Split) goalkeeper Rizah Meskovic, who returned from Holland, but compared to Hajduk, the squad was very limited. Strong by local measures, but on national scale rather taking advantage by the weakness of others. Sloboda already moved to the upper part of the table, so nothing really new – the big jump ahead was made by two other traditionally lowly clubs: Napredak (Krusevac) and Radnicki (Nis). They finished with 39 points each, so 3^rd and 4^th place were decided by goal-difference.

Napredak was unlucky and ended 4^th, but what a season they had! The previous year they were still fighting for survival and finished 14^th, safe only by a single point. This season they jumped 10 places higher, losing bronze medals by chance.

Radnicki (Nis) clinched 3^rd place, but they already moved up, so it was rather a continuation of strong period. Strong period? This was their greatest year in history – never before Radnicki got medals! Such achievement usually stay forever in the memory of club and fans, but apparently nobody thought this squad really capable of finishing that high – there is not a single photo of it circulating today! A season, surprising everybody, then... and not so great team, but rather using fortunate circumstances. Radnicki managed to prolong their good play, but the only great player they had was the goalkeeper Dragan Pantelic, who was not stay for long with the club.

Pantelic was noticed not only for his goalkeeping skills, but for his goals – with 7 goals, he was the third scorer of Radnicki this season. At that time it was highly unusual for keepers to score goals.

The up and coming teams were not really strong – neither Sloboda, nor Radnicki, nor Napredak – they had to enjoy their short success, grateful, if good luck lasted a little longer (and clubs like Partizan remained in shambles for a year or two).

At the end, there were only two clubs competing for the title – if that is the word, for the champions finished 7 points clear of the silver medalists. Unusual season, indeed – one team had strong first half of the championship and another – the second half. Inconsistency seemingly ruled.

FK Sarajevo finished as the leader at the end of the fall season. Not exactly a big surprise – they had a good squad, led by arguably the best Yugoslavian player at the moment, Safet Susic. Predrag Pasic was the second big star, young and rapidly establishing himself as one of the very best. There were also Faruk Hadzibegic, Zoran Lukic, Zelimir Vidovic, Haris Smajic, perhaps a few more. Good squad, led by fantastic player, but not a great squad and actually coming short in almost every line. Not enough depth too - especially when compared to Crvena zvezda. Sarajevo finished firt before the winter break, but in the spring Crvena zvezda stepped on the pedal and quite easily left Sarajevo in the dust.

19 wins, 10 ties, 5 losses, 54-26 goal-difference, 48 points and 13^th title. Familiar victor – Crvena zvezda. Not point even counting their trophies, even when the number is fatal 13.

Good coach and studded with national team players squad. Perhaps not as great as some previous generations, but Crvena zvezda had most of the current Yugoslavian stars at their peak – at the best age, vastly experienced, well fitting together, coming from the best international season of the club – they played at the UEFA Cup final in the previous season. Most importantly, this was squad with depth: Vladimir Petrovic was the leader and the great star, and around him – Savic, Sestic, Djurovski, Krmpotic, Milosavljevic, Jovin, Jurisic, Jovanovic (in the fall), Muslin, up and coming Repcic and Filipovic. Well rounded team, competitive players, strong reserves, the best squad at the moment. A bit sluggish in the fall, they were flying in the spring. Inevitable foreign transfers seemingly were not going to affect the team, because there were just as good players behind the current stars and Crvena zvezda was always able to get talent from other Yugoslavian clubs. Seemingly, supreme.