Klinsmann's debut threatens to overwhelm city

Updated: July 11, 2008, 3:59 PM EST

BERLIN (AP) - Juergen Klinsmann's debut as coach of Bayern Munich is threatening to overwhelm the small city where it will take place.

Sixth-tier SV Lippstadt celebrates its 100th anniversary by playing Bayern on Sunday. The match will be broadcast by two TV stations and extra stands have doubled the stadium capacity to 8,000.

Basically you can multiply everything involved by 10, including the hours we are all volunteering," SV president Forusan Madjlessi said.

City and club officials have scrambled to meet catering and beer demands, stage a show program, and take advantage of the spotlight by luring sponsors and advertising.

Lippstadt is the hometown of Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who played for SV before going on to become a two-time European player of the year.

Lippstadt is no stranger to top teams but the difference this time can only be Klinsmann, since Bayern stars such as Franck Ribery, Luca Toni and Lukas Podolski have yet to join the team after the European Championship.

Klinsmann will coach for the first time since a 3-1 win over Portugal gave Germany third place at the 2006 World Cup and ended what is often called in the country "the Klinsmann revolution."

Bayern hopes Klinsmann can also help the slumping four-time European champion.
With some unorthodox methods, Klinsmann shook up the whole German football system and instituted attacking football on the national team. The philosophy was to pressure opponents and dictate how the game is played.

With just two weeks of training, and few regulars in the team, that fast demanding style of play is unlikely to be on display Sunday.

"We won't force anyone to go from zero to 200," Klinsmann said. "We will approach the match like a very intensive training session. We want to offer the spectators in the stadium something."

sources: http: //FOXSports.com

As much firepower as Hollywood FC may have, I just don't believe that any team ever has it locked up in the Bundesliga. Certainly not in the first half of the season. If there is a clear front runner heading into the later stages of the second half... there is only so much one can do? And even then you get a win on the final match day of the season in '07 (what a great day that was!)
That’s what makes German football so great...