Underrated underdogs

The lightning quick reflexes of the best keeper in the world, Manuel Neuer. That's all that stood between Augsburg and an unlikely point when they faced Bayern Munich last Sunday.

Going into the match, most people thought the Bundesliga's cellar-dweller would be lucky to lose by less than four goals. But Augsburg gave their Bavarian neighbors everything they could handle, forcing heroics from Neuer as Bayern just barely held on to a 2-1 win.

It wasn't the first time the Southern Germans had come tantalizingly close to a surprise result. Coach Jos Luhukay's men have drawn five times this season. Yet going into the Bayern match, fans at a practice session were very pessimistic about the team's chances of staying up.

"We're a bit too weak for the top flight," one supporter told Deutsche Welle, while another added ruefully, "Hope springs eternal."

Those are pretty gloomy assessments of a team that after round 12 was only four points from the safety zone. So why are people so down on the newly promoted club?

Perhaps, it's because they don't really believe that Augsburg made it up to Germany's elite in the first place.

Glad to make mistakes

Techincally, FC Augsburg has only been around since 1969, when two local clubs merged to form the club. And even the new team bounced between lower divisions and descended into the ranks of non-professional football.

Augsburg's fortunes turned around in 2000, when Wather Seinsch, a discount clothing entrepreneur, became president and began supporting the team financially. The sums Seinsch invested pale in comparison to the tens of millions pumped into Hoffenheim by Dietmar Hopp, but they were enough for Augsburg to earn its maiden season in the Bundesliga.

Still, there's a sense even within the team that they may be in over their heads.

"We're the team with the smallest budget, and it's our first time in the top division," Augsburg defender Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker told Deutsche Welle. "For all of us it's a process of learning and adjusting. We're glad when we make mistakes. It's the only way to learn."

Callsen-Bracker, who's 27, makes it sound as if Augsburg have a young squad. But the average age of his team is older than that of Bayern.

In fact the squad features a number of players with top-flight experience who initially dropped down a division to get playing time. So arguably, the adjustment period shouldn't be that long.

Coach Luhukay is trying to take pressure off by dampening expectations.

"We're very sober and realistic about our situation," the Dutchman said. “It's no surprise where we are now."

It's a smart move to remind everyone that Augsburg were always going to be in for a struggle this season. But perhaps the time has also come to stress the positive.

Bad breaks happen

On Sunday, Augsburg looked like a team that has learned to adapt to the demands of the top division.

"In the Bundesliga the players are all so ice cold," Callsen said. "To give just one example: all the free kicks are taken really quickly, and we need to have players in front of the ball all the time so they can react. We've gotten better at that in the last few matches."

Indeed, Bayern are the quickest team in the league, but Augsburg showed they could absorb their opponents' pace.

What they most need is more efficiency in front of goal. After a bright start, striker Sascha Mölders has been blowing chance after chance, so that after round 12 Augsburg had the league's least potent offense.

And that's meant some of their results have been worse than they had to be. Luhukay cites his team's 3-0 defeat by Cologne in round 11.

"We dominated the match in Cologne," he told Deutsche Welle. "We spent the entire second half attacking and trying to get one back. But we didn't get anything to show for it and that's a pity. We had 15 goal chances in Cologne against a home team who had five."

Luhukay points out, correctly, that exceptional individual talents are sometimes what win close matches.

"And then an exceptional player like Lukas Podolski breaks our neck," Luhukay said. "We haven't got anyone like him. Otherwise I'm sure we would have won the match in Cologne."

Augsburg may not be in a financial position to pick up a top forward like Poldi. But this is still a team that outscored opponents by 31 goals in the second division last season. And getting goals is, as any striker will tell you, is as much about self-belief as skill.

Augsburg are never going to lead the league in chances created, but the opportunities were there against Bayern, as they will be in the remaining matches of 2011. Augsburg just need to seize them, and to do that one quality above all is required.

Confidence.

Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker and Jos Luhukay were interviewed by Marc Friedrich for DW-TV's Bundesliga Kick Off. The program airs on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Author: Jefferson Chase
Editor: Rob Turner