1860 Munich II 0-3 Augsburg II (Regionalliga Bayern)
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One of the vagaries of the German league (like the Spanish league) is that you can go and see your reserves in the league pyramid. Hence how I find myself watching Munich 1860s Under 23 team. But more than that, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see them at Grünwalder Straße, spiritual home of 1860 Munich (and their stadium till 1995) and home of Bayern up until 1972 and their own move to the Olympiastadion.
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| Outside the stadium |
You can see why this stadium still appeals to many 1860 fans. Sharing with Bayern, 22,000 1860 peas rattling around the Allianz Arena pod, capacity 69,000. The Grünwalder is tight, compact, hemmed in all 4 sides and a super venue for footie. While it could never again be a 50,000 stadium, with clever design it could easily be 35-40,000 again.
Having said that, it looks like the local authorities are trying to make it difficult, reducing one end to a small, re-aligned terrace (though there’s room behind). The main stand could be knocked down and rebuilt as a two-tier structure, while the opposite stand, covering barely half the touchline, would have to go. Let’s have a two-tier affair with as big a terrace downstairs as you can fit (like the Millerntor). This leaves the huge end behind one goal. Could that be wholly re-opened as it is? Or is only safe enough for a few hundred these days?
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| Ground plan (note old terrace on left) |
Anyway, it was obvious from the fans tonite what high regard the Grünwalder is held in. Fans’ chants incorporated the name, as did t-shirts. Moving to the Allianz is like QPR moving to Wembley. Around the Grünwalder are bars, businesses, shops…even a jazz café. (I know the latter cos they were in full swing – sorry – afterwards). The Allianz has…a bit of scrub, a long barren walk and inevitable super complex. Characterless. Like a trip to Pride Park, Derby.
It wasn’t cheap though. Or not as cheap as I expected a Regionalliga Bayern game between two reserves teams to be. €8 to stand, €12 to sit. I opted for standing place, a small paddock in the open next to the small stand. The concrete steps were brand new, very steep and were it not for the fences covering that touchline, you could afford yourself a nice view. Woe betide any action on that touchline though.
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| Police...at a reserve game??? |
Even better, as many did, you could stand on an ACTUAL terrace, overlooking the ‘terrace’ of the steps. Great view, a ledge to pop your beer on and an indoor bar behind. Perfect for a reserve game this place, not sure what it’d be like at a busier game in the pouring rain. No sausages, but I treated myself to a huge brezl and they also had weissbier (Paulaner).
Having said that, it looks like the local authorities are trying to make it difficult, reducing one end to a small, re-aligned terrace (though there’s room behind). The main stand could be knocked down and rebuilt as a two-tier structure, while the opposite stand, covering barely half the touchline, would have to go. Let’s have a two-tier affair with as big a terrace downstairs as you can fit (like the Millerntor). This leaves the huge end behind one goal. Could that be wholly re-opened as it is? Or is only safe enough for a few hundred these days?
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| Augsburg fans |
Anyway, it was obvious from the fans tonite what high regard the Grünwalder is held in. Fans’ chants incorporated the name, as did t-shirts. Moving to the Allianz is like QPR moving to Wembley. Around the Grünwalder are bars, businesses, shops…even a jazz café. (I know the latter cos they were in full swing – sorry – afterwards). The Allianz has…a bit o scrub, a long barren walk and inevitable super complex. Characterless. Like a trip to Pride Park, Derby.
It wasn’t cheap though. Or not as cheap as I expected a Regionalliga Bayern game between two reserves teams to be. €8 to stand, €12 to sit. I opted for standing place, a small paddock in the open next to the small stand. The concrete steps were brand new, very steep and were it not for the fences covering that touchline, you could afford yourself a nice view. Woe betide any action on that touchline though.
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| The (lack of) view from the terrace. |
Even better, as many did, you could stand on an ACTUAL terrace, overlooking the ‘terrace’ of the steps. Great view, a ledge to pop your beer on and an indoor bar behind. Perfect for a reserve game this place, not sure what it’d be like at a busier game in the pouring rain. No sausages, but I treated myself to a huge brezl and they also had weissbier (Paulaner).
The match, for the most part, was stultifyingly awful. The teams would go sideways-backwards-sideways before still somehow managing to lose it, or else they’d be tempted into an English-style hoof up the field to no-one. If any of this bunch get a 1st team game, it has to be a centre half or defensive midfielder, cos there was nought else. Still, it’s always amusing to watch a player struggle and not give up hope on your own footballing career yet.
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| Part of the 'terrace above the terrace'. |
The 1860 centre forward wasn’t big, lacked pace and could not control a ball to save his life. Every time he got the ball in a promising position he panicked, overran the ball and watched it dribble out. Being slightly stocky, and of beard, he didn’t even LOOK young. Was he really under 23?
From out of nowhere, 30 mins in, Augsburg went one up. I’d just decided to count how many passes it took each side to lose the ball when, 15 passes later (12 in their own half), a 1-2 ends in a 25 yard
looping effort that went in off the bar. Was the keeper out of position? Or too short? Not good enough? I’d check all 3. Also, where had this Augsburgian been hiding all match?
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| So white and perfect it could be a model. |
The second half was more of the first, only with Augsburg dominating possession. While being distracted by bl**dy kids chasing each other around the terrace, I managed to look up in time to see Augsburg bullet another one in from around the penalty spot, defenders everywhere ‘cept near the ball.
Augsburg made it 0-3 on 75, another 1-2 in the box allowing the forward to flick it up with his right and bury it with his left on the volley. THAT is how much time he has, however good a finish it was. There’s still time for the ref to make it 0-4 with a dubious penalty award but the keeper finally saves one and it finishes 0-3.
The atmosphere was better than I expected. The TSV Munich (reserve) 1860 ultras kept up some decent sound (in the big stand) WITHOUT a drum. Still, the biggest cheer of the night was when the tiny ballboy finally managed to hoist the ball back over the fence at the 10th time of asking (that I saw – it may have been more). The fans (maybe 150 if them) carried on singing, the score didn’t matter. And anyway, it was only a reserve match. Who cares? As for Augsburg’s fans, there were around 60 – probably those who live in Munich, I’d guess.
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| The 1860 II ultras |
Afterwards I had a little tootle round the stadium. The police were in great attendance, to my surprise, though when you see half a dozen 1860 yoofs baiting the away fans, are they doing it BECAUSE the police are there? There were 50+ Augsburg fans (none of whom looked like they wanted a fight) so who was it all for?
Attendance: 959 (Städtisches Stadion an der Grünwalder Straße)
The Damage:
€8 ent
€3 giant brezl
€3.50 beer (Paulaner)
€3 beer (normal)
= €17.50
Programmes were €0.60 (yes, 60 cents) but I didn’t see one on sale till too late.
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| The big stand. |
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| The little stand...plus re-aligned terrace. |
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| Concrete heaven |
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| The clubhouse |
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| The penalty is saved |
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| Through the ___ window |
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| Is that a police control tower dumped on the terrace? |
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