Republikaliga Season III: Season PreviewHere it is, the third season of the Republikaliga! Last season saw FC Teussen Stelburg capture their first title in the new era, while Olympia Borograd experienced final-day heartbreak to lose the title. It was a tight race from start to finish, and we can only hope that this season will be just as exciting. Can Teussen defend their title, or will Olympia avenge last season's wrongs? Could title chasers SW Stahlberg or FK Metropola Borograd put up a stellar season to take it all home, or will a team like Energija Chernovets return to form and steal back the title? Teams like FC Rotmunde 1932, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and FC Kaiserhaven, who under-performed last year, will want to step up this season and make amends with their fanbase. In addition to all this, foreign players are participating in the Republikaliga for the first time! Over 10 international players have joined Republikaliga clubs, and look to make their mark on the league. In addition, the old familiar faces such as Thorsten Kramer, Ivo Romanov, Viktor Dimitrov and Michael Ribbeck are back and ready to fire. Make sure to tune in as the Republikaliga makes a triumphant return to the pitch for its third season!
1912 STELBURGColours: Blue and white
Manager: Sebastien Hengsbach
Stadium: 1912-Stadion (31,000)
Last Season: 1912 dropped one place in the table last season, ending up in 6th position. That was a slight disappointment for the squad, who had the third best defence in the league. Josh Meckler really grew in his role last season, and Raphael Klopfer and Lutz Daschner remained top-quality performers. One area of concern, however, was up front. Ernst Kurschner and Elias Eicke both had subpar seasons, and were the main thing separating the squad from a top 4 position.
This Season: 1912 were one of the many teams active in the international transfer market this offseason. The ins and outs came at the forward position, as Ernst Kurschner was sold to Marianopolis of the Marianne Ligue A for a fee of $1 million. To replace him, the club brought in Acronian centre forward David Jouary. Jouary, aged 19, is described as a muscular striker, an attribute that will allow him to fit into the Republikaliga well. Sebastien Hengsbach appears to be willing to spend another year developing his forward talent before making a major push for the top 4, and it could be costly. Players like Klopfer and Daschner may not want to wait 2-3 more years for UICA football, and this could be their last season at the 1912-Stadion.
ARSENAL BUKOVETS Colours: Black and
redManager: Stanko Tanev
Stadium: Bukovets-Stadion (32,000)
Last Season: Arsenal Bukovets survived with style their first season in the Republikaliga. The side finished 12th and racked up 48 points. Forward Prodan Savov finished the year with 21 goals, a great tally that helped the team. There are still question marks, however, surrounding the club. 84 goals were shipped last season, making them the 3rd worst defensive side in the league.
This Season: Arsenal face a similar task to that of last season, that would of course be surviving. Again, the side is quite capable of remaining in the top division, but the questions previously raised loom over the club. Prodan Savov will have to be a big contributer if Arsenal hope to remain in the division If offensive production drops, they will be in tough to stay up. They likely still will be, unless the backline can sort itself out as quickly as possible.
ENERGIJA CHERNOVETSColours: Green and
yellowManager: Apostol Manevski
Stadium: Energija-Arena (34,000)
Last Season: Everything went right for Energija Chernovets, until it didn’t. The side looked virtually unbeatable for a season and a half, and were top of the table after matchday 22. In addition to that, a great run in the UICA Globe Cup was made, as the side became the first Republikaliga club to reach the group stage. It all went wrong, however, after that, including 5 losses in a row and the side ended up far off the pace in 7th. The offensive production went away for Energija when the losses began, including that run of 5 losses when the team scored but 2 goals.
This Season: Apostol Manevski made no changes to his side that once won the Republikaliga title, not adding any reinforcements through the transfer window. Amidst worries the team had been ‘figured out’, Viktor Dimitrov and Miroslav Dinev assured the media and supporters that many tricks were up the sleeve of this team. Without the addition of international football, and without the pressure that comes with being defending champions, Energija should be much better off this season. A push for top four, or even a second title, could be on for the club.
FC EINHEIT MARNAUColours: Red and white
Manager: Alexander Waldgren
Stadium: Marnaustadion (28,000)
Last Season: Marnau were the champions of the 2. Republikaliga last season, earning automatic promotion to the Republikaliga. It was a tight season in that division, with Marnau only having a 1 point advantage in the final table on 66 points. Part of the reason Marnau captured the title was a great offensive performance, led by forwards Heller and Seydel. Heller led the team and league in scoring, while Seydel complimented him well.
This Season: Marnau’s future largely depends on whether or not they can avoid relegation this year. Linus Segert is a player who performed well in the second division, and while he is considered a solid prospect, it remains to be seen whether he can perform in the top division. Roland Plessner as well should be one to watch. The retirement of former right midfielder and captain Gregor Schneider, who moved into a coaching role, meant that Marnau went to the international market to replace him. Banquo Chrysler is the man brought in to replace him, a Nepharim youngster known for his physicality and workrate. Avoiding the drop is the big task for manager Waldgren, as players like Segert, Plessner, Heller and Chrysler are unlikely to want to head down to the second division.
FC FELSENKIRCHEN 1879Colours: Navy and white
Manager: Ralph Kislinger
Stadium: Felsenkirchen-Arena (35,000)
Last Season: Felsenkirchen haven’t been able to put it all together so far in the Republikaliga. In season 1, a late year collapse denied them a shot at the top 4. In season 2, the collapse was year-long, and Malte Hasselhoff was sacked after 10 matches. Despite an early surge under replacement Ralph Kislinger, the team finished in 13th place, far from top 4 contention. The offence was, simply put, not good enough, as the 63 goal campaign was far off the totals of teams higher in the table. Defensively, Felsenkirchen were not bad, but the lack of goals meant it did not matter.
This Season: Ralph Kislinger agreed to stay on board as Felsenkirchen manager, as long as the board would back him to make the changes he felt were needed in the squad. The first move Kislinger made was securing the transfer of Ferenc Kubala. The former Nepharim U21 international, Kubala is a sturdy box-to-box midfielder. He didn’t have the best of times in the Nepharim Premiership, and Felsenkirchen are hoping he can reboot his career here. Kislinger also had to deal with the move of Jurgen Stern. Stern handed in a transfer request, citing a desire to move abroad and push for more game time on the national team. Stern was eventually sold to Marianne club DKI Telecom Jets, with Felsenkirchen receiving $2 million. To replace him, the club signed up Rolf Seyfried from the relegated SV Preisfeld. This year, Felsenkirchen will hope to improve offensively in order to move back up the table.
FC KAISERHAVENColours: Blue and
yellowManager: Thomas Wietars
Stadium: Kaiserhaven-Stadion (40,000)
Last Season: Last season was one to forget for Kaiserhaven fans. The team fell down to 15th place in the league table, and Norbert Korn was sacked after 11 matches, including a 4-0 loss to fellow strugglers FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The team sat 18th after 15 matches, but new man on the touchline Thomas Wietars was able to pick the team out of danger up 3 spots. There were questions as to whether Wietars would remain the manager for this season, but the board has given him the vote of confidence.
This Season: The vote of confidence given to Wietars also included financial backing. Wietars used the support to bring in Jean-Alain Huot from Saint-Urbain in Marianne for a fee of $2.5 million. Huot has been described as a great creator on the ball, and should slot in well to a Kaiserhaven front line that includes national teamer Paulus Leistner. Another move made was picking up Herman Nieuwland, an Audioslavian youngster that is certainly one for the future. There are still some questions in the lineup, however, including whether or not Wolfhard Vahlen will be able to find his shooting boots to benefit from the creative minds behind him.
FC ROTMUNDE 1932Colours: Red and
blackManager: Timo Felder
Stadium: Rotmunde-Stadion (37,000)
Last Season: Rotmunde were absolutely horrible last season. That’s a nice way of putting it, as the club who finished 7th their first year in the Republikaliga collapsed completely and finished in 18th position. A toxic atmosphere off the pitch, largely caused by the war between supporters and the ownership, didn’t help the team at all, and the team had the second-worst offence in the league scoring only 47 goals. At the end of the season, however, things began to look brighter for the team. Timo Felder came in for the 38th matchday, and won on the day to jump from 20th to 18th on the final day. He then guided the team to a play-off victory and avoided a disastrous relegation.
This Season: Lots have changed at Rotmunde after a whirlwind offseason. A group of investors from the town of Rotmunde Chamber of Commerce made a bid for the club, which was heavily supported by the fans of the team. The purchase went through, and talk in the halls of the Rotmunde-Stadion turned to how the team would be improved for the next season. Two big moves were made, with plenty more rumoured. The first major transfer saw capped international and former FC Teussen striker Theodor Aberbach join the club to bolster the offence. Goetxea Shimizu was the other addition to the team, the Hinodejin defender considered a top defensive prospect. He can play both centre back and defensive midfield, and Rotmunde are expecting big things of him. If both of those signings can pay off, and the rest of the lineup performs to expectations, Rotmunde will do much better than 18th.
FC ST. JAKOBColours: Red and white
Manager: Hermann Frenz
Stadium: Draistadion (37,000)
Last Season: Last season was a disappointing one for FC St. Jakob. Normally considered one of the top clubs in the nation, including a third place finish in season 1 of the Republikaliga, the club didn’t fare as well season 2. The team dropped to 11th place, largely because the issues surrounding the team were not dealt with when needed. The team was caught behind ageing veterans and young prospects, and thus the team suffered. Of main concern was the backline, which despite Stefan Licht’s best efforts looked a little off the pace
This Season: Hermann Franz was given the vote of confidence by the board to begin a rebuild at FC St. Jakob. He kicked it off by making some difficult decisions, including putting club legend Ole Sauer up for sale. This allowed him to promote Bernd Falkenberg from the bench, a keeper with a bright future ahead of him who Sauer had been tutoring on and off the pitch. Clearly, it is believed Falkenberg is ready for the big time now. In addition, Manuel Horn was out the door, replaced at centre forward by Erwin Bahnsen. Bahnsen was a highly-rated youth prospect who is now getting his shot in the first team. Another addition to the club was Finngarðr Sigurðrsson, who signed on to the club from Halfdansodal. The 19 year old left back will slot into the first team, and big things are expected of him. The rebuild is well and truly on, and the process has begun.
FC TEUSSEN STELBURGColours: Gold and
blackManager: Kaspar Knauer
Stadium: Teussens-Arena (44,000)
Last Season: FC Teussen Stelburg were Champions of the Republic last season, thanks to a splendid performance at the very end to steal the title away from Olympia Borograd. The side led the league in goals scored, with 95 to their name, while the defence was also solid, and the team held a +29 goal differential at the end of the season. Individual performances were also highly rated, as Thorsten Kramer was awarded the Golden Ball as Republikaliga MVP. In addition, players like Alex Geschke and Dietmar Kleinmann were capped often by the national team in World Cup Qualifiers, while Ernst Schoff appears on the verge of cracking the side.
This Season: Teussen chose to stay out of the international transfer market this summer, favouring the domestic market. The only position in question was at centre forward, with both the club and Theodor Aberbach deciding it would be best to move on. Aberbach was sold to Rotmunde, and Teussen dove into the market. The two big names linked with the club all summer were Ludwig Reichwein and Michael Ribbeck. Ribbeck ruled out the transfer early, stating that he hoped to continue growing his career at SW Stahlberg. Reichwein was an ongoing saga all summer, with reports placing him at Stelburg International Airport on the way to agree a transfer. It appears the player had a last-minute change of heart, however, and decided to remain at TSV Marzig for at least one more season. Teussen turned to FC St. Jakob man Manuel Horn after that, as St. Jakob look to rebuild and Horn seemingly on the market. The transfer was agreed, and Manuel Horn enters the Teussen fold. There are concerns about his age, and whether he can produce in the Republikaliga, and it will be up to him to prove the doubters wrong.
FK METROPOLA BOROGRADColours: Purple and white
Manager: Daniel Manolov
Stadium: Metropola-Stadion (49,000)
Last Season: It was a strange year for Metropola Borograd last season, as they were in crisis mode throughout the early part of the season. Rumours were abound about the future of Daniel Manolov as manager, however, the team were able to pull together and save the manager’s job. The team saw mixed results throughout the middle part of the season, beating eventual champions Teussen Stelburg 3-1 at home, yet also finding themselves drawing with Launitz and losing to TSV Marzig. In the end, the side were able to finish in 4th place, which ensured them a birth in the UICA Globe Cup, and were also able to laugh as their biggest rivals Olympia were denied the title on the last day of the season.
This Season: Pressure is on Metropola this season. There are two major additions to the side, with Lyubomir Dimitrov being picked up from the relegated Orlovska Bistrica, and George t’son d’Haxli joining from Stalingrad FC in the Marianne league. Dimitrov is a top prospect at left back, capped by the national team, who could grow into a massive talent. d’Haxli is a player out of Marianne who was noted for his passing ability, but struggled with the physical game. Metropola have reportedly asked for him to spend more time training to fix this portion of his style, so that he can better adjust to the Republikaliga. In addition to the new talent coming in, Anton Dimitrov remains a first-class centre forward in this league. With him up top, Metropola have a great talent for years to come. Overall, the board will be expecting a title challenge this season, and Manolov could feel the heat if this is not achieved.
FK POMORIEColours: Red and white
Manager: Demitar Zherkov
Stadium: Pomorie-Arena (32,000)
Last Season: Pomorie, having been relegated in the first season of the Republikaliga, found themselves in the 2. Liga last season. They were, however, an instant success, finishing second place and thus being automatically promoted. Ivo Ilev was the star man last season, guiding the team to promotion, which they did with solid offensive and defensive records. Anatoli Svetikov was another big performer last season in between the sticks, and Pomorie will need him to come up big again in order to stay up.
This Season: It’s pretty much do-or-die for Pomorie this season. Ivo Ilev, despite the loyalty he showed the club when they were relegated and he had several contract offers, can’t be expected to stick around for another go around in the 2. Liga. Ilev is a player with the potential to reach the national team, and if he performs for Pomorie this season that could happen. Bozhidar Dimitrov will have to score for this team, and must perform better than he did way back in season 1, when he provided only 14 goals. Pomorie have a decent shot at staying up this season, but every point available must be taken. One great thing about Pomorie’s promotion is we get to see the Pomorie-Marzig Derby, which is often gives some of the best matches of the season, at least twice more.
FK RAKETA BUKOVETSColours: Blue and white
Manager: Zmeyo Georgiev
Stadium: Raketa-Arena (29,000)
Last Season: Raketa managed to put in a performance that was good enough for them to remain in the Republikaliga. There were, however, several question marks around the team. The biggest of these had to be the inconsistency of results the team would achieve. Raketa were a team that could defeat a big club one week, then get blown out by a relegation rival the next. Tsvetan Cristov put in his share of work, and Aleksander Lukanov was a break-out performer, tallying 15 goals from the left wing. .
This Season:. If the results they picked up against big teams last season dry up, Raketa could be in great difficulty to survive. They must look to build upon their performance last season in order to stay in the top division. This year represents a big one for the team; either they will improve and become a successful mid-table side, or they regress and almost certainly get relegated. If the club goes down, look for Aleksander Lukanov to be seeking a new club come the transfer window.
FK VLAIKOGRAD 1896Manager: Veslin Patanov
Stadium: Jezera-Stadion (34,000)
Colours: Purple and
yellowLast Season: Vlaikograd’s first season in the Republikaliga was not as special as the season in the 2. Liga had been. Of course, nothing could quite match an invincible season. Vlaikograd were a solid performing side throughout the year, and managed to finish 9th in the table. They boasted a record of 89 goals for, second in the division behind Teussen. Much of that was thanks to the work of Varban Spasov, who was described by some as the ‘Siovanijan Thorsten Kramer.’ At the same time, however, the club conceded 88 goals, tied for worst in the league. That record is something that needs to be improved as the club continue in the league..
This Season:. A few questions surround Vlaikograd this season. Was Varban Spasov just a one-season wonder, or is he another great midfielder in waiting? Can Atanas Velikov, and really the entire Vlaikograd defence corps, regain form? And the biggest one surely is how the team will deal with a sophomore slump should it come. Vlaikograd should have enough quality not to worry about relegation, but a drop-off will have to be expected.
MARLESEE 97Colours: Blue and white
Manager: Magnus Herschlag
Stadium: Marlebucht-Energie Arena (30,000)
Last Season: Marlesee 97 saw great improvement in the second season of the Republikaliga, as they finished 8th in the table. The top 10 finish was great for the side, and Ingolf Kruger was even named in the Republikaliga Best XI. He did attract national team attention, but was not in the 23 man squad for the Cup of Harmony. Kruger and Marlesee played pretty solid football throughout the season, but one area that improvement can be found is at the back end. Marlesee were, along with Vrnovo Mesto (but do they really count?) one of only 2 sides in the top 10 with a negative goal difference. In order to push on, and potentially move up the table, this will need to be sorted. .
This Season:Marlesee’s movement in the transfer window was picking up Yannick Lange from the relegated SV Preisfeld, replacing the retiring Ralf Brecher. Brecher remains around the Marlebucht-Energie Arena, having taken on a role with the team’s under 18 squad. The addition of Lange to the front line should boost Marlesee’s firepower, as he joins Ingolf Kruger and Yannik Lehrer. One must wonder, however, if Marlesee should have attempted to pick up a defender, especially as many teams around them in the league focused on this area for addition. For Marlesee, this season will be an interesting test to see if they have a squad that could push on and reach the top 4, or if they need more pieces. .
OLYMPIA BOROGRADColours: Green and white
Manager: Ludmil Strashilov
Stadium: Olympski-Stadion (60,000)
Last Season: One word could sum up Olympia’s season last year: heartbreak. A second-to-last matchday defeat to hated rivals Metropola Borograd and only managing a draw on the final day against VfB Launitz meant the green-whites were forced to watch as other hated rival FC Teussen Stelburg became Champions of the Republic. Of course, Olympia went on to become President’s Cup champions a week later, and Krasimir Kynev captured the Golden Boot with 26 goals. Still, there is only one goal in the minds of every single Olympia supporter: winning the league.
This Season: That goal also extends to the players. In an interview shortly after returning from the Cup of Harmony, Krasimir Kynev, who tallied 3 goals at the tournament, commented that “Everyone in our room is focused on only one thing. I felt sick that night we lost it, and this year we’re going to avenge that.” Olympia brought in Noë Rénault from Marianne to slot in at right back this season, and the national team player has much expectation upon him. Up front, Ivo Romanov is entering his prime now, and is arguably the best player in the Republikaliga. Krasimir Kynev sits at the top, and he’ll be again expected to bang in goals. Olympia have everything they need to take the title home, and they certainly hope this season will not end in heartbreak.
RUDAR TRKEVColours: Grey and
redManager: Veselin Bachev
Stadium: Trkev-Arena (25,000)
Last Season: Even in their wildest dreams, Rudar Trkev fans would not have expected a season like the one their club experienced last year. Trkev were 5th place finishers, ending the year on 62 points. The season saw victories like the great 1-0 away win over Energija Chernovets, and despite a rough final 8 games, Trkev can be proud of the season. It was much better than anyone could have predicted, and leaves Trkev in an interesting place coming into this season. .
This Season: This side is unchanged from the team that finished 5th last year, although they can’t be expected to reach that high again. Evgeni Bakalov, who attracted lots of attention around the league, remains the focal point of the Trkev offence, and is a top quality playmaker. Around him, Radko Boichev had a decent scoring record last season, while wingers Bukharov and Antonov have to continue to perform. The backline, which shipped 71 goals last season, is led by the pair of Popov and Pingov, and has great chemistry. Manager Veselin Bachev, who was named Manager of the Year last year, is confident his squad can at least remain in the top 10.
SW STAHLBERGColours: Grey and
blackManager: Gerd Hennig
Stadium: Stahlarbeiter-Union Arena (35,000)
Last Season: Led by young star Michael Ribbeck, Stahlberg reached the top 4 for the first time in their history. They also put in a solid challenge for the title, but eventually finished in 3rd, 3 points off the top. Tensions overflowed during a match with Olympia Borograd, and a new rivalry could be born for this upcoming season. Stahlberg, despite their focus on offensive power, managed the fewest goals of the top 4 teams, and also conceded the most of all top 4 sides. The defence was solid overall, however, and was led mainly by Paul Schorner and Karsten Lichtwark. Top performers up front included Michael Ribbeck and Lutz von Bergen.
This Season: Stahlberg lived up to their expectations and more last year, managing to finish 3rd. This year, the goal will be to go on and attempt to win the league. It was an anxious transfer window for the team, as many rumours said that Teussen Stelburg would be looking to buy Michael Ribbeck. Ribbeck quickly came out to dispel those rumours, but they would not be stopped until the day Manuel Horn signed for Teussen. Ribbeck has made clear that Stahlberg is his club, and he wants to continue his development there. If the team cannot win trophies soon, however, he may be forced to leave. Stahlberg did make one move during the transfer period, however, picking up young Jonas Breukelen from Audioslavia on a free transfer. The centre-back will for now develop with the youth team, but could see game time during the season and is favoured as an eventual replacement for Karsten Lichtwark. For now, Stahlberg continue their rise up the table, and look to solidify themselves as a top club this season.
TSV MARZIGColours: White and
blueManager: Max Schillinger
Stadium: Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion (29,000)
Last Season: Marzig had a much more difficult run of things in the Republikaliga last season, ending up in 16th place. Ludwig Reichwein had a solid year again, putting up 22 goals and really developing into a leader of this Marzig side. Despite the decline in league performance, there were still some great scenes at the Vest-Marlebucht Stadion as Marzig advanced all the way to the President’s Cup Final. It was an incredible moment as Marzig defeated Teussen Stelburg in the semifinals at the Nationalstadion to advance to the final, but it was in the end heartbreak for Marzig as they lost 4-3 after extra time. That gave supporters of the side hope that this season could be a better one, and that Ludwig Reichwein would remain at the club.
This Season: Reichwein was another centre forward who had several links with Teussen Stelburg this offseason. Panic was abound when photos of him at Stelburg International Airport began to circulate, with other blurry pictures placing him at the Teussen training ground. In the end, however, Reichwein clearly had a change of heart. He posted an update stating that he was in Stelburg visiting family, and just two weeks later Manuel Horn signed with Teussen, ending the speculation. Rumours are that Reichwein wants at least one more chance at guiding his boyhood club to a trophy, before potentially moving on. Marzig should be a club still at the bottom of the table, not really in danger of relegation but also not moving up. Look out for them to be a surprise package against big clubs or in the Cup, however.
VFB LAUNITZColours: Black and white
Manager: Gunter Aust
Stadium: Launitz-Hauptstadion (29,000)
Last Season: VfB Launitz are one of those constant teams, always in the division, possibly making some noise against one of the bigger teams, but never really looking to be relegated or looking to move up the table. Last year, Launitz had some luck in that Rotmunde heavily underperformed, and they were spared a play-off match, instead finishing 17th. Launitz had many matches see draws, which was both a blessing and a curse: they could hold some better teams and take a point, while also dropping points in key matches for them.
This Season: It’s clear that the Launitz board want their side to become something more than an average team. They’ve decided to build the club up and create a bigger name for themselves, hoping to earn some results along the way. The first act in this phase was to improve from the back out, starting in goal. Republikaliga legend Ole Sauer, possibly the greatest keeper in our nation’s history, was brought in from FC St. Jakob. The 36 year old, however, doesn’t have too many seasons left in him, so an understudy was brought in. Ulf Hávarðrsson, the 18 year old keeper from Halfdansodal, was a wanted man by several clubs during the transfer window, but in the end he came to Launitz. He is expected to be the big man of the future, and should see his fair share of starts already this season. The signings will be a morale boost to this team, and we wouldn’t be shocked to see them finish midtable this season.
VRNOVO MESTOColours: Orange and
blueManager: Lyoben Zhalikov
Stadium: Ostrovi-Arena (26,000)
Last Season: Mesto were a bit of a surprise package in the league last season, ending up in 10th position. We don’t have to tell you that they scored the fewest in the division while also giving up the least goals, because Vrnovo’s system is well known. Still, they managed to pick up their share of good results, such as the 2-0 win over Energija Chernovets and the 2-1 win over Teussen Stelburg. There were many good individual performances as well, and Daniel Pingov became one of the national team’s most relied upon defenders, capped 14 times during the course of World Cup Qualifiers and the Cup of Harmony. Vrnovo achieved their goal of avoiding relegation yet again, but you have to wonder if eventually the board and players will want to see more ambition from their team.
This Season: It appears that Lyuben Strashilov has considered this as he set up Vrnovo’s team for the third season of the Republikaliga. He has spoke of allowing the forwards Strashilov and Varbanov a bit more freedom up front, and encouraging his wing backs to get further forward. This was emphasized with the signing of Noboru from the Daineri league, a player whom scouts say naturally excels on the attack, but also has experience as a more defensive fullback. It should be interesting to see how Vrnovo approach the league this season, and whether or not they will be exposed.
Lower Division PreviewsIn the 2. Republikaliga, several teams have a decent shot at making a return to the top division. FK Orlovska Bistrica have to be the favourites for a return, as they really have enough quality to be in the Republikaliga. Obviously, however, that did not show up last season and fans of the Eagles will have to be hoping their squad can pull it together. The loss of Lyubomir Dimitrov was bad for the team, but they will be hoping his replacement, academy product Luka Soltanov, can step up right away. Bistrica have to be promotion favourites, and behind them would follow SV Preisfeld and 1884 Felsenkirchen. Preisfeld, of course, are in a similar situation as Orlovska Bistrica: having lost their best player in the offseason, yet still having enough talent to bring them back up. Meanwhile, 1884 had a great chance last season to become the third northeastern club in the Republikaliga, but were beaten by local rivals Rotmunde in the play-off. Promotion for 1884 would certainly be interesting, as they would take on rivals FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and Rotmunde for regional supremacy. Other teams in with a shout include VfL Reinbronn, who were relegated from the Republikaliga in their first season, and TSV Georg-Blocher, who have made steady improvements .
At the other end of things, the obvious candidate for relegation are Oststahlberg 08. They are the classic example of a side too good for the third division, but don’t have the talent to cut it in the second division. Other teams that could join them in the race to attempt to avoid relegation include Zvezda Vlaikograd, VfL Prutseren, and VfL Bamerntal. Yes, the cinderella team who won the President’s Cup find themselves in danger this season, and will have to perform above their level to remain in the 2. Republikaliga. Coming up to replace them from the newly-created 3. Republikaliga could be 2 or 3 of Rudar Draijagrad, NK Prevala, Teufelsberg 97 and 1888 Runsen. Of course, no one really knows how the third division will play out as the Siovanijan and Teus clubs compete with each other for the first time, and thus we might be completely off base here.
In other news from the football world, the J. Republikaliga (Jugends Republikaliga) has been created in order to have the academy teams of the 20 Republikaliga sides compete with each other. The move, which marks a departure from the previous system of regional academy leagues, or even academy teams playing against high school or university competition, was described by national team coach Alan Dzekov as ‘a great way to improve our youth development in this country. By having the youth teams compete against each other, and potentially with teams in other nations, our program can only grow stronger.’ The move is also seen as a way for teams to potentially get around the compulsory military service for 18 year olds. Hot prospects Thorsten Kramer and Michael Ribbeck were both allowed to defer the service until the end of their careers, however many young players have not been so lucky. Rumour has it the three branches of the military were asked about entering teams in the competition, and that is something that could happen in the near future. Sources in the Defence Ministry have, however, denied this idea. As for which clubs will have a chance of winning the J. Republikaliga, the clubs that traditionally have the best academies include Teussen Stelburg, Olympia Borograd, Metropola Borograd, and TSV Marzig. The first three clubs should come as no surprise, but much of Marzig’s success comes from the team’s ability to attract Teus-speaking players living in Siovanija, which have traditionally made up a large part of the team’s fanbase. Up for grabs, besides the honour of being declared Youth Champions of the Republic, is a place in the UICA Youth Cup.
The dawn of the Republikaliga season is upon us, and we at republiksport.st will be here to cover each and every minute of action!