Julian Draxler & the PERFECT pass

That's what I call: "THE PERFECT PASS"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbOSUmMlfmg

Goal scored by Raúl at his Testimonial, a week ago. But look at that assist by Julian Draxler...

btw that's the 19 yo Schalke wonderkid who turned down a 60mill offer from Real Madrid and Man City...

Bundesliga debut when he just turned 17, scoring the winner in the German Cup 1/4 final in Extra time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4cOJvfY6CE

and scoring in the Cup Final... before lifting the Cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH0HL1_DljY


the one Polo calls "unestablished", as a full German International at the age of 18...

...and here's his first interview on live TV after the Cup 1/4 final...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8lrxsWCN5E

I know, most don't understand German, but look at that "babyface"...

Cracking talent and has a great future. Looks like he is focused on his career and want's to carry on what he has done with Schalke.

In a few years he'll be one of the best in the world

Hi hof, I was there, a brilliant welcome for raaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuul.

Hof, are there any players in Germany we should realistically be looking at?

Hof, are there any players in Germany we should realistically be looking at?

There would be quite a few who we should be looking at.. Dortmunds youth are coming through a fair bit.

Hof, are there any players in Germany we should realistically be looking at?

There would be quite a few who we should be looking at.. Dortmunds youth are coming through a fair bit.

I was thinking more about teams who we could realistically entice players from. Newly promoted or perennial strugglers, or even second division teams

Germany like to keep their players in the league. We would struggle to get any youngsters unless we wanted to splash some serious cash

just found this one...highlights from last season...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Pg3r8jXrs

The lad has got it all really. Fast, skilful, strong and unselfish. What a talent

Hof, are there any players in Germany we should realistically be looking at?

There would be quite a few who we should be looking at.. Dortmunds youth are coming through a fair bit.

if you check the last few season's scores and tables, Schalke is the #1 in the West... Dortmund had some talents they brought in for big money, like Gündogan (who again is a product of Schalke).

There's one kid coming through, Donis Avdijaj (16)... you heard his name from me first

born in Osnabrück, 1/2 Albanian/German, looks like an amazing talent to me:

- scored 12 goals in 15 youth internationals for Germany
- was the leading scorer in Germany's U17s Bundesliga, scoring 44 goals in 25 games (!!!) for Schalke (2012/2013)
- was awarded with the Fritz-Walter-Medal by the German FA for outstanding talent

already trains up to Schalke's 1st team

(picture below: Donis in the last derby against Dortmund, where he score 4 goals in their 6:1 demolition of Borussia )

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Germany like to keep their players in the league. We would struggle to get any youngsters unless we wanted to splash some serious cash

thing is, Germany's youth leagues are of very high standard, facilities 1st class and almost all clubs offer and provide their players with education outside of football. All the top clubs have football boarding schools, they can study, do their exams at school etc and at the same time train in a 1st class environment.
Also players see their chances in staying here, the bigger clubs have their U23s sides playing in the German league system (up to the 3rd league), plus you have the 2nd Bundesliga and the 3rd league, which are see as development leagues. Clubs loan their top-prospects, who arent yet ready for Bundesliga, for a seson to a 2nd Bundesliga club, where the standard isnt exactly bad (comparable to the Championship).

Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), he played for Bayern's U23 side in the 3rd League just 6 months before he destroyed England at the World Cup in South Africa. For the first half of that season, he entirely played U23s at Bayern, before they moved him up to the pros from January on...and he made the German WC Squad

Great insight into how it all works out there from the Hoff.

and this is for you Dork-mund lovers:

btw I am perfectly happy with Schalke's kits this year...
the blue home kit stayed on from last season, but we have 2 new alternative kits this year...

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and this is for you Dork-mund lovers:

btw I am perfectly happy with Schalke's kits this year...
the blue home kit stayed on from last season, but we have 2 new alternative kits this year...

Nowt wrong with at all Hoff.