Big stages for small clubs. The DFB Cup throws Germany’s amateur clubs into the spotlight. Village teams can face German champions; ambitious Regionalliga sides can go head-to-head with Champions League participants. There have been plenty of cup upsets and shocks in the over 70-year history of the competitions. The cup has its own rules and its own history. Over the next two weeks, DFB.de will preview all 18 amateur clubs who are featuring in the first round of the 73rd DFB Cup. Today it’s FC Nöttingen from the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg.
Even the vicar dances in cup hit "Wie ein Feuer"
The miserable relegation from the Regionalliga Südwest is partly forgotten. FC Nöttingen are now awaiting the biggest game in the club’s history. On Sunday, the Oberliga side from Baden face a mammoth task of organisation at the Karlsruher Wildparkstadion against FC Bayern.
“Oh you’ve got to be kidding,” Dirk Steidl thought to himself. FC Bayern München. Tennis player Andrea Petkovic couldn’t have drawn a more difficult opponent for FC Nöttingen. Since the draw for the first round of the DFB Cup on 10th June, there has been a state of emergency in the town of 2,500 inhabitants between Karlsruhe and Pforzheim.
In a music video that Nöttingen have produced for the cup game, you can see the unbelievable sense of anticipation in the entire town. To the music of “Wie ein Feuer”, the butchers, bakers and even the vicar from Nöttingen dance around. “The whole place is on their feet,” describes Steidl. The same could also be said for the phone, because it has not stopped ringing since the dream draw. Fans, members, sponsors – everyone wants a ticket. “We’ve tried to make as many people as possible happy,” says Steidl.
Bayern are 20 times bigger than Schalke
The Karlsruher Wildparkstadion has been sold out for a considerable time. Like in August 2013, when Nöttingen played Schalke in the DFB Cup, the club will be hosting the game against the German champions around 20 kilometres away in Karlsruhe. “That makes a lot of things easier,” says Steidl with reference to the organisational challenge. “The media interest in Bayern is 20 times greater”.
The closer the big game against Bayern comes, the greater the hassle. “It’s getting worse every day,” reports the 44-year-old. There are five to eight media requests per day. They are coordinated through Steidl and a three-man team. “The organization is keeping us on our toes.” Time to chat with the team? No chance.
Drama in the relegation battle
And so the chairman can only assume how much the players have been distracted by all the hype. “Of course they aren’t used to being followed by cameras in every training session.” Steidl still hasn’t thought about the sporting side of things. He succinctly says, “It will be difficult”. Neuer, Müller, Götze against a team that has just been relegated to the Oberliga. “Many people think that it will be a success if we don’t lose by double figures,” says Steidl, who however reassures that the team will give their all.
He calls the cup game on 9th August a “gift”. After the dramatic delegation last season, this gift has been very important for the entire club. Nöttingen actually had little to do with their relegation on 31st May. They had been hoping for the support of Offenbacher Kickers and 1. FC Saarbrücken in their playoff match for promotion to the third division – but to no avail. Both teams missed out on promotion and so sent Nöttingen, who finished 15th in the Regionalliga Südwest, to the Oberliga.
Desire for normality
Big stages for small clubs. The DFB Cup throws Germany’s amateur clubs into the spotlight. Village teams can face German champions; ambitious Regionalliga sides can go head-to-head with Champions League participants. There have been plenty of cup upsets and shocks in the over 70-year history of the competitions. The cup has its own rules and its own history. Over the next two weeks, DFB.de will preview all 18 amateur clubs who are featuring in the first round of the 73rd DFB Cup. Today it’s FC Nöttingen from the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg.
Even the vicar dances in cup hit "Wie ein Feuer"
The miserable relegation from the Regionalliga Südwest is partly forgotten. FC Nöttingen are now awaiting the biggest game in the club’s history. On Sunday, the Oberliga side from Baden face a mammoth task of organisation at the Karlsruher Wildparkstadion against FC Bayern.
“Oh you’ve got to be kidding,” Dirk Steidl thought to himself. FC Bayern München. Tennis player Andrea Petkovic couldn’t have drawn a more difficult opponent for FC Nöttingen. Since the draw for the first round of the DFB Cup on 10th June, there has been a state of emergency in the town of 2,500 inhabitants between Karlsruhe and Pforzheim.
In a music video that Nöttingen have produced for the cup game, you can see the unbelievable sense of anticipation in the entire town. To the music of “Wie ein Feuer”, the butchers, bakers and even the vicar from Nöttingen dance around. “The whole place is on their feet,” describes Steidl. The same could also be said for the phone, because it has not stopped ringing since the dream draw. Fans, members, sponsors – everyone wants a ticket. “We’ve tried to make as many people as possible happy,” says Steidl.
Bayern are 20 times bigger than Schalke
The Karlsruher Wildparkstadion has been sold out for a considerable time. Like in August 2013, when Nöttingen played Schalke in the DFB Cup, the club will be hosting the game against the German champions around 20 kilometres away in Karlsruhe. “That makes a lot of things easier,” says Steidl with reference to the organisational challenge. “The media interest in Bayern is 20 times greater”.
The closer the big game against Bayern comes, the greater the hassle. “It’s getting worse every day,” reports the 44-year-old. There are five to eight media requests per day. They are coordinated through Steidl and a three-man team. “The organization is keeping us on our toes.” Time to chat with the team? No chance.
Drama in the relegation battle
And so the chairman can only assume how much the players have been distracted by all the hype. “Of course they aren’t used to being followed by cameras in every training session.” Steidl still hasn’t thought about the sporting side of things. He succinctly says, “It will be difficult”. Neuer, Müller, Götze against a team that has just been relegated to the Oberliga. “Many people think that it will be a success if we don’t lose by double figures,” says Steidl, who however reassures that the team will give their all.
He calls the cup game on 9th August a “gift”. After the dramatic delegation last season, this gift has been very important for the entire club. Nöttingen actually had little to do with their relegation on 31st May. They had been hoping for the support of Offenbacher Kickers and 1. FC Saarbrücken in their playoff match for promotion to the third division – but to no avail. Both teams missed out on promotion and so sent Nöttingen, who finished 15th in the Regionalliga Südwest, to the Oberliga.
Desire for normality
Ten days later Nöttingen found themselves in another, clearly more pleasant role. As the winners of the North Baden Cup, their name and crest was amongst the 64 teams in the draw for the first round of the DFB Cup. The celebrations over the dream draw knew no limits. “That proves that there is a football god,” rejoices Steidl. On Sunday the biggest game in the history of our club will finally begin.
It’s difficult for the Nöttingen chairman to deny his desire for a stress free time. Will he be glad when normality returns to the club after the cup game? “Exactly,” admits Steidl outright. How quickly peace returns to the Oberliga club does not depend on the result on the pitch. And as is know, the cup has its own rules there.
