Frances’ Franck Ribery has been named the best player in the Bundesliga, winning 57.8% of the 268 player vote.

Ribery’s Munich teammate Luca Toni was named 2nd best player, winning 24.8% of the votes.  Weder Bremen’s Brazilian playmaker, Diego was 3rd with 8.5%.

Not bad for the guy they call Scarface.

This is an amazing achievement for Ribery, considering this is only his first year at Munich.

image via Football-Wallpapers

First it was former US International Martin Vasquez and now it’s former Columbus Crew’er Nick Theslof joining Jurgen Klinsmann’s staff at Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich.

Set to take over in July, Klinsmann’s relationship with the former UCLA standout started when Theslof took over California Blue Star which at the time was a PDL team in Southern California. Klinsmann, playing under the moniker Jay Goppingen for the city he was born in, was playing for fun after retiring from his illustrious career alongside future pro players like Calen Carr, Kamani Hill, Kei Kamara, Sal Zizzo, Robbie Rogers and Sacha Kljestan, while Theslof was the head coach.

Theslof’s official title will be International Scout and will be working closely with Munich’s Wolfgang Dremmier, but this isn’t the first time Theslof has worked with Klinsmann. He was also involved with the German National Team when Klinsmann was in charge, taking in important International Matches and reporting directly to Klinsmann with scouting reports.

image via FCBayern

When a lucrative contract is placed before you and you sign on the dotted line, how obligated are you?

Yes, contractually you’re obligated to play for the team and do as your told by the coach as you’re probably being well accommodated, but what about teams selling players while their contract is still active and making boatloads of cash on them?  Is that loyalty to the player?  Or is it just a fact of life, until the player makes new “contract demands” after great performances (ie World Cup, African Nations Cup, Olympics) and then is labeled a prick who needs to shut his mouth and play out the contract he signed?

Argentina National Team and Bayern Munich defender Martin Demichelis was today suspended indefinitely from the team after refusing to move into the defensive midfield role for Bayern Saturday against Energie Cottbus in the German Bundesliga.

Head Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (who’s done at the end of the season and is being replaced by Jurgen Klinsmann) told the press, “A player can’t state his wishes,” Hitzfeld said. “Until further notice he is suspended.”

image via Diarioepoca

Only Germany will have more than one representative in the Final 8 of the Uefa Cup as both Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen pushed through.

Joining them will be Rangers (Scotland),Sporting CP (Portugal), Fiorentina (Italy), PSV Eindhoven (Holland), Getafe (Spain) and Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia).
image via BBC

When France’s Frank Ribery dropped his free kick in Bayern Munich’s 5-nil win over Anderlecht in the Uefa Cup on Thursday, he earned himself 100 Euro due to a friendly bet. While it’s normal to have this type of friendly competition after training, Dutch midfielder Mark Van Bommel challenged Ribery with the bet that if he made it, Van Bommel would pay and if he missed Ribery would pay Van Bommel the 100 Euro.

So much for easy money and you can see him telling the coaching staff Van Bommel owes him money.

image via NRC

In the 90th+ minute, Bayern Munich’s combative Dutch midfielder Mark Van Bommel earned himself a red card after arguing, clapping, gesturing and then giving the ref a cross arm (the uck off) behind his back. Now I can understand the frustration that players have with referees, especially when you’re playing below standard at home against a team you should easily beat and you could have gone 6 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Maybe it was a Munich throw, maybe not, but I think Van Bommel definitely deserved this one, if only for getting caught giving him the cross from behind in extra time when it obviously completely unnecessary. It’ll be interesting to see if any additional games are added to his suspension.

Beans can tell you about Van Bommel from their playing days together at Fortuna Sittard.

It was like being back in high school after the teacher caught you flipping him the bird in 9th grade English at Damien High School in La Verne, California and having detention for two months. Damn those Catholic priests were tough.

German National Team and Bayern Munich wing back Philipp Lahm has hit back at Munich der Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer, who’s newspaper column publicly criticized the players dip in form since the 2006 World Cup. The 24 year old has been staring for the one time German powerhouse since 2005 and has now publicly asked whether the Team President should be airing his public opinions in such an open forum, rather than behind closed doors. Hmmmm, awkward!

[image via UKEurosport]

In what was another great game in Uefa Cup competition, Aberdeen drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in Scotland. Sh*tty that another ref determines the outcome of a great match.