….I guess it might as well be Werder Bremen.
Burgundy market in Mainz yesterday and today with one of our twin towns, Dijon. The usual champagne/truffle/wine/paté/escargots gluttony, brightened by this group of Werder supporters on their way to the match.
I ventured that the 2 teams with the highest sympathy factor were matched today and we had a chat about it.
Bremen has had the same trainer for ages and a day, players who don’t have a lot of star allure (and get it knocked out of them if they get big ideas), a surprising success rate (winners 4 times, runners up 7 times in the last 40 years) , given their modest budget and a level-headed environment, free of media hysteria.
True story:
Ms jb’s nephew and my godson was and is a big Bremen fan, despite living close to Cologne and thought that the sun shone out of Wynton Rufer ( a New Zealander) ‘s bum.
Asked him what he wanted as a present for his first communion (big event for a Catholic boy of 9).
Bike. Watch. I thought.
All he wanted was a Werder Bremen jersey with Wynton Rufer’s number on it.
I thought I could do better than that, so I wrote to Wynton at the Werder press office, fellow Kiwi, young Catholic lad, you’re a practicising Christian, could you maybe…
The big day.
Chris opens his present and his eyes bulge out of his head.
Werder jersey, Wynton Rufer’s number AND name on it. AND the inscription “To Chris, all the best, Wynton” plus autograph cards and a note.
Cool, eh
(1:3, if you must know…)
Mainz Daily Photo 
“Wutmensch” was a headline in the Spiegel, I think. Nothing like that in your picture or your story.
Yep a certifiable softie! Great idea and glad it worked out for Chris. I’ll bet he’s still smiling!
V
Kinda wordy, JB, but a fun photo of them in their matching green!
You just allowed yourself to be named favorite uncle for the rest of your life! Chris is a lucky lad!! You really are an old softie, I mean real softie!! Creative, too.