Not many players can say their fixture list looks like this: Macclesfield away; Germany at home; Azerbaijan away then Port Vale at home.
But in the age of the much-traveled soccer palyer even some unheralded talents are getting around.
All the way to Darlington.
The League Two — or rather, fourth division, English outfit rarely attract the limelight.
Winning the old Third Division (North) in 1925 has been about as good as it gets for The Quakers since their foundation 125 years ago.
But, perhaps in a case of any port in a storm, even Darlington can attract their foreign contingent.
Step forward Liechtenstein international Franz Burgmeier, a 26-year-old winger and star of a 6-0 win at Macclesfield — then rather less noticeable as his miniature country slid to a World Cup qualifier loss to Germany by the same margin.
But, while lilliputian Liechtenstein, ranked 130 in the FIFA standings, may be the only country ever to lose to San Marino they proved they are no joke by managing a goalless draw earlier this month in Azerbaijan and also unfeasibly held Portugal 2-2 at home in Vaduz in a 2006 World Cup qualifier.
On that occasion, Burgmeier was up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Burgmeier is now an experienced international, having won more than 40 caps.
He sampled the atmosphere at Old Trafford, featuring in the side beaten 2-0 by England in a 2003 European Championships qualifier.
After Swiss club Basel released him this summer he decided he had to seek pastures new.
Darlington offered him a trial — as they had in 2002 to the rather more celebrated Colombian former Newcastle star Faustino Asprilla, who shunned a medical — and “two days later I was there.”
“The lifestyle is different from Switzerland but the people have been very friendly and the players are really helping me. I like the British lifestyle. They are nice people, they don’t worry too much about things,” Burgmeier told the BBC.
A goal in the recent win over Port Vale cemented relations with the fans and coach Dave Penney is impressed.
“He can play on both the left and the right, and is certainly a threat,” Penney says.
Promotion is now Burgmeier’s dream with Darlington currently four points off third spot in the table.
And he believes the northern England club is going places.
“I think Darlington should be in a higher division,” he said. “Look at the stadium. The club should be in at least League One or the Championship.”
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS