Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
While the red half of Munich is once again celebrating it’s near annual success what with Bayern running away with the Bundesliga, spare a thought for what was once their cross town rivals 1860. Already having to make do with life in the 2.Bundesliga since the start of the 2004/05 seasons things have recently got worse, much worse.
1860 Munich finished 16th in the 2. Bundesliga after a 1–2 defeat against 1. FC Heidenheim, their last game in the regular season which meant they were consigned to a playoff with Jahn Regensburg in a battle to beat the drop to Germany’s third tier.
Unfortunately for the 1966 champions they could only muster up a 1-1 draw in the first leg and a 2-0 home defeat at the Allianz Arena in the return. A defeat that was played out in very ugly scenes with a number of scuffles between fans and Police officers.
Those results consigned Die Löwen to 3. Bundesliga a plight which is bad enough for the club but they could be set to suffer a further two relegations almost immediately. They now face the almost unfathomable prospect of having to play in Germany fifth tier next season which for all intents and purposes is amateur football.
That is because the clubs majority owner Hasan Ismaik refused to make the necessary licensing payment to Bundesliga due to 1860 “failing to solve the problems” he sees within the club’s structure.
The German governing body were quoted as saying “The amount required for the 3. Liga license has not been received by the deadline. The shareholders of 1860 Munich could not reach an agreement by this time”
This of course has left the clubs summer plans in disarray as they have no idea of what league they are set to play in next season and more importantly they have no-one willing to put their hand in their pocket and pay the licensing fee which is required.
Relegation has already meant that 1860 are set to give up their tenancy of the Allianz Arena and it would be nonsensical to play fifth tier football in such a vast stadium, not only that but it brings into question just who will play for the club.
What makes the situation even more ludicrous is the fact that the clubs reserve team currently play in the 4th tier, so we now have the scenario where the senior team is at a lower level than the reserves. The obvious fix here would be to disband the reserves and have them then play in the 5th tier.
They need to find €10million, to secure their status in the division but with Ismaik also saying “The fact that I am forced to make such a decision makes me sad. I have struggled to find a solution until the last minute, but my justified demands…have fallen on deaf ears” means that it does not look all that promising for the Bavarians.
