Transfer News Central's newest interviewee is Bundesliga expert Cristian Nyari. Cristian is a New York based football writer,editor, and analyst.. He is a columnist for The New York Times and analyst for Opta. He also co-Founded Bundesliga Fanatic where he is the editor in chief.
1. Would Wolfsburg be better keeping Diego or selling him to allow Koo & Arnold game time?
There's no reason why they can't do both. Young players sometimes need the inspiration and influence of older veterans around them. Arnold still has some ways to go, as was seen by his reckless foul and red card over the weekend, and Diego is the kind a lot of younger players in the league look up to. And Koo is versatile enough not to interfere with Diego's role. He has played out wide and behind the playmaker and done just as well. No reason Hecking can't use all three effectively.
2. Could Bayern Munich's Phillip Lahm feature as a CM often for Pep?
He can and he probably will. In pre-season Pep said it was a matter of necessity but I think Lahm is the exact kind of player Pep wants in the middle; calm on the ball, moves it minimally and efficiently and always reliable. As long as Martinez, Thiago and Schweinsteiger are fit he'll stay on the right but if they aren't, Lahm will be the go-to guy, and rightfully so.
3. Who are the favorites to be part of top 4 and relegation?
Bayern and Dortmund are the two obvious to finish top two and I think Schalke and Leverkusen did enough to at least keep up with them. As for relegation, I cannot see Braunschweig doing enough to stay up. Similarly, Augsburg may have pushed their luck by staying up last year and could face the drop. The playoff spot is really tough to call and could go a number of ways. Nürnberg, Hoffenheim, Bremen and Hertha Berlin are all vulnerable enough to fall victim to that.
4. Do you see Thiago and Mkhitaryan's decisions to snub the EPL in favour of Bundesliga as indicative of how far the league has come, as a whole? Or is it more down to the individual reputations of Klopp and Pep?
Absolutely. It wouldn't have happend 2-3 years ago. Guardiola is obviously the biggest factor Götze and Thiago chose Bayern but overall the allure of German football is the greatest it has been in a long time. The league is much more marketable and attractive and the success in Europe is the biggest catalyst. Players are seeing Germany as a viable option because clubs compete for the biggest titles. The great atmospheres and culture is an added bonus.
5. Can Dortmund compete long term with Bayern by relying on youth teamers or will they have to consistently bring in players from outside the club?
Doesn't have to be either or. They've found a good mix I would say. Günter, Hoffman, Duksch are going to compliment the likes of Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan well going forward and it will allow Dortmund to maintain a degree of continuity. I find the best way to achieve sustained success is always through a delicate balance and they are doing it right in Dortmund.
6. What team will be the most improved this season?
I'm going to say Stuttgart. They've made some very good signings in the summer and their campaign last year was so disappointing that there is no way but to improve on it this year.
7. In your opinion, who, at their peak, would you prefer to have in a team: Lothar Matthaus or Bastian Schweinsteiger?
Matthäus without question. A more complete player with great leadership qualities. Schweinsteiger had two phenomenal individual seasons (09/10 and 12/13) but Matthäus had a phenomenal career.
8. Who will have a better season, Schalke or Bayer Leverkusen?
I would lean towards Schalke simply because they have more depth now and they have arguably the best group of young talent in Germany. I think both will do really well this season, domestically and in Europe.
9. Which players do you think could emerge as surprises this season?
I think Anthony Modeste at Hoffenheim could do really well, as will Alexander Baumjohan with Hertha Berlin.
10. In your opinion, is Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich the greatest match in German domestic football?
It's definitely the matchup with the highest quality on display. As far as rivalries goes, nothing compares to Schalke - Dortmund though.
11. How do you feel about Javi Martinez being used as a centre back? He seems like a perfect fit for a Pepe Guardiola defence, but do you risk breaking up the midfield partnership which was so successful last season?
I think it's a logical choice really. It's also a way to fit in Thiago without benching one of the two. Whether that will upset the order remains to be seen. There is no reason why Bayern could not be successful with the new model and system.
12. Who do feel is the best signing made by a Bundesliga this summer, in terms of value for money?
Max Kruse. To get him for under 3m after a season like he had last year was a great bit of business. He already showed how good he can be against Bayern and should become pretty important for Gladbach.
13. Do you see Bayern maintaining last seasons dominance, or will there be a learning curve under Pep Guardiola?
Definitely a learning curve. Guardiola himself admitted the players and the coach are still feeling each other out, learning to trust one another and buying into each others ideas. A lot of the Bayern players aren't used to a coach like Guardiola so naturally there will be a learning curve, or even some growing pains if you will. But none of that should get in the way of another really successful campaign for them.
14. Should Franck Ribery win the Ballon D'or or/and UEFA Best Player in Europe Award?
Absolutely. He had a hand in 40 goals in all competitions for Bayern last season. On top of that he won all there was to win. If the criteria judges both individual performances and success Ribery has to be the front runner.
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15. Do you think Son will be an adequate replacement at Bayer Leverkusen for the departed Schurrle?
Absolutely. Leverkusen could not have gotten a better player to replace Schürrle. He's fast, can play counter attacks really well and is a terrific shooter and finisher. He linked up well with Kiessling in the opening game and already scored a couple of goals for the club since joining. And he's only going to grow as a player under Hyypia.
16. Can Juan Arango reproduce the fantastic form he displayed last season? At 33, time isn't on his side.
I doubt it. He'll have his moment of magic every now and then but I feel Favre wants to expand his team's game, vary it up and let others take responsibility. Relying on one player too much is never sustainable but Arango can be a great compliment to the likes of Kruse, Herrmann and Younes.
17. Which players, if any, will leave Bayern Munich before the transfer window shuts?
The only one I could see leaving is Luiz Gustavo and that would probably be Arsenal or Wolfsburg, the two clubs that have shown the most interest in him this summer.
18. Is Bastian Schweinsteiger's conversion to a Centre-midfielder the best example of a player who has excelled in a different role?
It's the best example of a player who found his perfect fit later than he should have. Many were calling for him to play in the middle because he always lacked the pace and technical ability to play out wide but it took until Louis van Gaal for a coach to finally use him there. Since, he has flourished and grown tremendously as a player. It should be a lesson to other coaches developing young players going forward.
19. Will Ter Stegen ever be good enough to replace Neuer in the German goal?
I don't see why not. Neuer is not without his mental lapses and can sometimes be too casual in goal. Ter Stegen only just turned 21 and is already one of the best keepers in Germany. In 2-3 years he could be as good as Neuer. Technically many believe he is already above him.
20. What do you think about so many players from Asia playing in the Bundesliga?
It's fantastic. Both for the development of Asian players and the overall marketability of German football. If there is one criticism of the Bundesliga it's that it doesn't make itself as available to the global market as the other leagues and having so many prominent Asian players there does the job for them.
21. Do you still think Borussia Dortmund are able to compete with Bayern Munich?
Absolutely. Even though it was just a friendly, the Supercup definitely showed that Dortmund are every bit up for it this season as they were in the past. They will make it very difficult for Bayern and really push Pep to the brink. I think the Bayern v. Dortmund matches this season could be even better than they have been in the past 2-3 years.
22. Will Adam Szalai make the grade at Schalke? Is he likely to replicate the form he displayed last season?
I think so. He has done well in pre-season and strives on competition. He can also play off the striker so Huntelaar will not necessarily keep him out of the team. He has been ready for a move to a bigger club for more than a year now and he's ready to embrace the challenge.
23. Werder Bremen - another long season filled with suffering?
I'm afraid so. I would be surprised if Bremen suddenly turned everything around. You get the feeling that it will be a transition period that will last well beyond the current season. There are still some key missing pieces in the team and there are still many questions over how Dutt will answer them.
24. Who would be in your all time German XI?
Tough question but here goes: Kahn - Vogts, Beckenbauer, Kohler, Brehme - F. Walter, Matthäus, Ballack, - G. Müller, K-H Rummenigge, Uwe Seeler
