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ontd_football
Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has revealed that he had once begged the club's former midfielder Owen Hargreaves for his boots.
Reflecting on his development and growth at the Bundesliga outfit, the Germany international looked back at the years he had as a child and also revealed a few old memories.
"I was a ball-boy at the stadium, it was always fantastic being up close to the pitch, watching the stars," said the 26-year-old to Bayern's official website.
"Elber, [Oliver] Kahn, [Jens] Jeremies, [Thomas] Linke, [Mehmet] Scholl – and a couple of years later, I was playing alongside them. I also watched them train as often as I could, after I’d cycled back from school to the club’s youth hostel.
"I recall once being the only person at the training ground, and I spent ages watching Owen Hargreaves all on his own, playing a ball against a wooden bench and trapping the rebound. He’d already signed pro forms back then.
"And I was desperate to get hold of a pair of boots like the pros wore, and I basically begged him to give me his!"
When asked whether Hargreaves gave him what he wanted, Schweinsteiger replied, "Yes, he gave in at some point. We’d known each other for a long time, we’d both lodged in the club hostel."
The 26-year-old continued, "Generally, I had some fantastic years there. Obviously, I had to sacrifice a few of the activities lads of that age normally enjoy, but it was enormously important for my development.
"You’re independent for the first time, you have to do your own shopping and cook your own food. I almost burned the place to the ground once, ‘cos I’d bought frozen dumplings and fried them. They were black on the outside and frozen on the inside.
"But I learned from the experience – I don’t cook dumplings myself any more..."
Looking ahead to their weekend clash with FC Koeln in the German Bundesliga where he will come up against his former Bayern team-mate Lukas Podolski, Schweinsteiger said, "Lukas arrived in 2006 with all eyes on him after the World Cup. It didn’t go well for him at the start and he was singled out for a lot of criticism, although I remain convinced he had the potential.
"Some people said it was all because he chose to live outside the city, but I never understood that – in Koeln, he doesn’t exactly live in the shadow of the cathedral."
SOURCE
I DON'T CARE IF ITS FROM LOL.COM THIS IS JUST FUNNY & CUTE :D
EDIT: Added in original source and interview....
Bastian Schweinsteiger’s last-gasp goal against Wolfsburg earned Bayern their sole Bundesliga victory so far this season. The champions are determined to make it two wins against FC Köln on Saturday, as the 26-year-old told Bayern-Magazin, the club’s official journal. The Munich youth product spoke of his attachment to the club, his Bavarian roots, and his future with FCB. He revealed how much he enjoys facing Lukas Podolski on the field of play, and why he is delighted when the Oktoberfest comes round every year. fcbayern.de presents extracts from the major interview.
Bayern-Magazin: This weekend, you face FC Köln and your friend and former team-mate Lukas Podolski, although it never worked out for him at Bayern. Why do you think that was?
Bastian Schweinsteiger: Lukas arrived in 2006 with all eyes on him after the World Cup. It didn’t go well for him at the start and he was singled out for a lot of criticism, although I remain convinced he had the potential. Some people said it was all because he chose to live outside the city, but I never understood that – in Cologne, he doesn’t exactly live in the shadow of the cathedral.
Five years have passed since Germany fell for a couple of fresh, cheeky young footballers named Schweini and Poldi, but have the two of you grown apart in recent years? Is it a question of personality?
We’ve always been very different, but we laugh all the time when we’re with the national squad. It's a shame he’s not in Munich, but it makes seeing him with Germany even more enjoyable. We’ve known each other so long, so we know what makes each other tick – on and off the field. I know exactly how he likes to play – which makes it easier to play against him, actually (laughs).
Both Munich and Cologne love a street festival, Karneval there, the Oktoberfest here – and it starts on Saturday…
I’ve set a target for the Oktoberfest period this year: I want us to come through the two weeks without dropping a single point. We have some tough games, especially the trips to Hoffenheim and Dortmund, but we owe our fans a winning run. I want us to win every game during the Oktoberfest!
As a Bavarian native, what do you like most about the festival?
I like a stroll around the fairground on a quiet afternoon, the smell of the roasted almonds, the special feeling. A quiet stroll has become a tad tricky in recent years, so I go to the Käfer marquee, where I eat the local delicacies, Kaiserschmarrn and Dampfnudeln - if we win, I’ll treat myself to that.
You like your home state, and you like Bayern – you’ve been at the club 12 years. What’s kept you here?
Everyone at the club, from the players to the head office staff, wants the maximum from every situation. But this extraordinary focus on performance is balanced by the family feel to the club. It's terrific when we take the entire club with us to finals, because everyone makes a contribution, not just the players. There are more than 200 head office staff, and I reckon I know them all by now. After all, Philipp [Lahm] and I are the only men left who played at the Olympic stadium…
It's hard to believe, isn’t it?
It is somehow. I was a ball-boy at the stadium, it was always fantastic being up close to the pitch, watching the stars. Elber, Kahn, Jeremies, Linke, Scholl – and a couple of years later, I was playing alongside them. I also watched them train as often as I could, after I’d cycled back from school to the club’s youth hostel. I recall once being the only person at the training ground, and I spent ages watching Owen Hargreaves all on his own, playing a ball against a wooden bench and trapping the rebound. He’d already signed pro forms back then. And I was desperate to get hold of a pair of boots like the pros wore, and I basically begged him to give me his! (laughs).
And were you successful?
Yes, he gave in at some point. We’d known each other for a long time, we’d both lodged in the club hostel. Generally, I had some fantastic years there. Obviously, I had to sacrifice a few of the activities lads of that age normally enjoy, but it was enormously important for my development. You’re independent for the first time, you have to do your own shopping and cook your own food. I almost burned the place to the ground once, ‘cos I’d bought frozen dumplings and fried them. They were black on the outside and frozen on the inside. But I learned from the experience – I don’t cook dumplings myself any more...
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Date: 2010-09-18 01:48 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2010-09-18 01:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 02:06 am (UTC)ruh-roh, Poldi
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Date: 2010-09-18 02:37 am (UTC)yesplzthx
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Date: 2010-09-18 02:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 04:23 am (UTC)For some reason, this is what made me love with this guy double. Such a big-name star, allowing himself to enjoy the simple pleasures of life if he succeeds... never, ever change, Basti. ♥ ♥ ♥
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Date: 2010-09-18 05:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 05:11 am (UTC)I sometimes cant believe bastian's 26.. I still see him as 20 or something idek
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Date: 2010-09-18 05:30 am (UTC)I know! I'm still depressed about his whole situation :(
It sucks badly.
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Date: 2010-09-18 05:28 am (UTC)I still miss Owen... hope he's able to play soon :(
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Date: 2010-09-18 06:32 am (UTC)"We’ve known each other so long, so we know what makes each other tick – on and off the field."
aww ilt
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Date: 2010-09-18 07:19 am (UTC)ummmm.... hokay. off the field, wink wink nudge nudge
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Date: 2010-09-18 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 07:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 09:12 am (UTC)Oh nostalgia, this makes me kinda sad though. I started watching Bayern before Lahm & Schweini played with them and it's true everyone's gone now. =(
Also Owen, get better soon!
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Date: 2010-09-18 01:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 11:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 12:05 pm (UTC)He`s just special :)
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Date: 2010-09-18 12:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 12:57 pm (UTC)i love you.
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Date: 2010-09-18 01:06 pm (UTC)Oh, Basti! NOT TRUE! Micho also played at the Olympic stadium. Tz, tz, tz 'slaps him lightly'
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Date: 2010-09-18 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-18 04:34 pm (UTC)ilu schweini
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Date: 2010-09-18 04:56 pm (UTC)"But I learned from the experience – I don’t cook dumplings myself any more..."
hope he isn't learning like this from all mistakes...:DD
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Date: 2010-09-18 06:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-19 08:29 pm (UTC)OMG I LOL'D LITERALLY AHAHAH BASTI NEVER CHANGE <33
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Date: 2010-09-26 12:01 pm (UTC)