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Derek Rae

@raecomm.bsky.social

11K followers 1.6K following 1.9K posts

International football commentator: ESPN, Bundesliga world feed, #EAFC25 video game (since FIFA19 days) and many others. Originally from Aberdeen in NE Scotland🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Happiest working in Köln. Posts in English & German. Contact: [email protected]

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Reposted by Derek Rae

Evening Express Sport @eesport.bsky.social · 16h

The Aberdeen game I’ll never forget: Why Bayern Munich’s visit to Pittodrie is a career highlight for Derek Rae
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/foo...

The Aberdeen game I’ll never forget: Why Bayern Munich's visit to Pittodrie is a career highlight for Derek Rae

Commentator recalls the week he gained exclusive access to the Bayern camp before commentating on the Dons humbling the Germans at Pittodrie.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 20h

Here what’s happening in Mönchengladbach.
Indications are interim coach Eugen Polanski will be given until the November intl break before a decision is made on his future.
This would also buy Gladbach time to appoint a sporting director to be at the forefront of the process.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

When someone accuses someone else of being a “champagne socialist” what they’re actually doing is holding that other person to a standard they would never hold themselves to.
In other words, “I can be an a—- & it’s ok but you are a disgrace for not being 100% perfect. How dare you!”

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

Yes it’s pretty well full grown as it is. I think people who talk about growth mean countries where it hasn’t developed as in ours (eg India, China, USA).
Take your point about women’s football which does have scope to grow.
Mostly growth is another way of saying let’s make more money of course.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

🙏

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

🙏

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

Have been using this platform
as my main one for relaying Bundesliga info for a year now.
Not pretending everyone from the old days has jumped on board but we’re approaching 11K followers & grateful that you choose to read & opine.
We may be smaller in number as a group but our hearts are big. 🙏

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

Yes it’s not those fans the promoters of this idea are thinking of, though they might use them as a convenient excuse for doing it :)
My other issue with it is: the world exists & ⚽️ is the world game yet I don’t hear anyone argue they should take games to Lahore or Nairobi. Purely a cash grab.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

If this were tried in the Bundesliga there would be mass protests that would make last year‘s investor protests look small fry. What makes German football special is that it happens in German cities & stadia. The small things like the walk through the Stadtwald in Frankfurt can’t be replicated.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

Loyalty means something quite different I feel to a fan in Germany or England versus the USA.
As an Aberdeen fan, even though I now live far away, I don’t expect AFC to come to me. In fact it would be a pale shadow of the true experience of a home game - friends, family, community, tradition.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

I‘m all for growing ⚽️ but growing it everywhere by making domestic leagues better.
The USA already has a World Cup next year, had a Club World Cup last year, countless intl club friendlies every year & likely a Women’s World Cup in 2031.
Does it deserve all the growth at the expense of others?

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

The German public TV channels - ARD & ZDF - will be able to show 60 of the 104 World Cup matches next summer, if Julian Nagelsmann‘s team qualifies (GER games are protected & must be on a public channel.)
Telekom‘s TV arm Magenta has rights to all 104 games.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

It’s an important point.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

⚽️ is the most popular sport in the world 🌎 for a reason. Easy & inexpensive to play (except in the USA it seems), brings people together.
You don’t become an Aberdeen (my home city) fan or a Köln fan because a travelling circus hit your city.
It’s organic, it’s community.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 1d

Hope I don’t have to read “well the NFL does it” to justify La Liga games in the USA “growing the game.”
American football is a sport very few play elsewhere with no roots. There are no equivalents of the NFL.
Doesn’t apply to ⚽️ which already exists everywhere. Yes including in the USA!

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 2d

Today’s Aberdeen latest!
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/footba...

Lutz Pfannenstiel leads Aberdeen three-man director of football shortlist

The Dons have been interviewing for a replacement for the recently departed Steven Gunn.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

The job means I don’t really have a home as most know it :)

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

Kicker goes with “What a run!”
“The top 4 by themselves and Bayern at the end is the big winner.”

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

So easy & cheap to dismiss Bayern because they “always” win the Bundesliga (they didn’t 2 seasons ago!)
But if you watch, you know there is something special about this Bayern.
Feels like a season for them to go far in the Champions League. On early season form, no one across Europe playing better.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

Off home soon to Aberdeen for the international break. Time to recharge the batteries before Bayern-Dortmund for ESPN in Munich on the 18th.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

We’re still a bit stuck on the idea of a strong manager conquers all when in fact the skills needed to run & plan a club’s football operation are not the same as those needed to coach a first team every day.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 3d

Often think Scottish football is several years behind in understanding what a sporting director actually does & why the job is crucial to long term planning, goals & stability.
It needs visibility.
Prediction is within 5 years that post will be seen as at least as important as the head coach in Sco.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 4d

Dortmund-Leipzig 1:1 very much a fair result. Leipzig will be happier with the away point.
Not a match rich in good chances & now BVB have to try to dig out something in Munich after the international break.

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 4d

Commentating on Dortmund-Leipzig for the world feed today.
My thoughts here on the BVB revival under Niko Kovac.
t.co/B8iPMnGYxn

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46468241/rb-leipzig-bayern-munich-bundesliga-tests-reveal-whether-borussia-dortmund-legit

Derek Rae @raecomm.bsky.social · 4d

Fascinating weekend in my home city!
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/foo...

Lutz Pfannenstiel: Dons sporting director candidate travels to Aberdeen to holds talks over vacancy

The 52-year-old German attended Friday night’s Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup final between Aberdeen and Formartine United.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk