Between the Posts with Michael Kluver
7/2/2015 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Throughout the men's soccer 2015 foreign trip, Michael Kluver will be blogging for GoCreighton.com.
July 13
For one last time...
Hello Creighton Fans,
The Jays have just landed back home in the States. We had a great last few days of the trip and we are now ready to use the trip as an advantage this upcoming fall.
Last day in Germany and then back to America tomorrow 🇩🇪✈️🇺🇸
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 12, 2015
🇩🇪✈️🇺🇸
— Myles Englis (@mylesenglis11) July 13, 2015
On Saturday we started our day off with a training session on a field adjacent to the hotel. All week we watched Europeans attempt to play American Football on the same field. As you can imagine, this brought a lot of enjoyment as Germans cannott throw nor catch quite the same as Americans.
After practice we decided that the best course of action would be to cool off at the local pool. We quickly found out, however, that it wasn't just an ordinary pool. As Germans do with pretty much everything, they went all out on the pool construction. A huge body of water complete with water slide, islands, an extra pool for laps, trampolines on the side along with table tennis, a restaurant and a huge grass field for sunbathers.
We enjoyed our time in the sun for a few hours before realizing that a needed nap was upon us. As you can imagine, two weeks packed full of games, adventuring and tourist attractions requires a nap at some point.
After catching up on a little sleep, we used our last evening off exploring the downtown area of Freiburg. Freiburg, a city about the size of Lincoln, presented an elegant downtown that would be fit for large city. Huge shopping centers along classic German architecture brought an area perfect for evening shenanigans. Small canals lined the brick streets and we found a cathedral with the exact same architecture as the cathedral of Strasbourg.
Some of the guys explored the university area of town, while a couple of guys and I took advantage of the time to do some shopping, for us and for family and friends. We found a quick bite to eat before making it home before curfew.
On Sunday, we drove up to Karlsruhe for our last game of the trip. I really wish I could have announced a win for this one, but unfortunately the game ended 2-1 in favor of the (more) German side.
The game started out pretty even. We did start at a disadvantage with Evan Waldrep and Mitch LaGro out due to minor injuries. About halfway through the first half, one of their outside midfielders broke free of the defense and flew towards the goal before placing a pass to the back post onto an awaiting player. One-zero, but we would respond.
Jose Ribas, making a rare forward run from the centerback position opened up for a shot just inside the box in the closing seconds of the first half. Before he was able to have a go on net, one of the Karlsruhe defenders took Ribas down in a tackle that looked more similar to the American Football we watched earlier this week. Fabian Herbers converted the ensuing penalty kick with ease.
As the second half made way, I started to notice that maybe the busy two weeks were finally catching up on our legs. Our high level of conditioning that we started the trip with was slowly wearing down and understandably so.
Karlsruhe scored about halfway through the second half off a good diagonal through ball into the box and an even better first touch from the forward. Two to one, and we would fail to answer this time.
We did have some good efforts, with both Myles and Timo coming extremely close to adding another score to the books. After the final whistle blew, we were physically finished. The trip was a perfect length, because I don't know if anyone would have been up for a fifth match.
Great trip here in Germany. Return to stateside tomorrow after an amazing two weeks. Danke Schoen… https://t.co/UwKDrqOuA7
— Creighton Soccer (@creightonmsoc) July 12, 2015
So we leave Germany going 2-2 and gaining much more knowledge going into the fall. There is a lot that we as a team can take away from the trip. Like mentioned earlier, there is that obvious chemistry that accompanies a group of guys on vacation together. We have also seen more minutes together on the field, gaining four extra (pre) preseason games.
Also, the teams that we have faced have provided us challenges that we cannot get anywhere in our own country. Never have we seen teams that press so hard and organized as we attempted to work the ball up the field. We do not face teams with the organization that the Germans possessed. We witnessed a style of soccer that we take pride in here in the United States, but we have seen it now at the next level.
During our fall matches we usually find ourselves working the ball up the field much more than our opposition, while they try to find a counter attack goal. There were times in the past few weeks where we found ourselves on the opposite end of this situation. This gives us a lot to work with. We know that we can score from a counter attack style of play. But that's not how the game is meant to be played. At least that's not how Germany won the World Cup last summer.
We have seen our style at a pace we have never faced in person, and we will use that as an opportunity to refrain from being content with ourselves. We know that we can always improve, but when we see firsthand a system that is naturally bred stronger than ours, we find that we have the ability to strongly improve on a system that gave us a lot of success last year.
Overall I was extremely pleased with the experience, as was everyone else. Germany was the right place for our team this summer. Here we found good competition that played a style that matches our own. We found great activities to enjoy the vacation, but we also found a place where soccer is the culture - the true passion of the people.
We Americans were not quite aware what it was like to live in a place where soccer is the number one priority, on an athletic level as well as a social level. For instance, many of the conversations we had with the locals involved talking about soccer. People would curiously ask why we were traveling in a huge group wearing the same polo. We would respond that we were a team from America.
Germans were very surprised to see that Americans actually traveled to Europe for the purpose of soccer, and not baseball, basketball, or football. They were even more surprised to hear that we played the reserves of 1860 Munich, Red Bull Salzburg, Freiburg, and Karlsruhe and earned the success that we did.
Great trip to Germany with @creightonmsoc, will definitely help us in the fall and gave us a good… https://t.co/jTRoqpA5nD
— Lucas Stauffer (@lucas_stauffer9) July 13, 2015
What an incredible experience! Truly indescribable, words and pictures truly don't do justice. All we can do is thank those responsible for the trip. We wouldn't be anywhere without the help of donors like the Hillstoppers. You've given us memories that will last a lifetime. Never will I get such an incredible opportunity with such a great group of guys. We only wish that we could share the trip with you guys more than a simple blog post every few days.
I invite you to introduce yourselves, or ask about the team, or the trip whenever you get the chance. How privileged are we to receive the kind of support you give with such enthusiasm? This adds to the elite program that we have at Creighton, one that is unmatched in my opinion.
Thanks for joining us!
Michael Kluver #30
July 10
Creighton Soccer Fans,
Going to Europa Park today🙌🏻🎢🎡
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 10, 2015
Europe is my cup of tea #eurotrip #gojays
— Lucas Stauffer (@lucas_stauffer9) July 9, 2015
We have kept busy here in Freiburg, even with our three free days before next game. On Thursday we took a trip across the famous Rhine River into French territory, the third country we have visited.
We toured Strasbourg, a beautiful city that gave us a majestic view of French culture. We immediately toured around the Strasbourg Cathedral. The Cathedral was absolutely stunning, incredibly massive in size and intricate in detail. Inside and out we were impressed by the incredible architecture.
We had to split up (in order to be served by the café's) and grab a bite to eat. I had to eat at a crepe shop right outside the cathedral, while other teammates wanted to try "French fries" out of France (hopefully they know that fries don't actually originate from there). After, we roamed around the city and shopped a little. We noticed the architecture that bled of French influence. The culture in France is just slightly different in almost every way to Germany, similar in the ways we saw differences between Germany and America.
After enjoying our time in France, we headed back to Germany, towards the Franz Keller Winery. Franz Keller wines are known and sold worldwide, and we are lucky to have a connection to this through Vince. Through the rolling hills near Freiburg, we found Vince's father's exquisite wine making and storing facility amongst acres and acres of vineyards. We met up with Mr. Keller and he was nice enough to give us a tour of his facility. Through this tour, he explained the family business to us and informed us on the process of fine winemaking. He showed us how the little differences in winemaking and storing, along with the extreme amount of effort given to the care of the processes allow the business to thrive. He made an emphasis on caring for the earth during every process of the business.
The Keller family then treated us to a dinner, which would be better described as a feast. We ate at one of the family restaurants and we were treated like royalty from the Keller family as well as the staff. We had different tarte flambee (fancy pizza), braised roast beef in red wine sauce, homemade spaetzle and black forest cherry tiramisu for desert. One of my favorite meals ever spent with the guys (what could be better?). A huge “ thank you” goes out to the Keller Family for such a fantastic evening!
On Friday we took a special field trip to Europa Park. Europa Park is a famous theme park a small drive away from Freiburg. The park features different sections and rides that are portrayed to look like the major countries in Europe. The park recreates the architecture and staples of each country into the games, restaurants and rides. So we were able to act like children all day, by riding all of the roller coasters, playing bumper cars that were shaped like soccer cleats and enjoying ice cream. I strongly believe it's important to let out your inner kid and it was a great time with the guys.
Three more days till we head back to the states. It's been a great experience playing against some of the best U23 Academy teams in Germany.
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 10, 2015
Soon we will have our final practice and a free day to roam Freiburg before our game on Sunday against Karlsruhe. I can't wait to let you all know how our last few days in Germany end up!
Until next time,
Michael Kluver #30
July 9
Hello again to all you Creighton Soccer fans,
Our trip has switched sides of the country as we have headed to Freiburg for the next few days. We have just played SC Freiburg, Vince Keller's hometown team, and we will play Karlsruhe in a few days.
On Tuesday we made our way to Freiburg, with one incredible stop along the way. We visited the scenic Neuschwanstein Castle a few hours into the trip and were given a few hours to do whatever we wanted.
A few of the guys, including myself, hiked up the mountain to see the castle at a closer view. We got some incredible pictures, and hiked through the forest to find a bridge that overlooked a canyon, which gave us an even better angle of the castle (and better pictures). We were able to see a great view of the town below us, as well as the lake nearby with the Alps in the background. We hiked down the mountain via a narrow steep mountain trail, which gave us yet another fun activity that we aren't able to do in Nebraska.
Neuschwanstein Castle💠🏯 pic.twitter.com/k56c66rGil
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 7, 2015
Some of the other guys rented boats to row around the radiant lake that we could see from the mountain. There they were able to explore some of the most gorgeous waters in the world and see the castle from afar. Some of the guys (who must have been out of their mind) decided to jump off cliffs into the water. We are very thankful that they came back in one piece, but it sounds like they had an absolute blast out there, doing an activity, which can only be done in a few parts of the world.
After our stop, we made way for Freiburg. This trip consisted of a lot of sleeping, as our nonstop fun activities do call for some rest. Some of the guys have been enjoying a simple card game, in which the loser has to suffer from being flicked in the ear. From the amount of laughter coming from the back of the bus, I can tell it's a very exciting game played by some of the most competitive guys I know.
After arriving in Freiburg, we explored the area around our hotel in suburban Germany. We found a park that consisted of fast and dangerous obstacles that you would never find in an American Park. We tested our limits on zip lines and improvised seesaws built for adults (so we think) and luckily escaped without too much harm. I feel that these parks would cause quite a few lawsuits in the United States, but the Germans are smart enough not to put themselves in danger in the first place. After, we dipped our feet into the river and chilled for the rest of the evening.
The next day we walked from our hotel over to the SC Freiburg stadium before going over to the academy facility. Vince's father is the president of the club, so Vince knows the complete ins and outs of everything SC Freiburg. He gave us all we needed to know about the facility as well as the program.
After enjoying another delicious pregame meal at the facilities, we walked around a nearby park for a while. I need to make note that every single meal we have had here has been absolutely delicious. Coming from a relatively picky eater, I have been enjoying a very different assortment of foods and we have been treated quite nicely.
Anyways, in the park we stopped for coffee and found a small pond where the coaches were nice enough to rent some paddle/rowing boats for us to mess around for a while. After enjoying our time in the now perfectly beautiful weather, we came back to the facility to prepare for the game.
I could tell that this game would be incredibly important for Vince. After all, it was his family's team. Everyone knew Vince and the waitresses, coaches, and staff were all very excited to see him. All eyes were obviously on Vince today and our captain surely wouldn't disappoint. We were fortunate to get the job done for him with a 2-1 victory.
Playing the second team out of a Freiburg program that has spent nearly the last decade in the first division Bundesliga, we knew it would be a solid team and a tough game. I would say they gave us a more complete game than Salzburg, having solid organization both on the offensive and defensive sides.
The first half started a little slow on both sides. After about 20 minutes, we started to catch our rhythm. About halfway through the half, Joel Rydstrand impressively flicked on a pass up the middle from Fabian Herbers right to the feet of Myles Englis, who sprinted on past the Freiburg defenders for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Myles showed impressive confidence and converted for the first goal of the game.
A few minutes later, Myles would strike again. Joel found Timo Pitter flying on a diagonal run towards the left sideline. Timo took his run towards goal and had a dynamic curling pass to the far post that perfectly found Myles for an easy finish. Two-nil.
We have noticed a strong showing from the guys who spent more time on the bench than the fields last fall. Noah Franke, Brock Fitzgerald, Mitch LaGro and obviously Myles Englis (with 3 goals) have been showing confidence and provide a strong presence for the team.
Freiburg brought out a couple of their better players for the second half. They gave us a little more of a challenge, but our players were up for the task. We played a little more defensively to protect our two-goal lead and did successfully up until the closing seconds.
You might call it a bit of a defensive hiccup, but one of the Freiburg players found himself around the 18 yard box. He attempted on goal, but in the process completely miss-hit the ball. Instead of the shot going extremely wide, however, the player found a good stroke of luck and the shot chipped perfectly into the top far post and in.
Connor Sparrow was not thrilled to give up his shutout in the closing seconds, but there was not too much he could have done about that one. Connor has given the team two and a half games of “brick wall” presence and has led the team well back there in goal.
We were very happy to earn two victories so far on our trip. We hope to leave with a winning record after our game Sunday against Karlsruhe. We were happy to have Fabian, Timo, Vince, Joel and Myles' parents all come to support us at our game.
In the next few days we will explore the areas around Freiburg, including a day trip to Strasbourg, France a trip to Vince's family business, as well as a visit to Europapark. We are very excited to enjoy our next few days off and I will make sure to keep you guys filled in on all of our fun!
I love the atmosphere here in Europe
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 6, 2015
Danka (thanks) and GO JAYS!
Michael Kluver #30
July 7
Hello to all you Creighton Soccer fans!
Our trip has just about hit our halfway point; time seems to be moving pretty fast on this side of the Atlantic.
On Sunday, we were given the whole day to spend as we wished. We could not all decide on one thing to do, so we split up in groups to make sure we accomplished all of our vacation wishes on our last free day in Munich.
About half the team, including myself, decided to visit the Dachau concentration camp just outside of Munich. While this may have not been a pleasant trip, it was extremely moving. It felt very important to us to reflect on and pay our respect to those affected by the tragedy. It was also a huge learning experience on one of the darkest moments in history. One enjoyable coincidence that occurred was when our group ran into Chris Bosh, the famous basketball player on the Miami Heat.
Got to check out the Dachau concentration camp today...it's crazy to think about what happened to those people and how lucky we have it.
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 5, 2015
The rest of the team decided to do other various activities, and a couple players chose to use the day for rest before our next game.
Ricardo Perez reflected on his day's activities, saying, “Joel, Fabian, Fernando, and I went on a bike tour around Munich. We rented bikes and rode from the city center to the Olympic Stadium. There was a busy festival with German music and lots of different spots for food. We then stopped by the English Garten to jump into the river (just like we did a few days ago), and watch surfers ride the wake of the river before returning the bikes. We were able to see a lot of Munich and really enjoyed the experience!”
#selfiesunday at the city center in downtown Munich! Ready for our match tomorrow vs Red Bull in… https://t.co/Nd2LDygwYp
— Lucas Stauffer (@lucas_stauffer9) July 5, 2015
On Monday, we made our way back to Austria for a game against the U23 Salzburg Red Bull squad. This powerhouse club for is no stranger to the Champion's League and Austrian League titles. But first, we were given the opportunity to explore Salzburg, Austria.
Salzburg, home of Mozart, is a very historic and scenic city situated at the base of the Alps. We toured around the city for a couple of hours on our own. About half the team including myself went up a small mountain to the old castle and explored the old village home to kings and queens of the Salzburg area many years ago.
The rest of the guys marched around downtown for a while. A cool part about Europe is that every little walk is an adventure. It is interesting in that every part of the city, including the street signs, social cues, architecture and culture is very noticeably different than back home. When you want something to eat, for example, you need to search around until you find a shop, figure out what the menu is trying to say, communicate to servers or cashiers with a language barrier and try not to get lost in the city using visual landmarks due to winding streets and incredibly confusing street names.
Next, we traveled to Red Bull's stadium to enjoy a fantastic pregame meal in the VIP area. The stadium itself was really nice and holds about 30,000 fans on game days - a bit bigger than your average MLS stadium and a bit smaller than some EPL stadiums.
After our meal we went over to the Red Bull Salzburg training facility/youth academy. The facility was indescribably amazing. Red Bull went all out, building a residency building last year that houses hockey and soccer academy players. It houses top of the line indoor and outdoor fields, as well as over-the-top training rooms and living facilities. While our first game had the most beautiful view I've ever experienced in a soccer game, this was easily the most quality field I've ever played on.
Dr. Norton's observations of the facility: “The facilities that we saw were absolutely amazing, I know they were only a little over a year old, but they were top notch - not only for (Red Bull's) soccer program but also ice hockey.”
The Salzburg squad came out of the gates at full force. Their team offensively was quite impressive, in my opinion, and one of the best offensive teams I have ever seen Creighton play. They worked the ball very well and made impressive creative runs that really tested our defensive ability. They pressed us extremely well and quickly, which gave us little time to make any decisions on the ball.
Defensively, they were not quite as organized, but still solid. Jose Ribas started off the game the right way, scoring a goal on the far left post from 18 yards out coming from a pass across from Fabian Herbers. Salzburg came right back in the next few minutes, scoring off of a one-on-one rebound to make the halftime score 1-1.
The second half was a much different story than the first. The Salzburg squad seemed a little fatigued while we were still at the same pace we started with. They stopped playing a high press system, which gave our team a little more time and space to make decisions.
Timo Pitter scored a goal early in the second half, after picking up a loose ball just outside the 18. Salzburg responded a few minutes later with a nice header on a counter attack. Later in the half Fabian Herbers finished a rebound off a nice shot from Ricky Lopez. Ricky has been looking better and better since his return.
Salzburg would not answer this time and Myles would later finish a breakaway attempt about as calm as you can be, after having about a kilometer of free space after one of the best through balls Austria has seen in a while.
Captain Vincent Keller's thoughts on the game: “After touring Red Bull's impressive facilities I think the guys showed a little bit too much respect in the first half. They had a couple of chances to score more goals in the first half but with a lot of effort and some luck we were able to keep it tied up at halftime.
"In my opinion we played a good second half in which we dominated a team that plays in a professional league in Europe. Red Bull was really sharp going forward but showed gaps on defense, which we were able to use to score. Overall I think we represented Creighton and American soccer better than most spectators at the game expected from us and we deserved the win that day."
Myles Englis' thoughts on the win: “It was a really good opportunity for us to test ourselves against one of the premier clubs in Europe. The facilities were second to none and it was an incredible setting to develop yourself as a player. We played much better than we did against 1860 and things are really starting to click again. It has been a while since we have all played together, but this game was just what we needed for our confidence as a unit. It was a great team effort and we deserved our 4-2 result.”
Dr. Norton's perspective on the victory: “I thought (Creighton) gassed them, especially in the second half. You could see their players begin to get frustrated with our play. From where we were watching, there were five of us greatly outnumbered by the Austrian fans. They were making some comments to themselves, so it was nice to watch you guys take care of business.”
We were sorry to say goodbye to Dr. Norton, but we were elated to be able to have him join us on our trip. Dr. Norton noticed how we are mixing around our lineup, adapting to the new players we have and the different systems we can play - we are also adapting to the extreme heat that we have experienced.
That brings up one of the biggest struggles we have had this trip. Germany and Austria are currently experiencing one of the hottest weeks of summer on record. Temperatures exceeding 100 degrees are not as abnormal in the hot summer weeks of Nebraska. However, they are very rare for this area of the world and they aren't quite prepared for it. There are virtually no air conditioners here, so we have to be creative to find ways to cool off. The heat has affected our bodies during the games, but we should not have to deal with it for too much longer. The heat should subside in the next few days and everyone is excited to get back to tolerable temperatures.
Overall, I really thought it was a great performance from the team. Every player got some solid minutes, and a full synopsis of the players who played well would take hours for me to type out. However, Salzburg was able to expose some of our weaknesses. We are looking forward to growing as a unit and continuing improvement throughout the trip. We should be able to use this trip to our benefit, looking forward to the fall season.
Good win vs redbull Salzburg last night! Now off to our next destination today: Freiburg, Germany! #eurotrip #gojays
— Lucas Stauffer (@lucas_stauffer9) July 7, 2015
A great win at Red Bull Salzburg accompanied by some of the most incredible facilities out there pic.twitter.com/USIaALTyfq
— Myles Englis (@mylesenglis11) July 7, 2015
In the next few days, we will travel to Vince's hometown of Freiburg. En route to our new destination we will stop at Neuschwanstein Castle, which is one of the most recognizable and picturesque sights in all of Germany. We face SC Freiburg next. I'm looking forward to the game and I will make sure to fill you in on all of the details!
Once again, for more pictures and team updates, follow Creighton Soccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Auf Wiedersehen (goodbye) and GO JAYS!
Michael Kluver #30
July 4
Hello Creighton Soccer fans!
We hope you all enjoyed your Independence Day celebrations back home in America! We did not want to show too much pride in the German society so we kept most celebrations to ourselves (although Eric DeJulio and I could not resist wearing our USA apparel all day).
The past two days have given us the freedom to explore the city of Munich. It has been an excellent experience thanks to our favorite tour guides: Timo, Vince, and Fabian.
One interesting part of adapting to the German culture is adapting to the food. From my observations so far, I would say that the classic German dish is a Schnitzel (veal cutlet breaded and then pan fried) with French fries and some sort of giant mug of beer. Germans seem to enjoy a variety of meats. Honestly, a lot of the meals we have eaten are unappealing to the eye, but nonetheless have been great. We have all been trying to venture out of our comfort zone.
Some of the popular spots in Munich are the “Gartens,” which involve thousands of people gathering in outdoor areas to socialize, enjoy nature, and of course drink their beloved beer. These spots have been a great place to people watch, as there are many interesting people and social interactions going on everywhere. Many of the guys have been trying to make friends with the Munich locals - most of these situations usually involve the “American soccer player” looking like a fool.
Anyways, there is always a good laugh involved between the locals and us, laughter having no language barrier. One of the highlights of our day exploring Munich occurred at the English Gartens, where we found a nice hangout spot next to a stream. We swam through the stream with the locals, and played soccer in the grass for hours. The stream had to come straight from the Alps, as it felt just as refreshing as those lovely ice baths we take back home.
The main highlights of the past two days have been thanks to FC Bayern München. On Friday we were able to get a private tour of Allianz Arena, home to FC Bayern and 1860 München (the team whose reserves we played on Thursday). It was an unreal experience. We were able to check out the stands, locker rooms, and media rooms.
One particularly neat moment was when the tour guide had us line up and simulate the tunnel walk that teams do right before taking the field at the arena. We walked up the stairs out to the pitch as the Champions League theme song was playing, which became a particularly special part of the trip. After being inspired by the stadium tour, we took a trip to the Bayern MegaStore and bought a few merchandise items. Overall it was an absolute blast, so we ended the trip with a signature selfie.
Got a tour around Bayern Münich's stadium today💪🏻🏆✅
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 3, 2015
It's no Morrison, but it'll do! Off to watch FC Bayern train followed by a training session of our own! pic.twitter.com/xIMmhCXaSt
— Myles Englis (@mylesenglis11) July 4, 2015
Yesterday we were lucky enough to watch one of Bayern München's training sessions. This was a particularly special event for us, as we were able to witness some of the greatest soccer players in the world, train under one of the greatest coaches in the world. We witnessed the likes of Thomas Müller, Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcântara, Xabi Alonso, David Alaba, Philipp Lahm, Javi Martinez, as well as American Julian Green. It was incredible to see such a high standard of training thanks to Pep Guardiola (Head Coach), as well as the unbelievable athleticism of the players.
A couple of us were able to get autographs or pictures with the players, but we all really enjoyed witnessing such a high level of our beloved sport in person. While all 20 of us walked in dressed in our polos and carrying our soccer bags, some fans mistook us for the 1860 München squad. Some fans yelled at us, telling others to kick our legs. Though we made it out unscathed, we got a lot of curious looks from fellow fans. We took this inspiration into our practice that immediately followed. We crossed the street over to the 1860 München training facility and had our own training session at the beautiful fields provided for us.
It was pretty cool being able to watch Robben, Müller, Lahm, Xabi Alonso and all of Bayern Munich practice today. 👏🏻⚽️
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 4, 2015
Selfie with the only American soccer player with one of the best teams in the world, Bayern Munich. #JulianGreen #USA pic.twitter.com/6vY1VCSo8s
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) July 4, 2015
In the days prior to the trip, I thought we might be playing in the first Creighton Soccer games ever that included no Creighton Soccer fans. I was proven wrong as we saw Timo Pitter's dad at the 1860 game. Eric DeJulio's brother was also in attendance, driving up with his girlfriend from his station north of Venice, Italy.
We are also lucky to have an extra VIP Creighton fan joining us for a few days. Dr. Neil Norton, our Faculty NCAA Representative has joined us on his own accord for a few days in Munich. Though planning on staying the whole trip with us, he is only able to stay a few days due to his work schedule and will watch our game versus Red Bull Salzburg. We are lucky to have guys like Dr. Norton and we are very happy to have the opportunity to share a part of our trip with him.
It has been an awesome ride so far and we all feel so lucky to have this opportunity. As a team we have spent a lot of time together and that has given us the opportunity to strengthen our bonds with each other. It is serving as a huge team-building trip and our relationships are turning from a team to brotherhood. I want to acknowledge that these things are not possible without the help of our fans and supporters. The support given inside and outside of Morrison Stadium gives us a huge advantage over anyone else in the country.
Well, that's all I have for you for now! I will keep you updated on our adventures in the next few days as we travel to Austria again to play Red Bull Salzburg.
Farewell and GO JAYS!
Michael Kluver #30
July 2
Hallo Creighton Soccer fans!
Game one of the trip is officially in the books.
Our day started off with an early road trip to Austria. We took our bus up through the Austrian Alps to the town of Ubertraun. Due to an unfortunate wrong turn, we ended up in the wrong town and the trip changed from a 2.5 hour trip to a 4.5 hour trip. Overall, I would have to say it was the most enjoyable four-hour ride I've ever experienced. Seeing the Alps from the plane ride in, I knew we would have a scenic route. However, I couldn't have predicted how breathtaking they would be from the road. Pictures do no justice - today I probably experienced the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen.
It was also quite enjoyable to pass the time with my teammates. I learned a valuable lesson that if you fall asleep on the bus (player or coach), you will most likely be subject to some sort of prank.
Unfortunately, we were unable to visit the scheduled ice caves, but we did make use of our time in Ubertraun. We were able to relax on a small beach, and swim on one of the most picturesque lakes probably in the world. We also spent time skipping stones, watching people parachute down the mountain and attempting to interact with the locals.
After enjoying our bit of down time, we prepared for our match against 1860 München. Our fields were every bit as beautiful as the lake. This park attracts teams from the English Premier League and La Liga (Spain) to come train. Even our games were officiated by professional certified referees. Every aspect of our match was surreal.
The game itself was not quite as set up in our favor. We were experiencing fatigue due to the altitude and heat- something the 1860 players were already used to. This was the first time our guys had touched a ball together since our spring season and we were also missing a few of our starters. Eric DeJulio, Ricardo Perez, Fabian Herbers, and Mikey Paye all were unable to see the pitch due to injury or absence. In order to compensate for the absence, we had to alter the lineup and place a few guys out of their natural positions.
The game itself was, in my opinion, fairly evenly matched. Both teams had quality opportunities, but in the end, 1860 won off of a short corner that eventually found the head of an attacker on the far post. Though we weren't satisfied with the end result, we can find some good that came from the match.
Miles Englis and Noah Franke both had promising opportunities and were just barely unable to convert. Looking at the German squad, who excelled at physicality, defensive organization as a team, and being vocal, we see many future benefits if we can improve on these qualities. One of the highlights of the game was to see Ricky Lopez-Espin back on the pitch. After eight months of recovery from an ACL injury, we are stoked to see Ricky earn his first minutes back with the Bluejays.
Evan Waldrep's comments on the game: "I thought overall we had an decent performance. It was our first game together here in Germany and we haven't played with each other for a couple months so we weren't showing the qualities that we usually contain in a game. I thought the game was pretty even and we had some chances in the beginning to finish and take the lead, but they scored a goal in the last 10 minutes that helped them win the game 1-0. I think going into our next game we will perform at a higher level and hopefully we come out with the win."
Connor Sparrow's comments on the game: “The game was very competitive, both teams had good chances to score. The elevation seemed to take a toll on us in the second half as 1860 scored the go-ahead goal during a collective lapse of concentration.”
Overall, we can move on from a loss to a professional German squad. However, our team has extremely high standards and expects nothing less than perfection. As we gain our cohesion on the pitch I expect to see a lot of improvement and success in the upcoming games.
Only two days in, and we are having an absolute blast. Everyone loves being here in Germany, and we feel so lucky to have this opportunity.
The next couple of days will give us some freedom to explore the streets and culture of Munich. We will soon be celebrating our own country's Independence Day; hopefully the locals don't mind tolerating 20 guys sporting the red, white and blue! It also sounds like we will be able to watch Bayern Munich train, and tour their famous stadium, Allianz Arena. Whatever we do I will make sure to keep you updated over the next few days!
Bis zum nächsten mal (until next time),
Michael Kluver #30
July 1
Guten tag to all of our Creighton Soccer fans! It is a privilege to write about our incredible experiences as the team travels to Germany. With the help of my teammates, I will try to keep you up to date with the details of the trip!
Off to Germany for two weeks with the team #jays
— Mitch LaGro (@MitchLaGro) June 30, 2015
See you in two weeks America, next stop Germany🇺🇸✈️🇩🇪✌🏻⚽️
— ⚽Evan Waldrep⚽ (@evanwaldrep) June 30, 2015
I would like to “kick off” by thanking the Hillstoppers, as well as the other generous donors who helped fund the trip. This incredible opportunity is made possible only through your help. This trip will make a lasting impact on each one of us and your generosity will be remembered.
If you haven't yet heard, we will be playing 1860 Munich on Thursday, Red Bull Salzburg on July 6, SC Freiburg on July 8, and Karlsruhe on July 12. These teams will give us top-level competition, likely a level that most of us have never faced. This only makes us more excited to get on the field. We have all been eager to begin playing!
The squad here in Germany includes all returning players from the spring, including not pictured Ricky Lopez-Espin, Vince Keller, Timo Pitter, Fabian Herbers, Joel Rydstrand, and Mikey Paye. Some unfamiliar faces joining the team include incoming transfers Stefan Wutte and Daniel Rutter.
Stefan Wutte is a junior transfer from Willamette University in Oregon. He has played with teams in Austria but spent most of his career in Oregon with the Portland Timbers Academy as a center back and left back. He shows commanding presence in the back, but has the vision and skill to go forward as well.
Daniel Rutter is a redshirt freshman from Coastal Carolina. Daniel is a defensive midfielder who excels at linking play from the center backs to the offensive players. He is technically sharp and his hard work shows especially on the defensive side of the ball.
You may have also noticed in Myles' post an Ecuadorian who snuck in on the top right side of the picture. Yes, THE Jose Ribas has reunited with the team in Germany to help out with numbers. We are all ecstatic to share the field with Jose one more time and we appreciate his continued contributions to the team. All three guys will be needed on this trip.
We spent our first day in Munich adjusting to the jet lag and getting comfortable walking around the town. We have already noticed the beauty of the German culture, architecture, engineering and of course “füssball.”
On Thursday we travel to Austria for our first game! I really can't wait to let everyone know how it goes!
Follow Creighton Men's Soccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more information about the trip!
Mit freundlichem Gruß (Sincerely),
Michael Kluver #30
