Kick off

Berlin - Every football club has its legend. Without doubt Hertha BSC's is Andreas "Zecke" Neuendorf. He has blue and white blood coursing through his veins. He has been at Hertha for 15 years, making 278 appearances, scoring 28 goals in the process. Everyone knows he has his heart in the right place and is a true "Berliner" if ever there was one. This season "Zecke has become a "footbal pensioner" working within the club since hanging up his boots last term. He is still very opinionated and will tell us all how he sees his beloved Hertha's games going before each matchday in the 2014/15 season. No doubt he will play with his cards on the table. He will be honest, open and probably sometimes a little tongue in cheek - typical "Zecke"! So what does that mean for the opponents? Watch out! ""Zecke" will pull no punches and take no prisoners as he tells it as it is... Read here his feelings ahead of matchday 1.

I can finally watch Hertha BSC playing again! I can shout “HaHoHe” until my heart's content. Honestly friends, we have been going through blue and white withdrawal symptoms! I mean yeah the World Cup in Brazil was nice - Jogi here and Jogi there. And we won which was nice too. But Hertha is cult and preferably enjoyed live in our stadium. From now on it is all about Hertha BSC again- what else? About time too, especially after the long pre-season period. The Bundesliga finally resumes after 105 long days. First up: Werder Bremen at home.

Bremen... Hmmm, they were for me always a team who stood for attacking football and spectacular goals: Micoud, Frings, Diego, Pizzaro - there are several names who used to rock their Weserstadion over the years. But those heady days are gone and today's team seem to be like - no insult intended friends - but a shadow of their former selves. I have no idea why that is, I am too far away to offer an honest opinion on it. But some say that they have in recent years somehow slowly but surely regressed.

But: I like Bremen as a town, although it is not exactly a financial metropolis - something we can fully relate to in Berlin. But for the Weser region that is a bigger problem than it is for those like us in the Spree region. Werder used to be very different. The top stars are long gone and the team no longer plays Champions League football, which of course brings financial pressure with it. Money does score goals! If you have enough you are at or near the top: If you don't you aren't. There are five or six teams in the Bundesliga that are always tough to beat. On a good day you might be able to match them. But I don't count Bremen (or ourselves for that matter) to be in that group. Bremen is a team we are on a level with. The points up for grabs against them are vital! It goes for both teams when I say that you begin every season with a clean slate. There is always a huge question mark hanging there because nobody knows how the teams will perform. Our own and our opponents.  

Robin Dutt has been at the Werder helm since last season. The coach worked miracles in Freiburg on a very limited budget. That may sound as if everything's bad, but it isn't. Bremen's fans who have celebrated Bundesliga title wins and various other trophies were (as always) right behind their team last season, although they struggled. We will see that when they come to Berlin on Saturday. Bremen have taken a lot of points home with them from Berlin over recent years, but we won three of our last four home games against them.   

I'll be honest: Werder's new signings - Hajrovic, Galvez and Bartels don't exactly blow me away. We have beaten players of a different calibre in our Olympic stadium in the capital city. I think that we have the better individual players. It is up to our team to perform strongly on the day. We are a better side and want all three points to remain in Berlin. Many (including my own mates) are now remembering the start last season against Eintracht Frankfurt - what a game! Hopefully it will be the same this time around.  

But (again): You cannot expect such things - although there is always hope. It is unlikely because I don't see Bremen as strong as Frankfurt were at the time. Personally, I can't wait for the game (even though I am now retired). I know from within the team that they can't wait either. I wouldn't like to be in Bremen's skin on Saturday. I am not suffering from belly ache ahead of the game so I reckon we will win.

Of course: Every game has to be played and we must not make the mistake of underestimating Werder. They will be a tough side to breach. But when we fins a "tin opener" - an opening goal we will win the game.  

And Bremen? Sorry lads, you will have to collect points from somewhere else this time.