Michael Ballack

[silviupastean 135]

i hope he'll coach chelsea some day

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/9650712/Unemployed-former-Chelsea-captain-Michael-Ballack-fires-Spanish-lawyer-following-speeding-case.html

Balack was caught by a mobile speed camera doing 131mph in his four-wheel drive Audi U7 on a Spanish motorway near the resort town of Trujillo on Oct 17. The limit for that stretch of road is 75mph.

At his initial court hearing the day after his arrest, his legal team were told that he faced a two-year driving ban and an £8,000 fine.

But at a second hearing on Wednesday, which the 36 year-old did not have to attend because the offence does not lead to a potential jail term, his lawyer, Jesús Gallego Rol, requested that the fine be cut to £800 because Ballack has had no income since he was released by Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

He was quoted by Marca as saying: "Just because he is a famous footballer doesn’t mean he has any money coming in."

Rol also pointed out that driving at high speed is tolerated on German motorways.

Ballack yesterday fired Rol, according to ESPN, following the not guilty plea, because of a ferocious backlash from the public.

Ballack released a statement today which read: "My Spanish lawyer [ ...] had no order to argue unreasonably, like he apparently did.

"Therefore, I have released him from his mandate. It's understood I respect the Spanish law, the Spanish court and the verdict."

Ballack signed a £120,000-a-week deal when he joined Chelsea in 2006 and was still earning as much as £80,000 just before he left Stamford Bridge in 2010.

Oh Ballack...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I just love this: Ballack's best moments at Chelsea: http://www.mediafire...aq97ajaqin6zqhq

(not my upload)

[flyll 5]

Love Bally Great lad,great player.

[nachikethas 1,154]

my old school bag (2007)

:cry:

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

BYE BYE BALLACK

Michael Ballack has confirmed that he will hold a farewell game in Leipzig on 5 June, with a host of stars set to attend, including Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jose Mourinho.

Ballack, 36, who retired last October, will play as a 'Ballack & friends' team takes on a World XI.

[Manuf 1,448]

true legend to the game.

thanks for the memories, Micha.

[Ljpaddock 187]

Absolute quality act

[NishC300 1,865]

It was great to see Ballack on Sky Sports! Legend!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The article is on a completely different topic, but I was surprised to see this quote from Frank about Michael:

Some people like to practise, but Michael Ballack never practised a penalty when he was here and he was one of the best penalty-takers I have played with."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/europa-league-final-chelsea-havent-1889255

Weird that he never practices, he was the best pen taker I've seen after Lamps.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

The article is on a completely different topic, but I was surprised to see this quote from Frank about Michael:

Weird that he never practices, he was the best pen taker I've seen after Lamps.

That is indeed pretty unusual for a German.

There is a reason why Germans are usually great penalty takers (if you are not Bastian Schweinsteiger at least): we love pens, its in the genes. At Euro 2000 when I was 6 years old, i did always wanted games to end a draw in order to have penalties, even though I did know nothing about the german history of success in shoot-outs or anything. In Germany, when people meet in the park to play a bit, they always think of rules to include penalties, such as 3 corners = penalty etc. The result is, every 12 year old boy has 20 variations of how to shoot a penalty with double feint, delayed run-up, eyes off the ball a.s.o. The fun and the confidence a German got in his effort from the spot, surely lifts the pressure a bit in whatever situation.

Btw. Ballack deserves to be arrested for driving a Audi Q7, maybe the ugliest German car ever...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That is indeed pretty unusual for a German.

There is a reason why Germans are usually great penalty takers (if you are not Bastian Schweinsteiger at least): we love pens, its in the genes. At Euro 2000 when I was 6 years old, i did always wanted games to end a draw in order to have penalties, even though I did know nothing about the german history of success in shoot-outs or anything. In Germany, when people meet in the park to play a bit, they always think of rules to include penalties, such as 3 corners = penalty etc. The result is, every 12 year old boy has 20 variations of how to shoot a penalty with double feint, delayed run-up, eyes off the ball a.s.o. The fun and the confidence a German got in his effort from the spot, surely lifts the pressure a bit in whatever situation.

Btw. Ballack deserves to be arrested for driving a Audi Q7, maybe the ugliest German car ever...

Tbf, Ballack was never about the technique in taking pens but rather brute force. I know he's bound to have missed some with Bayern, but I have personally never seen him miss a pen.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Tbf, Ballack was never about the technique in taking pens but rather brute force. I know he's bound to have missed some with Bayern, but I have personally never seen him miss a pen.

It is never only about brute force, the faster your shot the more difficult is it to place it. As most great penalty takers, Ballack has an amazing shooting technique, hitting them very hard and precise. He might have always looked a bit crude here, playing next to Lampard, but Ballack has always been a technically accomplished player. The only German players with better skills are probably Özil and Bernd Schneider.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

It is never only about brute force, the faster your shot the more difficult is it to place it. As most great penalty takers, Ballack has an amazing shooting technique, hitting them very hard and precise. He might have always looked a bit crude here, playing next to Lampard, but Ballack has always been a technically accomplished player. The only German players with better skills are probably Özil and Bernd Schneider.

Yes of course had amazing shooting technique, what I meant is that he never paused in his run or did anything too fancy with his body shape. Honestly he never needed to. He always hit them hard and into the corner which is the most difficult and most effective pen.

[The Skipper 20,609]

One of my favourite all time CFC performances include the Michael Ballack show against United when Lampard didn't play and Ballack seemly took over. What a great performance that was. EDIT: Found a video of the whole performance! JA!