This encyclopedia about the famous seventies-footballteam from Mönchengladbach covers all its matches from that era with mathematical precision. Nevertheless there can be serious criticism:
1 Several names of BMg's foreign opponents and referees are wrongly written. For instance, the referee in the famous 7:1-match against Inter Milan was the Dutchman Dorpmans, and not Doorpmans.
2 This book tells much too little about BMg's management, in particular the unique trio Beyer - Grashoff - Weisweiler. Often working in difficult circumstances, these people made BMg's outstanding performance in the seventies possible.
3 The mathematic covering of matches does not allow for their historical importance. Who is interested nowadays in the Bundesliga-match between BMg and Fortuna Düsseldorf from October 9, 1976? At the other hand, this book shows a severe historical under-rating of BMg's famous matches. Such as the Pokal-Endspiel 1973, Borussia's two UEFA-Cup finals, its lost European Cupfinal from 1977, and - above all - the world famous 7:1 victory over Inter Milan from 1971.
4 About this 7:1 the writers tell us: 'Es hätte ein Highlight der Europapokalgeschichte werden können'. Quite wrong in my opinion, for BMg's 7:1 victory is still internationally regarded as outstanding. Never mind the incident with the cola-tin, after this match Günter Netzer was called 'the white Pelé'. With very good reason. There can be no doubt that this match greatly contributed to BMg's international fame.
5 The interview with former goalkeeper Wolfgang Kleff is one of this book's highlights. Why aren't other famous players interviewed? Vogts, Netzer, Heynckes, Stielike?
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'Mein Verein Borussia Mönchengladbach' makes a worthy encyclopedia about this famous German footballteam in the seventies. However, the writers could have done their job better. For instance, by adding a DVD showing fragments of famous BMg-matches from that era.