Germany beckons for a second successive year for Derby County as preparations for the new 2017/18 season continue to intensify.
Gary Rowett and a squad of 20 players will make their way to Kaiserslautern for game number five of their pre-season schedule.
So far, the Rams have three wins – against a Kidderminster Harriers (4-0), Macclesfield Town (2-0) and Port Vale (1-0) – and a draw – against Doncaster Rovers (1-1) – to their name.
Now, dcfc.co.uk puts the microscope on Derby’s latest opponents – this time one of Germany’s largest football clubs…
A Moment In History…
Considered one of the largest clubs in German football, FC Kaiserslautern have spent the majority of their history plying their trade in Germany’s top flight.
Their most successful period, however, came in the early 1990s.
It began with a German Cup win in 1990 and that was backed up the following year when they were crowned Bundesliga champions for the first time in 1991 and lifted the Super Cup too.
After a league runner-up finish in 1994, the club then won the Cup again in 1996 despite being relegated.
At this point, they created their own piece of history.
They bounced back instantly form the 2. Bundesliga by winning the title in 1997 and then became the first club to win the Bundesliga immediately following that promotion in 1998, under their legendary coach Otto Renhagel.
Renhagel had joined Kaiserslautern in 1996 and developed the new team which won 2. Bundesliga by 10 points and although being tipped to do well in the Bundesliga on their return, they greatly exceeded expectations by winning the league ahead of Bayern Munich by two points.
Amongst the players in their squad at that time was former Ram Marco Reich!
The following season saw the club reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and after some internal club conflicts Renhagel left the club 2000.
What Happened Last Season…
A far cry from the success of the 1990s, Kaiserslautern now languish in the second tier once again.
Last season, the Red Devils finished 13th in 2. Bundesliga and only five points clear of the relegation zone and that was their lowest finish since they returned to the second tier in 2012.
Over the last five years, Kaiserslautern have finished third, fourth, fourth, tenth and thirteenth and they are gearing up for another campaign in 2. Bundesliga.
The Stadium…
Kaiserslautern have played at the Fritz Walter Stadion since 1920 and the ground is named after their former famous striker.
The stadium underwent a major rebuild to host five FIFA 2006 World Cup matches and now has a total capacity of 49,780.
The Fritz Walter Stadion is the thirteenth biggest football ground in Germany.
Who’s The Boss…
Norbert Meier has been in charge of Kaiserslautern since 3rd January 2017 after he left Darmstadt 98.
Meier began his coaching career at Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1997 and has mostly managed Bundesliga 2 sides.
The former midfielder had a distinguished playing career. He spent nine years at Werder Bremen and made 281 appearances and scored 82 goals.
During this time Werder Bremen finished runner up three times in the Bundesliga and won the title in 1988.
He then moved onto Borussia Mönchengladbach and made 50 appearances, scoring two goals and losing in the German Cup final in 1992.
Who To Look Out For…
One Kaiserslautern player to look out for is Osayamen Osawe. The 23-year-old was born in Nigeria but was raised in Manchester and spent his youth career at Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers.
He would go on to play for Rovers in an FA Youth Cup final against Chelsea, who included Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah in their ranks, in 2012.
Following loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Hayes and a season at Southport Osawe moved to Germany to play for Hallescher FC – a third tier German outfit – in 2014.
After scoring 17 goals in 70 appearances the striker moved to Kaiserslautern in 2016 and scored eight goals in all competitions goals in 32 appearances.
Did You Know…
FC Kaiserslautern have more than just a football team. They also have teams in athletics, basketball, boxing, handball, hockey, running and triathlon.