“Our players do not go to Stoke City” – Why always Stoke getting the kicking?

 

German magazine SportBild have a double interview in their edition this week with Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Borussia Dortmund’s Hans-Joachim Watzke.

In it the rival Bundesliga pair talk about a wide ranging set of subjects, and one question leads the conversation to Stoke City.

When asked if there’s a fear more Bayern and Dortmund players will be heading to the Premier League, chasing big wages, BVB boss Watzke said: “Bayern and BVB will have more problems with Barca or Real, the rest of the Bundesliga will be with the middle class English clubs. Our players do not go to Stoke City – but there are many Bundesliga professionals who have gone for double and triple salary.”

‘Stoke City’ have become something of an example for the European, and often German, media when describing the idea of players moving to England solely for money. Perhaps because it’s not seen as a great place to live, an exciting club people long to play for, and maybe Mark Hughes’ ‘new Stoke’ hasn’t quite changed the previous perception of rough and tumble football.

Stoke City, synonymous with English mid table football. At least the Potters are getting a mention.