Derek Rae

Thanks to Braylon Breeze for the very enjoyable conversation & for letting me expand on a few stories from 40 years of broadcasting life I haven’t previously told in detail. Hopefully many more 🎙️ years to come.

If you’re up early tomorrow, join me for the Niedersachsenderby! Braunschweig-Hannover from 08:20 ET/07:20 CT :) Bundesliga YouTube channel free to watch.

Frühes Ende in Düsseldorf. Trainer Alexander Ende wird von seinen Aufgaben entbunden und freigestellt. #F95

Didn’t know Helen Branswell personally but huge respect for her knowledge of subject matter, writing and firm fairness. A role model for everyone in journalism. One of 🇨🇦 Canada‘s finest. R.I.P.

At The Deutsches Fußball Museum, they have on display on of @raecomm.bsky.social Commentary game/player prep sheets which Derek donated to them. Yes, his writing is compact just like a picture he’s posted of some of his notes. 🔍👀😉

For Aberdeen fans who follow, club CEO Adrian Bevington will be the live guest on Premier Sports Scottish Football Extra with Darrell Currie tonight at 6pm. Can also watch on the YouTube link which will be posted later.

10 day break in Spain & France over & made a conscious decision not to post on here during it. Reminder of the days when there was no posting at all & no hot takes on everything. Not sure we were the worse for it.

Enjoy the international break everyone! I know I will :)

1 more game before the international break here in Germany and then a much needed holiday after being on the road since early August. A development to share is I’ll be back on ESPN/ABC La Liga commentary from time to time once club ⚽️ returns. Looking forward to it.

Hannover have said goodbye to coach Christian Titz. Tipped as promotion candidates, H96 have just 4 points from 5 games.

Literally a flying work visit to New York this week & then back to Germany for Bundesliga MD4 followed by a nice international break in Catalunya & the Pyrénées. Action packed few days.

Not surprising at all but Gladbach have parted ways with coach Eugen Polanski after a 3rd straight defeat to begin the season, in this case 0:5 in Freiburg. Gladbach have yet to pick up a point & their goal difference is 3:12.

Fixtures update www.bundesliga-gruppe.de/aktuelles/sp...

Hallo Köln! Falls ihr Lust habt, stimmungsvolle schottische Musik im Rheinland zu genießen, spielt Ciaran Whyte - toller schottischer Musiker - diese Woche in der Domstadt. Do. 21:00 Copper Pot Irish Bar Fr: 18:00 Scotia Spirit Whisky Shop Sa: 21:00 Coppers im Haus Arndt, Langenfeld.

To veer into the political sphere again. I was on a long train journey from Köln to Scotland on Sunday with the Sachsen-Anhalt election coverage on radio. Important to always stress that SA is not Germany in microcosm. Having said that it’s normal to be more depressed than ever re 🌍 politics.

Aberdeen bound in the morning….by train from Köln!

Schalke worked tirelessly for that point tonight. Felt as though every fan got right behind what was a marvellous collective effort.

Schalke-Bayern is the Saturday Topspiel around the world live from the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen before 63,000. 18:20 Germany time/17:20 UK/12:20 ET in North America. Join us if you can for Schalke‘s first top flight home game after 3 years down in the 2. Bundesliga.

For Americans who follow wondering about Mathis Albert, Kicker’s verdict on the back of his starting debut against 5th tier HEBC in the Pokal is that he will need time before becoming a real option for the first team. Likely many squad appearances but not many starts initially.

Morning from Köln. Kicker goes with “New faces, new hopes: the most important transfers on deadline day - and what they should deliver.“

Thank you 🙏 for this @rhettdc.bsky.social Yes, I’ll still be around on the world feed. Can’t guarantee that it will always be a prime match as that’s not my decision.

So many outlets are knowingly feeding a lie about Iceland. They are already in the single market & Schengen & Icelanders already have the right to move freely between all EU countries for work or otherwise. To compare their decision with a hopeless no deal Brexit is to deliberately try to confuse.

Morning from Köln. The Kicker front page has “Attack for starters. With the 5:1 win over Stuttgart, FC Bayern applied an exclamation mark but in other places too there was a furious beginning on matchday 1.”

Sad news. Confirmed as a torn cruciate in his left knee and Konstantelias will miss several months for Borussia Dortmund.

Sankt Pauli-Kaiserslautern from the Millerntor at 13:20 local time here in Germany/12:20 UK if you fancy a fiery Sunday lunchtime in the 2. Bundesliga. Flying solo today.

Nothing confirmed yet but concern in the BVB camp about the extent of the injury to Konstantelias.

Join us around the 🌎 for the first Saturday Topspiel of the Bundesliga season: Dortmund-Hamburg from 18:20 German time/17:20 UK/12:20 ET. Will have @sebkneissl.bsky.social alongside for all the action. #BVBHSV

Ich finde es ganz wichtig hin und wieder einen Stadionbesuch zu machen nicht als Kommentator, sondern als Fan. Das heutige Erlebnis in Freiburg war einfach geil und es hat mich sehr gefreut, spontan mit Fans von beiden Mannschaften im Zäpflegarten zu plaudern. Ein toller Abend im Breisgau.

Good morning from Freiburg im Breisgau. The Kicker headline is “Let’s go!” “The league starts again. The opening of the season & the history full of records. Focus on 18 top talents.”

Bayern have extended the contracts of CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and sporting chief Max Eberl until 2029. Their old contracts were up in 2027.

The obsession of many in the USA & the UK with borders is one I will never understand. As a student, seeing an iron curtain border as a daily reality sent a shiver up my spine. Meanwhile I‘m on a train from Strasbourg in France to Freiburg in Germany. No fences, border guards. The joy of Schengen 👍

Getting this question a lot. I’m still one of the Bundesliga‘s world feed commentators as I have been for more than a decade. On Saturday I did the Supercup worldwide & this weekend, BVB-HSV. When ESPN had the rights I also doubled as their lead Bundesliga voice for exclusive productions.

Back in Strasbourg for a couple of days. Definitely among my fave places and feels like a home away from home now.

Morning from Strasbourg. The Kicker cover has “Historic Treble.” “Coach, as well as men’s & women’s footballer of the year all come from Bayern - a first. They convinced in sporting terms & as personalities.”

Really vibrant game here in Dortmund tonight with Bayern’s first half (wonderful solo run goal by Olise the high point) edging out Dortmund’s much improved second half. Thanks to those who watched our world feed coverage. Back next week with the Saturday Topspiel, BVB-HSV.

Things I’m looking forward to tonight in Dortmund: - New more youthful (less cautious?) BVB: Karetsas, Gadou - Saibari to start for Bayern? Given Musiala‘s situation probably need to have a look at him in that position. - Brown, superb in pre-season. Pressure on Davies. #BVBFCB

New season, new show! Hosting Pokal Zone on the DFB-Pokal World Feed. All the goals as they go in, all the stories as they unfold. Tonight alongside @raecomm.bsky.social. Joined by Mark Schwarzer for the rest of the weekend. Available via this link on DFB Play. www.dfbplay.tv/epg/audition...

Super talent Said El Mala will remain in Köln in this transfer window. Both parties have agreed on this. El Mala‘s contract extended until 2031 and he gets the number 10 shirt.

It seems from early reviews that Celtic fans enjoyed Mika Baur‘s football. #SCPaderborn

Harry Kane upon receiving the European Golden Shoe once again speaking in glowing terms about what he has in Munich, football & family wise. Difficult to imagine what could tempt him to swap that for anything at this point. Contract up next summer and discussions to start soon.

Oliver Burke was the fastest in the Bundesliga last season, the only player to hit 37 km/h. Also was 8th in sprints recorded. No one would deny his form was up & down with Union. But with 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 set to be more Bundesliga like under Pocognoli, big incentive for him to start well.

Concerns about Bayern‘s Jamal Musiala after he collapsed to the ground for the second time in two successive friendly matches, on this occasion against Heidenheim. Bayern’s sporting CEO Max Eberl says Musiala will talk publicly on the subject soon.