1. FSV Mainz 05

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Mainz 05
logo
Full name 1. Fußball- und Sport-Verein Mainz 05 e.V.
Nickname(s) Die Nullfünfer (the O-Fives)
Founded 1905
Ground Stadion am Bruchweg
Capacity 20,300
Chairman Harald Strutz
Manager Jürgen Klopp
League Bundesliga
2005-06 Bundesliga, 11th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
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Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
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Away colours

1. FSV Mainz 05, is a German football club based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early years

A failed attempt to start a football team in the city in 1903 was followed up two years later by the successful creation of 1. Mainzer Fussballclub Hassia 1905. After a number of years of play in the Süddeutschen Fußballverband (South German Football League), the club merged with FC Hermannia 07 – the former football side of Mainzer TV 1817 – to form 1. Mainzer Fussballverein Hassia 05, which dropped "Hassia" from its name in August 1912. Another merger after World War I, in 1919, with Sportverein 1908 Mainz, resulted in the formation of 1. Mainzer Fußball- und Sportverein 05. Die Nullfünfer were a solid club that earned several regional league championships in the period between the wars and qualified for the opening round of the national championships in 1921.

[edit] Play under the Third Reich

In the late 20's and early 30's the club earned decent results in the Bezirksliga Main/Hessen - Gruppe Hessen, including first place finishes in 1932 and 1933. This merited the team a place in the Gauliga Südwest, one of sixteen new first division leagues formed in the re-organization of German football under the Third Reich . Unfortunately, they only managed a single season at that level before being relegated. In 1938, they were forced into a merger with Reichsbahn SV Mainz and played as Reichsbahn SV Mainz 05 until the end of World War II.

[edit] Long march to the Bundesliga

After the war the team again joined the upper ranks of league play in Germany's Oberliga Südwest, but were never better than a mid-table side. They played in the top flight until the founding of the new professional league, the Bundesliga, in 1963 and would go on to play as a second division side for most of the next four decades. They withdrew for a time – from the late 70's into the late 80's – to the Amateur Oberliga Sudwest (III), as the result of a series of financial problems. Mainz earned honours as the German amateur champions in 1982.

The club returned to professional play with promotion to the 2.Bundesliga for a single season in 1988 before finally returning for an extended run in 1990 . Initially, they were perennial relegation candidates, struggling hard each season to avoid being sent down. However, under unorthodox trainer Wolfgang Frank, Mainz became one of the first clubs in German soccer to adopt a flat four zone defense, as opposed to the then-popular man-to-man defense using a libero.

Mainz failed in three attempts to make it to the top flight in 1997, 2002, and 2003 with close fourth place finishes just out of the promotion zone. The last failed attempt stung as they were denied promotion in the 93rd minute of the last game. A year earlier, they became the best non-promoted team of all time in the Second Bundesliga with 64 points. But their persistence paid dividends with an ascent into the Bundesliga in 2004. Now out from under the shadow of neighbouring and long-time rival 1. FC Kaiserslautern, who were relegated in 2006, the team is looking forward playing their third season at the top flight.

Mainz also earned a spot in the UEFA Cup in their debut Bundesliga season as Germany's nominee in the "Fair Play" draw which acknowledges positive play, respect for one's opponent, respect for the referee, the behaviour of the crowd and of team officials, as well as cautions and dismissals. Three "Fair Play" sides earned admission into the first round of UEFA Cup play. Due to the Bruchweg stadium's limited capacity, the home games in UEFA cup were played in Frankfurt's Commerzbank-Arena.

[edit] Current

Mainz finished the 2005-06 season in mid-table, five points clear of relegation, on the strength of a five game unbeaten streak to end the season.

[edit] Stadium

Die Nullfünfer play in Stadion am Bruchweg, built in 1928 and modified several times over the years to hold a crowd of over 20,300 spectators. Averaging crowds of about 15,000 while in the 2.Bundesliga, the team's recent and hard won success has them regularly filling their venue.

[edit] Club culture

Mainz is known for being one of the three foremost carnival cities in Germany, the others being Düsseldorf and Cologne. After every goal, the Narhallamarsch, a famous German carnival tune, is played.

[edit] Honours

  • German amateur champions: 1982
  • UEFA Fair Play selection: 2005

[edit] Famous players

[edit] Current squad

No. Position Player
1 Germany GK Dimo Wache
2 South Korea DF Cha Du-Ri
4 Republic of Macedonia DF Nikolce Noveski
5 Germany DF Christian Demirtas
6 Ghana MF Otto Addo
7 Germany MF Markus Feulner
8 Germany MF Fabian Gerber
9 Germany MF Mimoun Azaouagh
10 Germany DF Manuel Friedrich
11 Czech Republic FW Petr Ruman
13 Montenegro MF Milorad Peković
14 Hungary FW Imre Szabics
15 Germany FW Bakary Diakité
17 Germany DF Marco Rose
18 Germany DF Nassim Banouas
No. Position Player
19 Germany MF Christof Babatz
20 Serbia FW Ranisav Jovanović
21 United States FW Conor Casey
22 Algeria FW Chadli Amri
23 Germany GK Jonas Sela
24 Germany DF Benjamin Weigelt
26 Germany DF Ralph Gunesch
29 Germany GK Christian Wetklo
30 Germany GK Daniel Ischdonat
32 Brazil FW Edu
33 Bosnia and Herzegovina MF Damir Vrančić
34 Germany MF Mario Vrančić
35 Republic of Macedonia MF Fatmir Pupalović
36 Germany FW Tobias Damm
?? Romania FW Marius Niculae

[edit] External links

German Bundesliga Football Clubs (2006-07)
Alemannia Aachen | Arminia Bielefeld | Bayer Leverkusen | Bayern Munich
VfL Bochum | Borussia Dortmund | Borussia Mönchengladbach | Eintracht Frankfurt
Energie Cottbus | Hamburger SV | Hannover 96 | Hertha BSC Berlin | 1. FSV Mainz 05
1. FC Nürnberg | FC Schalke 04 | VfB Stuttgart | Werder Bremen | VfL Wolfsburg