Football clubs the world over often 'flatter to deceive' - they make their fans believe that they are about to witness something special only to throw it all away by the time the fat lady sings. The England national team are particulalry adept at this, Arsenal managed it on a small (although my no means insignificant) scale throwing away a 4-0 lead at Newcastle a few weeks ago, and 1.FC Nuremberg are masters at finding the cloud when the silver-lining is there for the taking. Just look back to the 2007-08 season. Having finished sixth in the Bundesliga and won the German FA Cup the previous May, expectations were primed for another wonderful season and great things in the UEFA Cup. The European campaign lasted into February but the league form was dire and relegation was almost a relief when it finally came.
After last season's all too familiar (but just about successful) battle against relegation, expectations for this season were not high. Most would have settled for Bundesliga survival, preferably without having to go through the play-offs again. A promising start gave way to a more familiar mediocrity and as the second half of the season started, fans still had one eye on the bottom three places. There looked to be a handful of 'must win' games to make sure the trap door below remained shut. One of those games was arguably the first after the break at home to bottom club Moenchengladbach. 1.FCN managed to lose it.
Since then, the season has taken a miraculous turn. Five wins and two draws in the last seven games have transformed survival hopefuls into realistic contenders for a top five, Europa League qualifying position. Flattering to deceive? The evidence would suggest not. This is a team who are playing high quality football, rather than just about managing to eek out impressive results. There is a clear confidence and a refreshing lack of arrogance. A balance of the young and the more experienced, and a coach who has created a squad playing attractive, flowing, attacking football, has made European competition next season something more than a slight possibility. And even if it is not achieved, it is difficult to see Nuremberg finishing outside the top eight, something that in itself would be remarkable after the peformances and wilderness years since May 2007.
Do not adjust your sets. Your eyes, and Dieter Hecking's fantastic 1.FCN, are not deceiving you. There are few teams playing with the fluidity and spirit of Nuremberg at the moment. Enjoy it while it lasts but don't bet against it lasting longer than it usually does this time.
