There was a good mix of training, matches and time off in San Francisco, Los Angeles und San Diego. And one or two players used the opportunity to spend their summer holidays in the Californian sun afterwards. During the three-week stay, the idea was born of holding the annual winter training camp, which in the 80s mostly took place on the Canary Islands, in Orlando in January 1991.
The second Gulf War and the American attacks on Baghdad unsettled members of the team and it came to a vote: The majority the players voted to stay in Germany.
With temperatures of minus ten degrees, they trained on Timmendorfer Strand on a frozen surface. But a year later in January 1992 came the change: Sunny and warm Florida awaited. That was certainly what the kit man Harald Wohner thought and he only packed shorts and short sleeve shirts. In the first training session, there was a shock for the team with the temperature at four degrees so it was another case of freezing training. Our good friend Harry then raided the local sports shops. The players were then able to train in colourful but suitable kit.
But the short sleeve shirts were used in matches. And in the words of our physio Dieter Trzolek, "They're supposed to run and not stand still!" The weather in Florida improved and it turned out to be a successful training camp. The Werkself came out on top in games against the USA Olympic team (3-1) and a local amateur side (14-0). There was also a 3-1 victory against Orlando Lions, an American top-flight side.
To end the training camp, Bayer 04 flew to Los Angeles for the final game against the Mexican champions UNA Mexico. There was a clash under real competitive conditions in front of 10,000 passionate Mexican fans. The first real test in 1992 ended with a 1-1 draw.
Unfortunately the training camp did not bring the desired success at the end of the season as Bayer 04 failed to qualify for the UEFA Cup and lost out in the DFB Cup semi-finals on penalties against Borussia Mönchengladbach. But it was back to Orlando a year later. And what happened at the end of the season in 1993 should be familiar to every Bayer 04 fan.
Dieter Bast was born in Oberhausen on 28 August 1951. He began playing football in the youth team at DJK Arminia Klosterhardt, a local club in Oberhausen. Whilst training as a toolmaker, he moved to neighbouring club Sterkrade 06/07 to play for their U19s, where he caught the eye of Bundesliga sides Rot-Weiss Essen and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bast opted for Rot-Weiss and played in the Bundesliga from 1970 onwards. In his very first year, he made 22 appearances as a right winger, scoring three goals. Nevertheless, Essen were unable to avoid relegation.
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José Vítor Roque Júnior was born on 31 August 1976 in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As a youth, he played for São José EC, a club in the east of the state of São Paulo. His professional career began in 1995 with Palmeiras São Paulo. There, Roque Júnior quickly established himself as a key player in the team, making more than 200 appearances and enjoying significant success. With the club, he won the Copa do Brasil in 1998 and the Copa Libertadores in 1999, the South American equivalent of the European Champions League.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 from the month of August. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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The Werkself play their first top-flight match in Bayer 04’s history away at Sportfreunde Katernberg. 7,000 spectators turn up at the Am Lindenbruch stadium in that district of Essen. The Katernbergers have transformed the once ‘barren’ pitch into a real gem. On this Sunday afternoon, 19 August 1951, the lush turf provides the perfect conditions for a good game of football.
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Following a thoroughly successful start with a 2–1 home win against VfL Wolfsburg, the Werkself are organising a team event. On Wednesdays, they head to the Nürburgring together and do a few laps at speed. Manager Klaus Toppmöller welcomes this initiative, as it promotes team spirit and integration. During weekly training sessions, the team works extensively on various defensive tactics, as the manager was dissatisfied with his players’ pressing in the final minutes of the match against the Wolves.
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