German league TTBL 2025-26

[backspacer]

The question ist why fan is struggling that much. He had 2 weeks training now and he was slapping people in the Chinese super league.

No air-con?

 

[sebi]

No air-con?

😂 that might be it.

You guys think its the coaches?

In the game against Ziljenko the coach had no words for Fan before the set he lost.

 

[piligrim]

We don't have enough information to answer that question - too many variables and we don't have any accounts of his experiences/struggles. After he has played a lot more and discussed his performance more, we will have a better answer.

Maybe someone stepped on his racket

 

[Tyce]

Fan is experiencing so many differences... There's no CNT staff around him, playing in school gym halls, different balls, tables, opponents you never really play, coaching, food, bed, climate, just a select few people speaking your language, all by themselves not big things but it's a lot of factors to take in and then feel comfortable playing your top game as a top player.

 

[backspacer]

😂 that might be it.

You guys think its the coaches?

In the game against Ziljenko the coach had no words for Fan before the set he lost.

Can't speak for it as I haven't watched the match. I think sometimes the coaches are "useless". Patrick is super self-aware and knows what's happening so when he goes to the bench Jimmy just agrees. The team mates are usually on the bench too and may contribute. Patrick was actually pissed once when the coach took the time-out when he didn't want it as it broke his flow and he lost the match iirc.

 

[NextLevel]

Fan is experiencing so many differences... There's no CNT staff around him, playing in school gym halls, different balls, tables, opponents you never really play, coaching, food, bed, climate, just a select few people speaking your language, all by themselves not big things but it's a lot of factors to take in and then feel comfortable playing your top game as a top player.

That's the simple explanation, but it also is another way of saying we don't really know if we have to chalk it up to many differences. How long will those differences last? If he plays longer in the league, which of those things will no longer remain a difference when he is doing well? If he adapts to the differences, will that make it harder for him to adapt to international or Chinese national games play again? Or make it easier?

 

[sebi]

Fan is experiencing so many differences... There's no CNT staff around him, playing in school gym halls, different balls, tables, opponents you never really play, coaching, food, bed, climate, just a select few people speaking your language, all by themselves not big things but it's a lot of factors to take in and then feel comfortable playing your top game as a top player.

All of it is true, but he had 2 weeks to adjust, he probay had less adjusting for wtt tournaments. The biggest difference is that he has different coaches and staff.

 

[NextLevel]

😂 that might be it.

You guys think its the coaches?

In the game against Ziljenko the coach had no words for Fan before the set he lost.

If you listen to an old TTD podcast with Freitas, Freitas said coaches are often not helpful (I think he has gone as far as to call coaching useless on some occasions but since the source is not around, I won't over stress it). Now the Chinese do a lot of analysis on players and opponents and this makes their players harder to beat and they often know the right tactical approach to a player before they play them. But would this be the primary reason why Fan is struggling? We will have a better idea when we have a retrospective. But none off this will be science.

 

[Tyce]

All of it is true, but he had 2 weeks to adjust, he probay had less adjusting for wtt tournaments. The biggest difference is that he has different coaches and staff.

In WTT only the venue is different... You play mostly the same players, same balls, same entourage, even the flooring and boardings are standardized stuff. Which CNT undoubtedly has a preparation setup for.

You don't adjust to all the different venues by training at your home club either.

I was also wondering if he still gets his custom "national team" rubbers if he's not on it.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Order was restored before Fan's second match.

yeah, but if you did watch the second match, those towels were back.
I think it will take some time to educate these fans on international etiquette, especially it is an away match - you need to respect the home clubs signage.

I am at least happy I didn't see them put signage up on the railing on the floor above - which they tend to do (or maybe they tried and it was removed?)

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

and i'm sure Bertelsmeier won't be happy with the result: he had two set points in the 3rd set to take the 2-1 lead and came back from 2-7 in the 4th with another set point he couldn't finish.

does anyone know if there is someone from his inner circle with Fan in Germany? because otherwise being "on your own" might have a bigger impact than i expected, on top of all the stuff that was already mentioned. i doubt he has played on andro tables with an andro ball more than a handful of times in his life.

ever since FZD left the CNT, he has been on his own.
of course he has a provincial team base for him to return to, but that is only a training base and not a delegation that travels with you.

Having talked to some players that left CNT, they said, they are now responsible for they own scheduling, or itinerary but the conversation was in a good way in terms on how they can schedule site seeing and doing fun things out side of just a fixed table tennis itinerary and play where ever they want (of course still requiring sanction from CTTA, but this is more administration/paperwork and being applied for by the provincial team)

FZD has been doing his own thing for the past few months, I can probably say, it is also playing some players for the first time ever, so his intel on the opponent is different do that of the CSL, where CSL he knows them well, or the team knows them well.

You don't really have Andro tables in the east, I haven't seen one yet and it sure isn't a table that gets used internationally.
Tibhar table he has been using at the "home" match, so that also cut out the table/ball issue, but CNT players are spoiled with resources and preparation arranged by CNT, so this spoiled could end up being a reliant in a way too.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

In the game against Ziljenko the coach had no words for Fan before the set he lost.

I know the coach

It is not uncommon that club coaches don't really talk with players, and this isn't just a Chinese coach to FZD or Chinese players (it happens very often in Chinese clubs/FISU games etc).

I have seen it with German league club coaches to players too as well as other European leagues.
It is actually more useful for players to players some time.

And one of the biggest issue is the the coach might not know the play well enough, or simply there isn't that trust between each other.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I was also wondering if he still gets his custom "national team" rubbers if he's not on it.

this should be no problem, I know some that has also left and still get, and they not as "famous" as fzd.
provincial players also use "national" editions rubbers.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

No air-con?

I did think of this too.

some players did tell me this was a problem with their Hurricanes
But then again, in Taiwan, some places we play has aircon but also feels like there isn't.
note - Taiwan is extreme humid and even some foreign players with H3 struggle in Taiwan.

however, when it was snowing in Germany, some Taiwanese players Hurricane was unplayable.

I just told him to put the racket in his armpit when waiting, and he said he did.
some players use heat pouches and put them in bat covers, I am more skeptical about this method.

 

[gettrained]

Regarding Chinese fans, the hotel for the players of Saarbrücken had to be changed quickly after Chinese fans gained information about where their idol would spend the night.

 

[NextLevel]

In WTT only the venue is different... You play mostly the same players, same balls, same entourage, even the flooring and boardings are standardized stuff. Which CNT undoubtedly has a preparation setup for.

You don't adjust to all the different venues by training at your home club either.

I was also wondering if he still gets his custom "national team" rubbers if he's not on it.

DHS is still invested in selling his rubbers lol.

WTT venues usually do use different tables and to a lesser degree balls but those are usually advertised ahead of time in the tournament prospectus. Some series/events do use similar stuff as part of any contractual arrangement but there is variation for sure.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Regarding Chinese fans, the hotel for the players of Saarbrücken had to be changed quickly after Chinese fans gained information about where their idol would spend the night.

its so easy to find out, since they just use the same hotel all the time (basically between 2 or 3 options).
the only solution is to increase security - that is the only measure they can do really.
because you can have fans following the team transportation and would know where they are staying sooner or later.

I actually wonder, how much increased security bills the league had to increase their budget by and hopefully the additional income covers the expense (I'm sure it would). The league would also need to hire staff to manage the security at each club matches, since this should be TTBL's responsibility to protect it players and not just the responsibility of clubs.

It sound like they had to change hotels because there was no security at the hotel? They probably only had security at the match hall.

 

[Asgerje]

Is the dortmund game today only avalible on Dyn or does someone know another stream?

 

[Bollwerk]

The league would also need to hire staff to manage the security at each club matches, since this should be TTBL's responsibility to protect it players and not just the responsibility of clubs.

Not sure if that's the case, at least from Saarbrücken's manager it sounded like the club was planning their new security concept and not the league.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Not sure if that's the case, at least from Saarbrücken's manager it sounded like the club was planning their new security concept and not the league.

yep, I heard the same
but then Saarbrucken need to provide security at away matches too?
and security at away matches hotel?

that is a bit much/not fair for the club imo.
but for super stars, the super stars would have they own security, which I think in this case is Saabruckens detail.
but then the league/away clubs need to also provide security.

I'm pretty sure this is how other sports work. How does football work?