Bundesliga Top Scorer Award a Curse?

The moment you say "Hoffenheim," the first name that comes to mind is Vedad Ibisevic. His season has been nothing short of a revelation, and a dream not even the most ardent Hoffenheim fan would have thought of. 

He currently has 18 goals from 15 appearances. If that doesn't make you shiver, here's a little something that should help it sink in: If he continues scoring at this rate, he will match a record set by football's greatest goalscorer—yes, Gerd Muller's impossible 40-goal season in 1972. Hell, the man even managed to have an article devoted to him in the New York Times!

All this has formed inevitable transfer links to some of Europe's biggest clubs. Some newspapers are saying Sir Alex Ferguson is looking at him to be United's fourth striker, while some in Madrid speculate he will be the natural successor to Ruud Van Nistelrooy. 

All this might be a bit premature, but there is no denying that a transfer will be coming if he maintains this level for another season or two.

Many fans would think so given his extraordinary performances thus far, but a little peek into recent history reveals a startling truth about Bundesliga's top marksmen: Thomas Christiansen, Ailton, Marek Mintal, and Theofanis Gekas.

All these players have something in common with a certain Miroslav Klose. No, it doesn't involve previous clubs; it is regarding a certain goal scoring title. They are all winners of the Bundesliga's Top Goalscorer Award for the five seasons prior to 07-08.

An average football fan would be initially shocked at this. (Trust me, I've asked.) Wouldn't the likes of Mario Gomez, Dimitar Berbatov, Roy Makaay, and Lukas Podolski be the Bundesliga's top marksmen? 

So, one should ask, why haven't these strikers become household names? What has forced them to go into footballing obscurity after conquering all in one of Europe's top leagues? Could it be a curse?

Before you think I'm getting a bit paranoid, consider this: All these strikers have had horrible seasons following their award winning ones. Christeansen became a bench warmer at Hannover, Ailton scored just 14 goals for Schalke, Klose scored 13, Mintal barely played the next season, with the same being true for Gekas at Leverkusen.

While Gekas, 28, still has a lot ahead of him in this career, the likes of Ailton, Christiansen, and Mintal have all seen their career go into free fall. Ailton ended up being a travel enthusiast more than a footballer, going from Turkey to Austria and back to Germany, barely playing any football in between.

Christiansen played barely 50 matches for Hannover over the next three years before they decided not to extend his contract. Marek Mintal now finds himself in Germany's second division after reportedly rejecting a move to Liverpool during his scoring prime.

Also, I forgot to mention that Giovane Elber was joint top goalscorer with Christiansen during the 02-03 season. This achievement was followed by a spell at Lyon where he played a bench warmer role and spells at Monchengladbach and Cruzeiro where he ended is career.

So, from what we have seen, can it be said that there is really a curse attached to the Top Goalscorer award? Should Ibisevic consider playing defender for the next 19 matches and let someone else take the award for the good of his career?

Maybe he should start doing that against Bayern next weekend.

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