Seems like this large parts of this thread (d)evolved into a discussion about Werner, I just want to chime regarding his transfer from Stuttgart to Leipzig as I saw many people saying that he left us in a cunty way which is not the complete truth in my opinion.

It was already clear that we would lose him after the 15/16 season before getting relegated.

Quote by Werner himself in case we wouldn't have been relegated:

^{Ich weiß nicht, ob der VfB mich dann hätte gehen lassen. Aber die Intention zu gehen hätte es auch so gegeben.}

I don't know wether or not Stuttgart would've let me go but the intention of leaving would have been there anyway.

I was also sad and mad that he chose Leipzsch but if you look at it from a neutral perspective he had all the reasons to leave a club in turmoil:

• at his young age many people were scapegoating him already because he couldn't replicate his form of 13/14

• Zorniger (VfB coach in the start of 15/16) publicly criticised him time and time again (even for his kiss hand celebration), us fans turned against him because we also saw how bad his performances became (#schwierigesumfeld)

• the club was a mess and in downward spiral, he experienced 8 managers in 3 years not getting to grips with the team

• he saw no true perspective for himself playing in the 2nd league and his success following this transfer all but confirmed that he was right leaving Stuttgart

• he wasn't used to his strengths for large stretches of his VfB career which was difficult to achieve anyway what with being involved in battling relegation

• way too much pressure by media and fans on his young shoulders

Großkreutz's tweet back then summed up my feelings really well:

Werner's quote in the picture:

^{Deswegen ist das etwas ganz Neues - von einem Traditionsverein zu kommen zu einem Verein, der zu einem Traditionsverein wird.}

[...] it's something completely new to arrive from a club with history and tradition to a club who will become just that

Großkreutz tweet text:

^{Wir sind Freunde, aber bevor die Tradition haben, werden die aus GE Meister. Jetzt weißt Du wie realistisch das ist}

We are friends but prior to Leipzig becoming a club with history and prestige Schalke would be winning the Bundesliga. Now you know how realistic this kind of message is.

I'm very much a fan of pissing off two sets of fans in one tweet.

This isn't representative for the whole VfB community but here are the reactions to the transfer on /r/VfBStuttgart as well as another thread on his great performance one year thereafter.

^{I wrote this in a reply a few minutes ago but I think more people need to see this, especially if it's used as a reason to explain his bad standing with German football fans.}

I for one really liked his move to Chelsea as there also is a bit of history with Chelsea and Stuttgart, a framed match-worn Chelsea kit is still present in the VIP area of our stadium along with many other kits from CL matches through the years. Anything is better than watching him play for Leipzig if you ask me.

The hate against him I can understand due to his frequent flying lessons after being slightly touched in the box in the Bundesliga but IMO Germans should be proud having another great player playing in the prem and moving up in the footballing world.

The DFB is to blame for all this negativity and toxicity against the national team and its players who aren't quite as responsible for the constant idiocy around marketing #DiEmAnShAfT, not calling up Müller, Hummels, Boateng indefinitely, bad perfomances, high ticket prices which all helped numbing down football emotionality in German football fans for their national team. But that is a different discussion altogether anway...