Whilst footballers in England spent their Christmas holidays slogging it out on the training ground, and battling for those all important 3 points up and down the country, their counterparts in Germany were able to relax with their families, making the most of their winter break, and perhaps later heading off to warm weather training camps in Dubai.

The second half of the season usually breathes new life into the Bundesliga, with previously unheralded teams springing to the fore to the surprise of many, not least a few red-faced pundits. But the element of surprise isn’t only limited to teams. Here are some lesser-known players who could enhance their reputations between now and May:

Franco Zuculini (Hoffenheim) - Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick is a personal friend of Arsene Wenger. The two share the same footballing philosophy. And it shows. Hoffenheim play a brand of pacy attacking football that is pleasing on the eye and, like Wenger’s boys, lack steel and bite in the centre of the park. That’s where Zuculini comes in. Despite having made only 4 appearances this season, Rangnick trusted the 19 year-old Argentinian to start in the centre of midfield in their defeat away to Bayern this Friday (15 January). Zuculini didn’t disappoint, putting in an all-action display, harrying Schweinsteiger and Van Bommel in Bayern’s midfield. He was hell-bent on breaking up Bayern’s attacks, also showing a willingness to get forward and a good range of passing. Signed from Racing Club Avellaneda for €4.6 million, Zuculini has the potential to become the complete midfielder and could be a real find for Hoffenheim.

Alexander Baumjohann (Schalke) – Schalke have been nothing short of a revelation so far this season. Despite a lack of imagination in midfield, and a mountain of debt, Schalke find themselves 2nd in the table (as at 18 January). That they have come this far is down to a list of factors (tight defence, superior fitness levels, a top class manager) in which creativity is closer to the bottom than the top. To inject some invention into the centre of the park, Magath has brought in Baumjohann. One of a long and distinguished list of promising young players not to have made the grade at Bayern, Baumjohann made ony 3 appearances for the Bavarians before landing back at the club where he began his career. The skilful midfielder will be hoping to recapture the form he showed for Borussia Moenchengladbach in 2008-09, the form which earned him the move to Bayern in the 1st place. If he does, you wouldn’t bet against Schalke capturing an unlikely league title.

Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach) – The sales of both Marko Marin and Baumjohann during the close season, and the replacement of experienced manager Hans Meyer with Michael Frontzeck, were thought by many to be a recipe for relegation. However, Gladbach have been a pleasant surprise this season, playing some classy football and recording some notable wins against the likes of  Hamburg, Schalke, Mainz and Frankfurt. This is thanks in no small part to the men signed to replace Marin and Baumjohann: Juan Arango (Mallorca) and Reus (Rot-Weiss Ahlen). 20 year-old Reus has been particularly impressive. A classy playmaker, Reus’ trademark is cutting in from wide positions, either to slip the strikers through on goal or to go for the one-two and finish the move himself. Reus scored in the wins against Hamburg and Schalke, but his finest moment was a stunning solo effort against Mainz in August, running from the halfway line to coolly slot past the keeper.

Adrián Ramos (Hertha BSC) - If Ramos had known what was to unfold at Hertha Berlin during his first half season at the club, he may well have stayed put in Colombia. The side from the capital lost 13 of their 17 league games. Lucien Favre, the manager who brought him to Germany, was sacked and the club have been rooted to the bottom of the table and hurtling towards the trap door. The Colombian international initially looked like a fish out of water at Hertha, unable to adapt to the demands of the Bundesliga. However, as Berlin have shown a small improvement under new coach Friedhelm Funkel, Ramos has begun to show what inspired Favre to sign him from America de Cali. Perhaps Ramos’ biggest strength is his intelligent movement off the ball. He frequently manages to position himself in the channels between full-backs and centre-backs so that team mates can slip him through on goal with ease, and when he’s one on one with opposing keepers, he keeps a cool head and looks to place it into the corners. Since his first goal for the club at Stuttgart in November, Ramos has netted 5 in 6. Unbeaten so far in the ‘Rueckrunde’, Hertha now lie 8 points adrift of safety. If they’re to somehow survive, they’ll need Ramos firing.

Photo from www.focus.de

Tags: Adrian Ramos, Alexander Baumjohann, Franco Zuculini, Marco Reus