Preparation for the second half of the 2006/7 season got underway on Wednesday (03.1.2007), as 24 players reported back for training. Hungarian midfielder Pal Dardai led the players out at 2.20 pm. Where is big Joe? The last player out of the changing rooms was the Serbian striker Marko Pantelic. The 250 or so fans present asked themselves why one player was conspicuous by his absence. Croatian defender Joe Simunic was not in attendance and the fans were asking themselves whether or not big Joe was doing a "Marcelinho", extending his holiday without Hertha's permission. A short time later the situation was explained. The plane connections from Australia where the defender had spent Christmas with his parents meant that Simunic could only arrive in Berlin after the opening training session and that the club knew and approved of it. Back to work lads!The squad was split into two groups at the start of the opening session of the new year; one was led by Co-trainer Andy Thom, the other by the fitness coach Carsten Schünemann. One player jogged on his own away from the rest of the squad. Midfield general Yildiray Bastürk has still not fully recovered from his thigh injury and was only out of the changing rooms for 30 minutes. Pantelic branches out..! The first Hertha goal of 2007 was not scored within the opening half hour, but shortly afterwards, as the youngsters Ashkan Dejagah and Patrick Ebert combined well down the right. The high cross fooled Hertha's second string goalkeeper Kevin Stuhr Ellegard before hitting the branch of a tree above the crossbar and falling to the feet of the surprised Pantelic who bagged his first goal of the year! Youngsters in good shapeIn a game between the first and second teams, Patrick Ebert was given the 12th first team bib. It must also be said that Ashkan Dejagah aims to carry on the good work he began before the winter break as he played behind the front two. Lactate tests are on the agenda on Thursday. Those tests will reveal who has stuck to their fitness programme during the winter break. 

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