Everton manager David Moyes has revealed his admiration for the Bundesliga.
The 50-year-old believes that the German first division is very competitive and hails the atmosphere of the country's stadia.
"There have been a few different winners of the Bundesliga over recent years," The Guardian quotes him as saying. "I know this year Bayern have scaled it but last year [Borussia] Dortmund won it and it wasn't long ago Schalke won it and Bayer Leverkusen came close. Their youth teams and the way they develop players has been good; the Germans have been really good in the way they've got their league right.
"When I've been to see games in Germany I've been amazed by the atmosphere. People talk about the atmosphere in the Premier League but over there it's incredible. The stadiums are full, behind the scenes it works fantastically. The ticket prices aren't outrageous and nearly all the games are completely sold out. The big thing is that they're nearly all in terrific stadiums, too.
"Nearly every club has a modern, up-to-date stadium, whether it's a bowl or a square-sided one. They've really progressed since the World Cup in 2006. I think they're all important factors in modern life. If you want to go to the game now, you don't want to pay too much but you also want a good seat with an unrestricted view where you can see the pitch. Generally I think that's what they do over there."
Moyes's current contract with Everton runs out at the end of the season.