After the soggy encounter against Slovakia the previous Sunday, the weather is considerably brighter at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, and there is a more solid and established look to the German team too. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is back and with
Poland v Germany: Match Analysis and Player Ratings
History would be made in Warsaw as the recently-crowned world Champions took on Poland in Warsaw, but not in the way anyone had expected. Lukas Podolski wouldn’t return to the land of his birth would score a hat-trick and take
A new face for Poland and Ireland
Just under a month after the opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland, the road to France for the German team continues with a trip across the border to Poland for a meeting in Warsaw, before entertaining the Republic of Ireland
Earplugs at the ready: Mannschaft-Musik
With the World Cup Finals just around the corner, it will soon be time for us to gear our ears for yet another tournament anthem specially made to encourage and drive Jogi’s Jungs to success. With it being Brazil, my
To sing or not to sing? The Nationalhymne Debate
The subject would be broached in the wake of the semi-final defeat at Euro 2012, and would continue to rumble through the summer as former footballers, coaches and politicians found themselves with something to say. The singing of the Nationalhymne,
Endstation Warschau.
So, no return to the Ukraine after what was planned to be a two-week break in Poland. Poor tactics, mental collapse, another defeat to bogey side Italy, and it’s all over. Just like that. I’ll save the post mortem for
Mission 2012
So, we now know the final twenty-three man squad that will be going to the Euros. No surprise really – the selection was exactly was what I expected, though it would have been nice had the Maharishi Jogi gone with
Switzerland v Germany: Facts, Ratings & Analysis
Now that everyone has had time to discuss yesterday’s experiment/disaster/wake up call in Basel, it’s time for my analysis of the match, the players and where everything stands – or in my view should stand – with the selection of
Pick four from twenty-seven: The Preliminary Euro 2012 Squad
With just over a month remaining until the big kick-off in Poland and the Ukraine, the preliminary group of twenty-seven players have been named by Nationaltrainer Jogi Löw.
Germany v France post-match review and player ratings
A new year, a new green and white Trikot harking back to the glory days of 1972, a prestige friendly against tough opposition: all seemed set for a sparkling start to the slow build-up towards the Euro 2012 finals in
Funny old Fabio
I didn’t see this article at the time, and stumbled across it today. Let’s just say that I am still desperately trying to stop my sides from splitting at yet another rather odd outburst from Fabio Capello, England’s favourite –
Kicker’s Ratings and Latest News
Kicker Online’s ratings for the game against the Ukraine were published today, and make for some interesting comparisons to those posted by myself and Bild. While Bild and I disagreed on most things but selected the same Man of the