John Terry says there’s no such thing as a “friendly” between England and Germany but tonight’s match at Wembley between two patched up teams is going to provide a big test of the theory.
England are without the likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, leaving the main hope for creativity and goals on the shoulders of a jet-lagged David Beckham and a half-fit Michael Owen.
Germany, meanwhile, are without most of their best players (see here for a full list of the absentees) and in both countries the main focus continues to be on the recently started domestic leagues.
In England, most fans are more concerned about that penalty at Anfield or what’s going on with Martin Jol, while in Germany all the talk is about whether Bayern Munich can go through an entire season at the top of the table.
It’s probably about time England fans got over this obsession with German rivalry.
Many England fans would argue that their side’s 5-1 World Cup qualifying win in Munich six years ago was the pinnacle in a fierce rivalry dating back decades, and one which hurt the old enemy so badly that… what, they went on to face Brazil in the World Cup final less than a year later? Clearly the Germans recovered from that defeat more quickly than England got over the hysteria.
Fast forward five years and maybe you recall TV footage of a group of young German men, residents of Baden Baden where England were training, singing “Football’s coming home”, furiously waving England flags and generally not giving two hoots about the past between these two teams. Can you imagine a group of English lads draped in the black, red and gold of our “arch rivals” singing “Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles”?
This is essentially a match in which England would do well to avoid any further injuries and perhaps see the arrival of a future international centre-back (but we know who he is anyway).
Granted, this is the new Wembley and Steve McClaren probably does need games to test out the fitness of Michael Owen ahead of the important Euro qualifier against Israel. But if Beckham ends up setting up the winner for Owen, please, let’s not get too excited.
Tom Spaven, London
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11 comments so far
I’d like to congratulate you for the valuable info you provide in this blog. As a soccer professional I think Reuters is a trusted source for information… special in this game that I love and teach. Keep on going.
- Posted by Andre Botelho - Youth Soccer Coaching BlogStrange time of the year to be playing a match like this. Who cares, really? I appreciate what you say about Owen needing matches to prove his fitness, but better to be playing them for Newcastle, no?
- Posted by LondonAgree completely, Owen having a runaround is just about the only plus from a game like this, given what’s missing in the Germany squad at the moment. And yes, all being well he will get games for Newcastle in the coming weeks. I don’t think Mclaren can take too much from tonight so, as you say, who cares!
- Posted by Tom Spavensteven gerrard his the best footboll in england footboll team and liverpool lamperd his so not the bset at all
- Posted by vicky jamesour rivalry should be with france. they have been the enemy of our country for 100s of years. they are cowards & a horriblle nation. at least the germans are gentlemen & respect us. franz beckenbaur loves the english fighting spirit & mentality. having met & worked with both frogs & germans id hang around with the germans any time.
- Posted by shaun ramsayEngland struggles to win international matches despite having some good players. Now this is a friendly and German side is also depleted, England can win this one and be happy.
- Posted by Nachiket>Can you imagine a group of English lads draped in
>the black, red and gold of our arch rivals
>singing Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles?
No, and I wouldn’t want them to. I think it’s only Neo-Nazis who still seriously sing that part of the Deutschlandlied.
- Posted by JanI was at the game last night. The rain was torrential, and for all the money that was spent on the closing roof, it would have been nice if the organisers could have used it. I went home drenched.
As for the rivallry, the German fans as ever, represented their country with honour, singing from start to finish and their team did them proud. Heck, they even sang ‘You only sing when you’re winning’ to the English, in English! The English fans can’t even seem to hold together a verse of God Save the Queen…
England fans have not got over, and WILL NEVER get over the fact that our team won something, once, a long time ago. Might have been the war, might have been the world cup. Most supporters were not born for either. And sadly, until our national team pull up their overpaid socks and actually work together, it will be a long time before we win anything else and our country can move on.
- Posted by ClaireCouldn’t agree more, Claire. German fans put ours to shame. And by the way, the fact that England couldn’t beat a Germany B team was pretty poor.
- Posted by LondonHi there!
Greetings from Germany. I do think that England is now in the same situation as Germany was all the last years. Our Team played bad and nothing really went on. But they stood up and regained there strength as the English Team will do. Yesterday everyone in Germany was proud of such a young team beating yours. But what we have to learn is the Fair-play of the English. The gesture of Thank you for 2006 was heroic and I do feel more proud that we had such a great time in 2006 with all the supporters from all over the world. I hope that our rivalry will be more healthy in the future.
Good luck for the Qualifying for Euro 2008.
- Posted by HeikoHi there, Heiko. Germany regained their strength thanks in part to their gamble on Juergen Klinsmann, who was determined to change the style of play. Maybe England need to appoint an inspirational coach like him. Maybe they should appoint Klinsmann, in fact.
- Posted by Kev