 World Class
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,648
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why dont the brits admire german football
I am making this thread, based on years of observation. the English always tend to underplay germany's footballing achievements. In Italia 90, it wasnt the germans who were good, but the refree was biased. In euro 96 it wasnt becuase of good football that germany won the cup, but becuase of misfortune of english team. in wc 2002, it was 'luck' that got germany into the final. These are the kinds of comments the english press/ english people have for germany's sucessfull football teams. They always forget that the goal scored by geoff hurst in wc 66 had not actually crossed the line. I always wondred why the english are traditionally so hostile towards our NT. We never burn in jealousy at the english national teams sucess ( i agree, they havent had much). We appreciate englishmen in our leagues and make them feel welcome. Hargreaves is an example. Even british tourists are treated nicely in germany, and the 60+ year old animosity is forgotten. But in england, anywhere a german tourist/football fan goes, he's inevitably called 'kraut', and there are more such inuendos.There are many here who admire english players. I have hardly seen any english players who support german players. I guess its high time the british burry the hatchet. I attach a writing by a new creed of german football admiring british commentator
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Matt Henderson
It takes seven minutes, any German will tell you, to pour a good beer. Alas, for Oliver Kahn, the man without whom Germany would not have reached the World Cup Final, you can go from scholar to dunce in the time it takes to blow the froth off your stein.
Torsten Frings battles to stop Ronaldinho's charge (Reuters)
There are, no doubt, some people, flinty of heart, who will shed no tears for the Bayern Munich goalie. There may even be one or two in Berlin, where they view all things Bavarian with suspicion, if not distaste.
But any normal human being can see, surely, that the Panzermannschaft were valiant losers yesterday, a role that will not please them one little bit.
In German eyes, Kahn has achieved helden status. The fans who gathered yesterday by the big screen in the Zoo Station wore goalie's gloves, in recognition of his deeds, and the newspapers were full of him.
Then, like David Seaman before him, he handed the Brazilians a goal. Talk about gift horses.
As Brazil fans celebrated, hooting their horns as their cars drove down Kantstrasse and the Kurfurstendamm, where the Turks had paraded on Saturday, there were no tears. In case you didn't know, or had forgotten, the Germans are not like that.
Four years from now, when the next Final is held in their own city, Berliners may be celebrating, just as the Brazilians did. For the time being they must find solace in beer which, in this country, is never an imposition.
Perhaps the German dignity in defeat will remind some one-eyed jacks in England of the qualities that make them such formidable opponents.
There is no point moaning that the Germans had an easy route to the Final. They won their group, unlike England, who were overjoyed at the feat of holding the might of Nigeria to a goalless draw.
If you had collected a fiver every time somebody wrote about German 'discipline' in the last fortnight you would now be a very rich person. Yet what team sport does not require discipline? It served Brazil - yes, the so-called purveyors of 'the beautiful game,' here.
This is an unexceptional Brazil team, an ordinary German one, and it has been the worst World Cup anybody can remember. Yet the fact remains Germany reached the Final, for the seventh time, which is half-a-dozen times more than England.
To do so without Deisler, Scholl and Nowotny, and to contest the final without Ballack, takes more than 'discipline', or 'order', or the other cliches trotted out by Germanophobes. This is a remarkable people, and it is worth pointing that out now that the bird-brains will be enjoying the spectacle of a German defeat.
Even if they had produced only Bach, Beethoven and Brahms the Germans would still have given more of lasting value to the world than the whole of South America. Come on, tell me what Brazil can lay claim to, other than some wonderful footballers, coffee, samba and transvestites - and that's it?
Where would you rather be treated in hospital - Germany or England? Which country has the better schools? In which land does every city plough millions into art galleries, concert halls and opera houses not as a privilege but as a necessity?
Be honest, now. Where would you rather live: Munich or Manchester? Cologne or Leeds? Hamburg or Birmingham? Germany towers above England in most respects - or rather, what England has allowed itself to become, 'the first slum of Europe'. Yet they think well of us, even as we patronise them.
Consider this. I spent Sunday afternoon in two bars, two of the world's great bars, Zwiebelfisch and Dicke Wirtin. The clientele, men and women of all ages, were well behaved in anticipation of the match, and gracious in defeat.
There was no singing, no oafish behaviour, and no 'carrying on'. It was a pleasure to be there.
Could it happen in England - in the unlikely event of the team reaching a final? Not a chance. Remember what happened when England lost to Germany in the 'trouble-free' European Championship of 1996. Trafalgar Square was cordoned off by riot police, and German cars had their windows smashed. I know. I was there.
One looks in wonder at the German contribution to music, literature, painting, architecture, drama, philosophy, theology, mathematics, biology, physics and the natural sciences.
But all some English people talk about is the blitzkrieg and towels on beaches, and Jeremy Clarkson goes on telly to say they're 'not funny'. I was at school with Clarkson; I shall say no more.
In football, too, the Germans have left their mark. Nobody has scored more goals in World Cup Finals than Gerd Muller. Nobody has played more games than Lothar Matthaus. They lost on Sunday. They'll be back.
The abiding image was of Franz Beckenbauer, seated next to Rudi Voller, talking calmly after the defeat.
By any reasonable standards, Beckenbauer is the highest achiever in the history of football. The captain of teams who won the World Cup and the European Championship, the manager of a World Cup-winning side, and the man largely responsible for bringing the tournament back to Germany in 2006.
Beckenbauer is a symbol of modern Germany.
Proud of his nationality and at ease in the wider world, he also speaks better English than Tony Banks, who led England's dishonourable and discredited campaign for the World Cup.
Four years on, I fancy we'll be hearing more from this outstanding man
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