***Official Germany v Australia thread***

[Man of Harveys]

Is he? Turkish parents but I thought he was born in Germany. There are about three million ethnic Turks in Germany, I guess they're the equivalent of Indian or Pakistanis in the UK? There are a couple of German born players in the Turkish national side.

Klose is of Polish origin too. But I think all of the above are probably more German than half the England cricket side are English...

Exactly (and this tedium crops up every world cup) - people of Turkish extraction are the biggest ethnic minority in Germany and other players with Turkish family backgrounds have played for them before: Mehmet Scholl, for example.

And yes, Klose was born to a German family (as his very German surname suggests - it means DUMPLINGS in fact) in what is now Poland but was German before all that rather messy business between 1939 and 1945.

 

[Father Jack]

Scary stuff I've noted about their ages. Was looking at the English players average age too. Shocking to realise Terry, Gerrard amongst others you still think of as young when the facts are they're not going to be around for the next world cup in all probability. Where are our young guns? Hardly promising future for England.

Quite right sir, I was thinking in 4 years, Rooney, joe Hart, Walcott, Lennon, milner, and players like smalling will all be regulars but by no means on a par with the germans!

 

[portlock seagull]

Backpeddling now dear...

If you'd been paying attention I had already predicted a loss you patronizing wanker.

Insult after uncalled insult!! I reckon you've got a kangaroo loose in the top paddock girl!

Tedebear? More like grizzly adams....

 

[Man of Harveys]

Isn't it an odd feeling to be quietly admiring a German team for it's flair and goalscoring rather than it's typical Teutonic efficiency, as Peter Drury would no doubt say?

They don't even have any particularly odious players any more, no Voller, no Klinsmann (pre-Spurs), no smug Andreas Moller, no Ballack.

What's happened to our favourite pantomime villains? Is it now OK to like them?

They were the same in 2006.

 

[Meade's Ball]

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

You have to keep in mind a lot of young English lads also play one or the other forms of rugby.

That does take some potentially outstanding young athletes from the overall pool of talent.

Same happens here with AFL taking a massive chunk of those young men.

Places like Germany, Brazil etc dont face that kind of competition from other football codes.

 

[perseus]

What have the Roos got in their tucker bag for the second half?

 

[1066familyman]

So far, so good.

You should be made up with that 45 mins. By far the best performance of the tournament so far.

 

[tedebear]

Insult after uncalled insult!! I reckon you've got a kangaroo loose in the top paddock girl!

Tedebear? More like grizzly adams....

Since when was Grizzly Adams Australian? Keeping digging small man...

 

[1066familyman]

Whilst the players (of pretty much every team) have been utter shit so far this tournie, the officials have been TOP class.

Agreed. The fact that noone is on about how they shit they are says it all really. Every single big decision has been called correctly.

 

[The Spanish]

Agreed. The fact that noone is on about how they shit they are says it all really. Every single big decision has been called correctly.

there is an england quarter final against a spiccy team to come yet mate.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What a cross from Lahm, he is a magnificent player.

Totally agree.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Hand ball you fuckers!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The only disappointment is that Low is not accessorising with that silk scarf of his.

 

[portlock seagull]

Since when was Grizzly Adams Australian? Keeping digging small man...

Go Australia!!!! Remember your forefathers!! (ow, they were English weren't they......)

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You have to keep in mind a lot of young English lads also play one or the other forms of rugby.

That does take some potentially outstanding young athletes from the overall pool of talent.

Same happens here with AFL taking a massive chunk of those young men.

Places like Germany, Brazil etc dont face that kind of competition from other football codes.

Well I can't speak for Australia but where I went to school (and we're hardly talking inner city here) nobody played rugby. Union at least is a largely public school thing. Pretty much all state schools play football first and foremost. No, we have no excuses for being shit. We just are.

Besides, German kids might play some other sport that we just don't know about because we're not interested, like, I don't know, basketball or handball, or kabbadi

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Go Australia!!!! Remember your forefathers!! (ow, they were English weren't they......)

Get a room you two, we're talking football here!

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Go Australia!!!! Remember your forefathers!! (ow, they were English weren't they......)

Well shit-a-brick.

No wonder we do no good at the WC.

It's in our bloody genes!!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Well I can't speak for Australia but where I went to school (and we're hardly talking inner city here) nobody played rugby. Union at least is a largely public school thing. Pretty much all state schools play football first and foremost. No, we have no excuses for being shit. We just are.

Besides, German kids might play some other sport that we just don't know about because we're not interested, like, I don't know, basketball or handball, or kabbadi

Rugby did start up at Downlands about 16 years ago

 

[Dave the OAP]

looking at this German side, how many english players would replace any of the Germans in this team.....on yesterdays showing none!