We should be more like the Germans

So tonight is the European Championships Final at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, or the Big Happel as I like to call it. I have my ticket and I’m very excited. Speaking of tickets, is there some sort of black market for used tickets?

Whenever I leave the stadium, over here, there are guys with signs saying ‘I collect used tickets’. I’m assuming it must be some sort of a scam. The tickets are not exactly suitable for framing. My final ticket says, in large letters, Winner of Match 29 vs. Winner of Match 30. It doesn’t exactly make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, does it?

As regular readers of this blog (if such a person exists) will know, I think trying to predict football matches is a waste of time but I am still heartened when I recall the England gaffer, Fabio Capello, predicting, in the Times pre-tournament supplement, that Germany and Spain were the teams to watch.

Of course, he was just guessing like everyone else but it’s good to know the England boss is, at least, a good guesser. He went on to say Germany would be the eventual winners. Mind you, one of his predicted stars of the tournament was Italy’s Luca Toni. I know he had a great season for Bayern Munich but in Euro 2008 Toni, the Ambling Alp, has looked like the sort of Honey Monster English centre-forward we’re supposed to have moved on from.

Will it transpire that while we’ve all been expecting Capello to bring a carefully-considered sophistication to the England team, he’s been out, trawling the Premiership for the new Steve Bull?

Anyway, it’s funny the England boss should pick Germany to win because I’ve always felt they’re the team England should try and model itself on; well organised, no frills, no prisoners. They play a sort of well-edited version of English football; without the panic, the need-to-impress and the penalty shoot-out phobia. When they entertain it’s accidental; when they win it’s deliberate.

I’m not saying I necessarily want Germany to win; my neutrality in this tournament has held out to the end; but if Spain win playing the kind of football they played in the second half against Russia, there’ll be people back home saying ‘Why don’t England play attractive football like the Spaniards?’ It’s because it’s not in our blood. Germany’s brand of football just might be.

Before the match, of course, Vienna will host the closing ceremony. Do you think Midge Ure is still waiting for the phone-call?

Comments

[WitheUsOrAgainstUs]

Mark G protests the skills of the Bull who was a Wolf and compares Peter Withe with Loser Toni. but didn't Peter win league championship medals with Forest and Villa and a European Cup medal when he clattered for the latter, leaving Shaw to score? Not a bad curriculum vitae, Peter.

Please confirm someone, perhaps PW himself?

Never mind Hurst, Loser Toni makes Heskey look like Pele.

[Gavin]

What!!! Why everyone jumping on the German bandwagon? They been in 2 finals since 2002 and lost both! Why would England try to be like a losing team? Instead I'll prefer england to improve their possession game like Spain and Brazil instead.

[David Rodriguez]

England could play nice football. England should play nice football. Forget about blood.
England have the players. But if you contract Capello .. you dont want to play nice football. You want to win. The problem is if you loose playing defending football. Thats really bad for supporters. I would buy a ticket or sit on my sofa to watch a team who want to attack.

[Antonio]

Why not the Netherlands? I was amazed by their football, another team like them would be appreciated and supported.

[dylan]

If only we could play like Germany (ie. a team performance). There's certainly no way we could ever, ever play like Spain. Spain play with fluid, intelligent trickery, we play with lots of honest toil, no guile and like we're in treacle. We need humility in our game.

[Moishei.]

I remember when England played their 'Bully' as Jim Bowen would say. Every pass he received used to fly off his shin about 20 yards to an opponent. He reminded me of me playing five-a-side.

[Mark G]

Don't want to be an irritating pedant Frank, but Capello won't get much joy trawling the Premiership for the new Steve Bull. Bully never played in the top flight of English football. Also, he had more strings to his bow than your average back-to-goal target man. This is just blatant Wolves-ism on your part. I’m going to write to UEFA to suggest a “Kick Wolves-ism Out” campaign for 2012. p.s. Peter Withe or Paul Mariner would have been a better analogy of a crummy version of Luca Tonio.

[Edward]

You are right. It isn't in our blood to be Spanish. Germans, as our genetic cousins, might be easier to emulate them than we think. As long as it doesn't extend to the play-acting Germans are notorious for I can't see any reason to disagree.

[Ralph]

..oh no, don't start playing like Germany! Don`t get me wrong, I am german and can say: one team that plays with "accidental entertainment
and deliberate winning" is enough....and boring enough as well!
So please focus on the good english soccer, we missed it in the Euro08!
And please stick to the "penalty shoot-out phobia" when palying against us ;-))

[Rob (Dubai)]

I think you'll find Bully scored goals for England, despite being a third division player. Can you name any West Brom players that have done the same? Thought not. Even while talking about England's absence during Euro 2008, an Albion fan can still find time to have a pop at Wolves. Still, at least we know you care.

[Stephen]

I am a regular reader of this blog. Great stuff!

[Angel Garcia]

ok, try to play a football style like the germany team, go on

[Dennis Brockhouse]

It's not in our blood to play like the Spaniards? New DNA research proves that the majority of the English are descendants of Iberians -- not Germans.

[Steve Jacks]

Germany play with eleven sportsmen. Eleven blokes who look like they'd give you a bloody good game of squash, tennis, or any other sport you care to name. We play with eleven footballers. Five-foot nothing Darius Vassell's who couldn't locate one end of a cricket bat from the other. No wonder the well-rounded Germany have the marbles when the going gets tough and our over-rated over-hyped prima-donna's get stage fright. We're a one-sport nation and, surprise surprise, it hasn't made us Brazil, it's just crapped up down to every other turdy football-only also-ran.

[Rob]

There certainly are people that read your blog regularly Frank. I think used tickets are sold on Ebay so try and get a bit of dosh for your tickets after tonights game eh!

[Flatroofer]

Who is we? Wales, Scotland, Ireland or England.

[Werner]

Thanks a lot for the flowers:-)

I am still very sad England didn't make it to the EC.
Best games ever were always England / Germany
Hope it will happen again in two years.

Werner

[SpanishDutch]

Why does anybody would like to copy the Germans????
Their football isn´t worth looking at. Or is results the only thing that matters? Than just go to teletext or so to see the results. Why should you bother to watch a match!

Than I rather support the Dutch, they play very attractive even if they never win anything. Is not that what football is all about. Showing a nice game or is it all about results. Perhaps it is that what is failing the England team and is why the premier league is so popular. It is not always the best football but certainly the most attractive!!

[Barney]

I'm just remembering 4 years ago and the idiots wearing the white german army helmets - suddenly the country is called to follow a team it revels in mocking.

Germany are and have been for some time excellent examples of a football team and society.

Over the moon that England never made it - it's been better without them.

[Robert]

For me Euro 2008 will be all about Luca Toni. Each time the cameras panned into his sad, incredulous, grinning, chiselled face, after botching another long ball chance from his distant midfield colleagues, I could only burst into loud and sustained laughter.

Luca - we love you.