Pessimism

Germany

THERE was once a time in football circles when you wrote the Germans off at your peril.

These days, however, people are practically falling over themselves to do exactly that - and the sense of pessimism has even spread to the German people themselves.

Germany's dismal performance at Euro 2004 has only added weight to the theory that football is in the throes of a serious crisis over here.

The German national team, once the dominant force in World football, is struggling to punch its weight in major international tournaments.

The Bundesliga is now seen as the poor relation in Europe compared with the Premiership, La Liga and Serie A.

And the German Football Association are struggling to appoint a successor to Rudi Voller, who stepped down as boss of the national team following his side's failure to qualify for the knockout stages in Portugal.

What was once regarded amongst the most coveted jobs in world football has suddenly become a poisoned chalice, mainly due to the lack of emerging young talent being produced by this once proud football nation.

It says something about the current state of the game here when even the manager of Greece, Otto Rehhagel, a German born and bred, passes up the chance to take charge of his own country.

And all this just two years before the Germans are due to host the next World Cup!

Lothar Matthaeus, one of the greatest German players ever and so often the scourge of England, has even put the boot in, demanding immediate changes at the very top of the game, otherwise he fears the hosts face embarrassment at their own tournament in two years' time.

"To be honest, I'm deeply worried," said Matthaeus, reflecting on the current state of German football and the national team's failure to qualify for the knockout stages at Euro 2004.

"The picture is scary in light of the last few weeks, and the DFB isn't taking action."

Matthaeus is right to be so concerned.

Germany have a record in major international tournaments second only to Brazil but since they were crowned the World champions for third time in 1990, capping a run of seven finals in 10 World Cups and European Championships, their fortunes have slumped dramatically, at least by their own high standards.

In the last two European Championships, for instance, the Germans have failed to get beyond the first round.

And at Euro 2004, they didn't even manage to win a game before bowing out with a whimper.

Commendations have suddenly been replaced by condemnations and it's hard to watch for someone like Matthaeus, a man so used to success - and lots of it.

If further evidence were needed, the Germans even failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Under 19 Championships in Switzerland earlier this week after finishing third in a group of four that also contained Spain, Turkey and Poland.

"I think there's a bit of a restructure going on," said Nissa Johansson, the Blackburn defender who started his career in Germany with Bayern Munich and then FC Nuremberg.

"They did have a good side when the likes of Markus Babbel and Lothar Matthaeus were still knocking around but they've restructured a bit and they're now going through a transitional stage.

"The game in general is certainly different over here compared to England and it's hard to say which one is better or worse."

The answer to that may come at the next World Cup.

CHANGES: Rovers

Nissa Johansson

Bizarrely, the game still looks in good health over here, at least on the surface.

Bundesliga sides like Stuttgart, the nearest one to where Blackburn Rovers' are based, play in impressive stadia, in front of full houses, and the whole game is slickly presented by the media.

But the general feeling amongst the people here is that, while the game has continued to evolve technically in the Premiership and La Liga over the last decade, the Germans have been slow to embrace new ideas from outside their own country - and the Bundesliga has stagnated as a result.

That's had a knock-on effect with the national side, which currently looks devoid of world-class players, the impressive Michael Ballack apart.

"I think there's a bit of a restructure going on," said Nissa Johansson, the Blackburn defender who started his career in Germany with Bayern Munich and then FC Nuremberg.

"They did have a good side when the likes of Markus Babbel and Lothar Matthaeus were still knocking around but they've restructured a bit and they're now going through a transitional stage.

"The game in general is certainly different over here compared to England and it's hard to say which one is better or worse."

The answer to that may come at the next World Cup.