Soccerwhos? Germans know nothing on Aussies
By SEBASTIAN HASSETT - Sydney Morning Herald
Last updated 13:15 24/05/2010
Australia may be fretting over the make-up of Germany's World Cup squad, but the feeling is hardly mutual. While news of Michael Ballack's injury commanded back-page treatment in Australia last week, Germans are spending little time analysing the fitness concerns hovering over Mark Schwarzer and Harry Kewell.
''I certainly don't know anything about the team or their players. In fact, I don't think any Germans know anything about them,'' said Paul Breitner, who played against the Socceroos in the 1974 World Cup for eventual champions West Germany. ''The only people who might know are the coaching staff, and that's because it's their job to find out. But the rest of Germany wouldn't have any idea about the Australians.''
The Socceroos will square off with the Germans in their opening match in South Africa. And while Australia are quietly confident of snatching a point, Breitner, the former Bayern Munich and Real Madrid midfielder, couldn't bring himself to name a single member of the Australian team.
Breitner says expectations in his homeland are that Germany will cruise through the group stages without any trouble, starting with a comfortable win over the Socceroos.
''Every single fan in Germany expects that we will win that first match against Australia, the next match against Serbia and then the final match against Ghana,'' he said. ''This is the belief. We want to build some momentum. The expectation in Germany is always the same - to make the semi-final. This is the goal, for every World Cup or European tournament, no matter what the squad.''
But while Breitner, 58, might seem overtly cocky about Germany's prospects, he insists they too have their share of issues, admitting there is no comparison between this side and the great German teams of the past.
''You cannot compare this team with the teams of 10, 20, 30 or 40 years ago,'' he said. ''We have to accept we have a very young team. We have very good young players so they will be enthusiastic and make their own game, but to compare them to the great teams of our past is not possible.
''Whilst I am sure that the team of right now is a good one, these players will be still better players in the next World Cup in Brazil. Of course, maybe they're good enough already in South Africa to be successful, that's what the public want to believe.''
A big factor in Die Mannschaft squad arguably looking a little green is the absence of Michael Ballack, who will miss the tournament after suffering an ankle injury in Chelsea's FA Cup final win over Portsmouth last weekend. Breitner says only time will tell how much that really affects the team, but he believes there's a perfect replacement ready to take over the captain's armband.
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''Absolutely, Bastian Schweinsteiger can do it. He has improved in a fantastic way,'' Breitner said. ''Because Ballack cannot join the team we have to look for other solutions and Joachim Loew has that solution if he wants it.''
The ongoing admission of Kevin Kuranyi from the national team has been a constant source of discussion in Germany in recent times, especially so given the failure of the German strikers to fire in the Bundesliga this season - most notably Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose, who have scored just five goals between them all year. It's the only change Breitner would have made.
''For me, him not being there was the only surprise,'' Breitner said. ''I hoped he might make the final squad. Joachim Loew decided not to take him to South Africa is because has already decided on the team that will play the first match. The strikers will be Klose and Podolski and he just sees no role for Kuranyi.''
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/3731428/Soccerwhos-Germans-know-nothing-on-Aussies