Surprised how many people are happy to see the Germans win. Arguably one of our greatest footballing rivals nationally. It's like watching Palace win again and again as we fail again and again.
Can't ever forget Andres Mullers arrogant smile and pose after that winning pen in Euro 96 or Oliver Khan larging it to the England support during the last game at Wembley, thousands of them singing "your shit and you know you are" and mocking "footballs coming home" in perfect English at Wembley or how they revelled at our capitulation in South Africa or showered us with bottles in Berlin in 08 when we beat them in the friendly.
And talks about the Brazilians being cheats (which they are) - has everyone forgotten Klinsmann and co?
I'm no fan of Brazil but they don't even come close to Germany as rivals. But before someone says it - yes I do have a lot of respect for them, their football culture and what they achieve, but want them to win or enjoy their success? Not in a million years.
Really? The Gerrys are very like us in a lot of ways, except they are perhaps more anal. Loved the performance last night. Applauded the 7th goal involuntararily. See the French much more as rivsls than them.
...mocking "footballs coming home" in perfect English at Wembley...
I don't believe they were mocking it, were they? I wasn't and Wembley personally, but I heard it explained on radio that they just didn't get the nationalist element in the chorus. It's immediately apparent to anyone from England, or Scotland, because it's a reference to the game being codified (or invented, as some would have it) in England. To the Germans though, although the verses are obviously about England, the chorus was just a catchy hook with no particular significance other than that there was a football competition going on.
... I can forgive them for 2 world wars but not the concentration camps. I doubt the reaction would be the same if it was 1953 rather than 2014.
There may be a handful of nonagenarians still about who were involved in the holocaust, but by and large that generation are dead now. I feel sorry for the generation of German's that followed it, they grew up with the collective guilt and shame that their countrymen had committed the most abhorrent acts ever seen. But that was then and this is now. I admire your position that you can't support people people who've committed atrocities, but it's just not the same set of people any more. For me a key part in ensuring that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past is in not identifying everyone from the same country as somehow the same. Condemn the perpetrators, not their descendants.
On a lighter note, I probably would have supported Germany, but I drew Higuaín as one of my four in a highest goalscorers competition, so I'm vainly hoping that he can get a hat-trick.
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I love watching German football, whether it's the exciting Bundesliga or their national team. They play entertaining football and always seem to peak in time for the major tournaments. The FA have something to learn from the German football model. Germany have produced and nurtured many top young players over the last few years. The Bundesliga made it compulsory for the teams in the top two tiers to have first class youth facilities which means they are able to produce more home grown talent. This is something that Charlton has recognised for a long time now and hopefully we will be able to obtain our elite status in order to compete with the Premiership clubs in developing even more youth. The Bundesliga are able to produce more German players whereas in England our young up and coming players are restricted by foreign signings. Signings from overseas are beneficial for the game as they are cheaper and it's great for the game integrating different cultures, ideas and styles but there needs to be a balance. Germany seem to have this right which is why I admire them. They play a good style of football. Not too direct but they like to play on the offense. I have family in Berlin and I German ancestory through my maternal grandmother. Ever since England got knocked out of the World Cup, I've been supporting them and hope they go on to win the final. All that hard work, and one of the best performances ever in a World Cup against Brazil will count for nothing if they don't go on to lift the trophy.
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
All of this throws into sharp relief just how bad England are. I am very pessimistic about ours chances in the Euros and think that more of the same with Hodgson, who's big idea is Rooney as Captain, will not improve anything.
I know changing Mangers is often not the solution but in the case of national team the importance of the role is amplified. I simply do not believe that this man is the best there is, or has a vision to take us forward. Neither to I have much confidence in a former TV executives plans.
Still 7-1! Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of over-rated diving, cheating,B'stards!
Hope Argentina lose on a really controversial decision! Still waiting for pay-back for the hand of God.
Really worrying when you start cheering Germany on!
Don't really have any problem with the German's or any others for the reasons AFKA has set out..life's too short to waste energy 'hating' a nation. The truth of the matter is we have a huge amount in common with them as people, far more than with the average Brazilian.
Yeah we are rivals and always will be and nothing wrong in that but much of the reasoning behind any 'dislike' seems to me to be driven by jealousy and frustration that they have gone back to grass roots and clubs, the national team and the supporters are all singing from ze same hymn sheet when there's zero chance of us doing the same. Sad but true.
I met a lovely German girl a number of years ago - we ended up living together for 4 year; I got to know her friends and family, over in Germany and staying with us here in Cornwall.
Just ordinary folks, just like me and you, warm and friendly - and liked a good laugh. But then they were from the north, not far from the Dutch border. Becks was their local brew.
Their real rivalry was with the southern Germans, Bavaria, etc. I'd never realised Germany had such an intense North/South divide!
I am sure that CLers would be shocked to find German or Dutch elements of ancestry if they trace their family trees. We proudly call ourselves Anglo Saxons and often forget where Saxony is.
That's a good point, Prague.
Lower Saxony (Ammanland, Friesland near Oldenburg was the area I got to know) with it's woodland, hedges and fields definitely has that feel of England - only the architecture seems different.
The accent is soft and lilting, very different from the stereotype harsh gutteral German that we associate with Germany.
hi Oggy
Oldenburg is my clients home town, and I was up in Friesland last year. I fell in love with Jever beer and it's glorious advertising campaign which shamelessly trades on the coastal landscape I mentioned.
So I checked into the nice little pension, and told the owner I wanted to hire a bike and check out the coast where they shot the fotos . He gave me this " heard that before" smile and said..." I'm afraid you will cycle a long way. They shot it all in Schleswig-Holstein. You've been taken in by the advertising..."
That last sentence hit home, of course....but drinking Jever from the source softened the blow.
Don't really have any problem with the German's or any others for the reasons AFKA has set out..life's too short to waste energy 'hating' a nation. The truth of the matter is we have a huge amount in common with them as people, far more than with the average Brazilian.
Yeah we are rivals and always will be and nothing wrong in that but much of the reasoning behind any 'dislike' seems to me to be driven by jealousy and frustration that they have gone back to grass roots and clubs, the national team and the supporters are all singing from ze same hymn sheet when there's zero chance of us doing the same. Sad but true.
I met a lovely German girl a number of years ago - we ended up living together for 4 year; I got to know her friends and family, over in Germany and staying with us here in Cornwall.
Just ordinary folks, just like me and you, warm and friendly - and liked a good laugh. But then they were from the north, not far from the Dutch border. Becks was their local brew.
Their real rivalry was with the southern Germans, Bavaria, etc. I'd never realised Germany had such an intense North/South divide!
I am sure that CLers would be shocked to find German or Dutch elements of ancestry if they trace their family trees. We proudly call ourselves Anglo Saxons and often forget where Saxony is.
That's a good point, Prague.
Lower Saxony (Ammanland, Friesland near Oldenburg was the area I got to know) with it's woodland, hedges and fields definitely has that feel of England - only the architecture seems different.
The accent is soft and lilting, very different from the stereotype harsh gutteral German that we associate with Germany.
hi Oggy
Oldenburg is my clients home town, and I was up in Friesland last year. I fell in love with Jever beer and it's glorious advertising campaign which shamelessly trades on the coastal landscape I mentioned.
So I checked into the nice little pension, and told the owner I wanted to hire a bike and check out the coast where they shot the fotos . He gave me this " heard that before" smile and said..." I'm afraid you will cycle a long way. They shot it all in Schleswig-Holstein. You've been taken in by the advertising..."
That last sentence hit home, of course....but drinking Jever from the source softened the blow.
See - I told you never to trust anyone in advertising... ;-)
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I believe it was a number 1 hit in Germany
As it happens, I was working as a DJ in a fun pub on the Costa Brava around then, and I was amazed the number of young Germans who came up to request Three Lions, simply because they liked it. Great people!
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I believe it was a number 1 hit in Germany
As it happens, I was working as a DJ in a fun pub on the Costa Brava around then, and I was amazed the number of young Germans who came up to request Three Lions, simply because they liked it. Great people!
Apparently it got to No 16 in their music chart, but then World in Motion got to No 21!
They may have more World Cup wins than us and a better team, but how many decent football songs have their team produced :-)
Players from the German teams of the past (which I found very very easy to hate): Schumacher Hrubesch Rummenigge Allofs Matthaus Brehme Voller Augenthaler Hoeness Thon Rolff Buchwald Moller Effenberg
The German teams from 2002 onwards doesn’t seem to have these 'easy to hate' types.
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I believe it was a number 1 hit in Germany
As it happens, I was working as a DJ in a fun pub on the Costa Brava around then, and I was amazed the number of young Germans who came up to request Three Lions, simply because they liked it. Great people!
Apparently it got to No 16 in their music chart, but then World in Motion got to No 21!
They may have more World Cup wins than us and a better team, but how many decent football songs have their team produced :-)
How much decent modern music, full stop? The worst thing about visiting Germany is the radio. We didn't even find anything in Berlin, except briefly one jazz station
My littlest brother lives in Dresden so I hope he has a good time this weekend. Irony around the fact our Grandad bombed the place to shit is not lost on us.
Oh come on.....They knew it was our song in that tournament. They have used it to take the piss ever since. Do you think they sing it against other Countries?
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I believe it was a number 1 hit in Germany
As it happens, I was working as a DJ in a fun pub on the Costa Brava around then, and I was amazed the number of young Germans who came up to request Three Lions, simply because they liked it. Great people!
Apparently it got to No 16 in their music chart, but then World in Motion got to No 21!
They may have more World Cup wins than us and a better team, but how many decent football songs have their team produced :-)
How much decent modern music, full stop? The worst thing about visiting Germany is the radio. We didn't even find anything in Berlin, except briefly one jazz station
Decent modern music? Depends what you classify as modern music. Germany and especially Berlin is seen as the mecca of techno music.
Don't really have any problem with the German's or any others for the reasons AFKA has set out..life's too short to waste energy 'hating' a nation. The truth of the matter is we have a huge amount in common with them as people, far more than with the average Brazilian.
Yeah we are rivals and always will be and nothing wrong in that but much of the reasoning behind any 'dislike' seems to me to be driven by jealousy and frustration that they have gone back to grass roots and clubs, the national team and the supporters are all singing from ze same hymn sheet when there's zero chance of us doing the same. Sad but true.
I met a lovely German girl a number of years ago - we ended up living together for 4 year; I got to know her friends and family, over in Germany and staying with us here in Cornwall.
Just ordinary folks, just like me and you, warm and friendly - and liked a good laugh. But then they were from the north, not far from the Dutch border. Becks was their local brew.
Their real rivalry was with the southern Germans, Bavaria, etc. I'd never realised Germany had such an intense North/South divide!
I am sure that CLers would be shocked to find German or Dutch elements of ancestry if they trace their family trees. We proudly call ourselves Anglo Saxons and often forget where Saxony is.
That's a good point, Prague.
Lower Saxony (Ammanland, Friesland near Oldenburg was the area I got to know) with it's woodland, hedges and fields definitely has that feel of England - only the architecture seems different.
The accent is soft and lilting, very different from the stereotype harsh gutteral German that we associate with Germany.
hi Oggy
Oldenburg is my clients home town, and I was up in Friesland last year. I fell in love with Jever beer and it's glorious advertising campaign which shamelessly trades on the coastal landscape I mentioned.
So I checked into the nice little pension, and told the owner I wanted to hire a bike and check out the coast where they shot the fotos . He gave me this " heard that before" smile and said..." I'm afraid you will cycle a long way. They shot it all in Schleswig-Holstein. You've been taken in by the advertising..."
That last sentence hit home, of course....but drinking Jever from the source softened the blow.
Hi Prague,
I'd forgotten Jever beer with it's colourful beermats depicting lighthouses and windy sand dunes. I went over several times with ex-GF to visit her family and friends although I've not been back for 15 years now. This discussion has brought it all vividly back to life!
Schleswig-Holstein ..... try saying that after a few beers! A couple of years earlier, I had a Breton friend who was teaching French at a school in Husum, so used to visit and stay with a pleasant German family that she lodged with. It's a friendly and attractive small port on the Jutland peninsula just south of the border with Denmark.
Especially for Charlton Lifers ......... we took the branch line train from Husum to Westerland, on the island of Sylt, on a railway only causeway across the sea from Husum. Because of the dodgy tides, it's the only way into the island and runs some distance across the sea from the mainland - at high tides, it's quite surreal to see the train appearing to run through the sea!
Comments
That said I'm with you for Sunday - Germany over the argies for sure.
On a lighter note, I probably would have supported Germany, but I drew Higuaín as one of my four in a highest goalscorers competition, so I'm vainly hoping that he can get a hat-trick.
Don't get me wrong, in their shoes I'd be doing exactly the same but it still grates.
I think the Daily Mail is going to spontaneously combust !!
Much good that it does us.
Daily Mail reader. Urgh!
;o)
I know changing Mangers is often not the solution but in the case of national team the importance of the role is amplified. I simply do not believe that this man is the best there is, or has a vision to take us forward. Neither to I have much confidence in a former TV executives plans.
Still 7-1! Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of over-rated diving, cheating,B'stards!
Hope Argentina lose on a really controversial decision! Still waiting for pay-back for the hand of God.
Really worrying when you start cheering Germany on!
Oldenburg is my clients home town, and I was up in Friesland last year. I fell in love with Jever beer and it's glorious advertising campaign which shamelessly trades on the coastal landscape I mentioned.
So I checked into the nice little pension, and told the owner I wanted to hire a bike and check out the coast where they shot the fotos . He gave me this " heard that before" smile and said..." I'm afraid you will cycle a long way. They shot it all in Schleswig-Holstein. You've been taken in by the advertising..."
That last sentence hit home, of course....but drinking Jever from the source softened the blow.
Great people!
But even if not, definitely Germany over the Argies
They may have more World Cup wins than us and a better team, but how many decent football songs have their team produced :-)
Schumacher
Hrubesch
Rummenigge
Allofs
Matthaus
Brehme
Voller
Augenthaler
Hoeness
Thon
Rolff
Buchwald
Moller
Effenberg
The German teams from 2002 onwards doesn’t seem to have these 'easy to hate' types.
Germany and especially Berlin is seen as the mecca of techno music.
I'd forgotten Jever beer with it's colourful beermats depicting lighthouses and windy sand dunes. I went over several times with ex-GF to visit her family and friends although I've not been back for 15 years now. This discussion has brought it all vividly back to life!
Schleswig-Holstein ..... try saying that after a few beers! A couple of years earlier, I had a Breton friend who was teaching French at a school in Husum, so used to visit and stay with a pleasant German family that she lodged with. It's a friendly and attractive small port on the Jutland peninsula just south of the border with Denmark.
Especially for Charlton Lifers ......... we took the branch line train from Husum to Westerland, on the island of Sylt, on a railway only causeway across the sea from Husum. Because of the dodgy tides, it's the only way into the island and runs some distance across the sea from the mainland - at high tides, it's quite surreal to see the train appearing to run through the sea!