Other than Brazil, no other country has a richer World Cup history than 2006 host Germany.
Seven finals, three wins.
In 85 games covering 15 tournaments, the Germans have a 49 win, 19 draw, 17 loss record with a 179-101 goal differential.
The names of Mueller, Beckenbaur, and Mattaeus stand among the games immortals yet in a year when they should at least be co-favored to win, the Fatherland may be on the outside looking in.
This is arguably the weakest German squad since the 1978 bunch that could only manage the round of 16.
How could Germany not field a team anything short of juggernaut in a year where they showcase their country to the planet? The reasons are many but more or less attributable to the old-boy network that ran German football through the 1980's and 90's.
The German's have always preferred veteran clubs with experienced grizzled veterans.
After finishing runner up in Mexico in 1986 and then winning in Italy in 1990, Germany pretty much fielded a core nucleus of players for the next decade paying little attention to bringing along younger players.
Stalwarts, Rudi Voeller, Thomas Haessler, Andy Brehme, and Mattaeus all overstayed their usefulness and results were mixed.
In the 2002 World Cup, fielding a young team with few expectations, the planets aligned and Germany had everything go their way.
Breezing through a group containing Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and Cameroon, Germany then dispatched Paraguay, the USA, and host Korea before getting bounced by Brazil 2-0 in the final.
Storm clouds on the horizon, Germany immediately began to play poorly in International friendly's marked by ragged shoddy play.
Fingers on the panic button, Germany's football hierarchy forced the resignation of the low-key Voeller and Germany was without a coach 22 months before the World's premier sporting event.
The new hire, Juergen Klinsmann, was and has proven extremely controversial.
Klinsmann was one of the most feared strikers of the 90's and authored 47 goals in 104 appearances for the German national team including 13 in World Cup play.
Klinsmann is not your typical German however.
An intellectual that speaks five languages, Klinsmann left Germany for California immediately following his playing days.
Klinsmann accepted the job on the condition that he would commute from the States and immediately implemented a New Age approach that included interval training, rotating goalkeepers, and sports psychology.
This has rubbed many German's the wrong way.
Klinsmann's tenure got off to a rocky start as his offensive system was exciting to watch but difficult to master.
After a 4-1 mauling by the Italian's, Germany was in an uproar.
The inflappable Klinsmann stood his ground, took the heat, and has righted the ship.
His record stands at 16 wins, 7 draws, 4 losses.
The Germans will have to outscore their opposition.
They have plenty of firepower with Michael Ballack who was the second leading scorer to Ronaldo in Korea plus young phenom Lukas Polski and vet Miroslav Klose.
The German's are especially dominant in set pieces because they are so good in the air.
Defensively the Germans are in shambles.
They're an older slower group that have been unable to mark anyone in recent matches.
Recent call ups from the Bundesliga have been ineffectual if not worse.
Klinsmann's latest and perhaps most controversial decision was naming Arsenal keeper Jens Lehman as number one keeper over former national captain Oliver Kahn.
Lehman has done nothing to disappoint and has made many amazing saves covering mistakes by the matador defense.
The German's drew into a tough group with Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Poland and their passage into the second round is far from a lock.
Germany opens up with a tough Tico outfit in the tournament's opening game and anything less than a point would be disastrous.
The World Cup is famous for opening week upsets, 2002 featured a 1-0 win by Senegal over defending champion France.
A little home cooking and the German's will likely advance to the round of 16 where they'll face probably England or Sweden.
A highly improbable win there would set up probable lights out matchup with Argentina or Mexico.
Never underestimate a team with this type of history and defending it's home turf but in 2006, it looks like an early out for the hosts.
Seven finals, three wins.
In 85 games covering 15 tournaments, the Germans have a 49 win, 19 draw, 17 loss record with a 179-101 goal differential.
The names of Mueller, Beckenbaur, and Mattaeus stand among the games immortals yet in a year when they should at least be co-favored to win, the Fatherland may be on the outside looking in.
This is arguably the weakest German squad since the 1978 bunch that could only manage the round of 16.
How could Germany not field a team anything short of juggernaut in a year where they showcase their country to the planet? The reasons are many but more or less attributable to the old-boy network that ran German football through the 1980's and 90's.
The German's have always preferred veteran clubs with experienced grizzled veterans.
After finishing runner up in Mexico in 1986 and then winning in Italy in 1990, Germany pretty much fielded a core nucleus of players for the next decade paying little attention to bringing along younger players.
Stalwarts, Rudi Voeller, Thomas Haessler, Andy Brehme, and Mattaeus all overstayed their usefulness and results were mixed.
In the 2002 World Cup, fielding a young team with few expectations, the planets aligned and Germany had everything go their way.
Breezing through a group containing Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and Cameroon, Germany then dispatched Paraguay, the USA, and host Korea before getting bounced by Brazil 2-0 in the final.
Storm clouds on the horizon, Germany immediately began to play poorly in International friendly's marked by ragged shoddy play.
Fingers on the panic button, Germany's football hierarchy forced the resignation of the low-key Voeller and Germany was without a coach 22 months before the World's premier sporting event.
The new hire, Juergen Klinsmann, was and has proven extremely controversial.
Klinsmann was one of the most feared strikers of the 90's and authored 47 goals in 104 appearances for the German national team including 13 in World Cup play.
Klinsmann is not your typical German however.
An intellectual that speaks five languages, Klinsmann left Germany for California immediately following his playing days.
Klinsmann accepted the job on the condition that he would commute from the States and immediately implemented a New Age approach that included interval training, rotating goalkeepers, and sports psychology.
This has rubbed many German's the wrong way.
Klinsmann's tenure got off to a rocky start as his offensive system was exciting to watch but difficult to master.
After a 4-1 mauling by the Italian's, Germany was in an uproar.
The inflappable Klinsmann stood his ground, took the heat, and has righted the ship.
His record stands at 16 wins, 7 draws, 4 losses.
The Germans will have to outscore their opposition.
They have plenty of firepower with Michael Ballack who was the second leading scorer to Ronaldo in Korea plus young phenom Lukas Polski and vet Miroslav Klose.
The German's are especially dominant in set pieces because they are so good in the air.
Defensively the Germans are in shambles.
They're an older slower group that have been unable to mark anyone in recent matches.
Recent call ups from the Bundesliga have been ineffectual if not worse.
Klinsmann's latest and perhaps most controversial decision was naming Arsenal keeper Jens Lehman as number one keeper over former national captain Oliver Kahn.
Lehman has done nothing to disappoint and has made many amazing saves covering mistakes by the matador defense.
The German's drew into a tough group with Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Poland and their passage into the second round is far from a lock.
Germany opens up with a tough Tico outfit in the tournament's opening game and anything less than a point would be disastrous.
The World Cup is famous for opening week upsets, 2002 featured a 1-0 win by Senegal over defending champion France.
A little home cooking and the German's will likely advance to the round of 16 where they'll face probably England or Sweden.
A highly improbable win there would set up probable lights out matchup with Argentina or Mexico.
Never underestimate a team with this type of history and defending it's home turf but in 2006, it looks like an early out for the hosts.
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