Experiencing an almost nasty encounter of sorts early last year so close to home (the background story is before the usual links of features) reinforced my stance as to why politics and football just don't mix with each other. Though Singapore and Thailand has Malaysia in between them, it's all for the sake of neighbourliness.
So imagine my horror of the Polish tabloid controversy (as I had personally dubbed it since early in the week when it first erupted). I am aware of Germany and Poland's troubled past with each other but, this is football. Don't drag the past into this! The German national team of today has nothing to do with it. I know I am a Germany supporter and so one can say I immediately side with them. But even though the last time Germany and Poland met was during the 2006 World Cup group stages and a last-minute goal from Germany was enough to get all the three points, it's time to play football. Not politics. Period.
At least Poland's Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker is sensible by saying it's 'sick' (of what came out of two Polish tabloids earlier this week) and even apologising to the German national team on behalf for what has happened in his adopted country. His German counterpart Joachim Loew already knew Beenhakker has nothing to do it and he has more issues to worry about (i.e. team selections) than what the Polish tabloids are saying of the German national team. When Loew and the boys were at Klagenfurt's Woerthersee Stadium for some training yesterday before the match proper, Beenhakker personally went up to his German counterpart and buried the hatchet for all the fuss that has been created unncessarily in Poland.
If football coaches can do this (and knowing their national teams have nothing to do with it), politicians should follow suit when confronting with sensitive situations. Simple as that. But what is worrying given of the reputation between Germany and Poland fans if their sides meet each other in a football match, violence has been erupted even before the kick-off (though Austrian police say that the majority who came to Klagenfurt are peaceful and cooperative).
Finally onto the things that really matter. According to Germany goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke the day before, Jens Lehmann will start at goal. Other than that, not much. Except that defender Philipp Lahm let in on the fact this week that he is no longer the king of table-tennis within the national team. It has gone to Arne Friedrich instead. Ah, the man who began the World Cup two years ago with an early goal against Costa Rica in the opener in Munich back then. Lahm, that is.
Over at Poland, Jakub Błaszczykowski and Tomasz Kuszczak were already injured at their training base even before the opener and both had to be sent home. Lukasz Piszczek is being brought in to replace the former while for the latter's case, Wojciech Kowalewski is now the third-choice keeper.
There are two things Poland can take advantage of their more mighty counterpart who is also among the favourites for the title. Germany has not won a match on the European level since winning the title in 1996 in England. Really, both the 2000 and 2004 versions saw Germany not even winning at all during the group stages and crashing out there and then (and current captain Michael Ballack will be leading the pack in reviving Germany's European fortunes after doing well for Chelsea after his return in the second-half of the Premier League season). If Germany's two warm-up matches against Belarus and Serbia are anything to go by, defence is still a problem. Or maybe again, Jens Lehmann (who will be at VfB Stuttgart after the tournament is over) didn't get much match practice at Arsenal given Manuel Almunia is always more favoured to start (unless Almunia's injured or it depends on what manager Arsene Wenger is thinking).
For Germany, they can take heart on the fact on all past 15 encounters with Poland, they had never lost to their neighbour at all. Not even once (only four draws out of 15 encounters). Poland's Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker wants to end that. The well-travelled coach (whom can count Real Madrid, Ajax Amsterdam as among those in his CV) will be drawing on his experience. The time has finally come for the man who was actually mainly responsible during Germany's World Cup performance two years ago at their own backyard (and he's being recognised as the 'brains' behind the national team though Juergen Klinsmann was the coach at that time) even though he's actually the assistant back then. I am referring to...the now-Germany coach Joachim Loew will be in the spotlight for real this time and he is all out to end a 12-year winless streak at the same time.
Jogi has his triumph cards. Three on his squad were originally from Poland before coming to Germany in their early years. Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose (whom the coach was praising early this week for how he has been in training) being among them. Poland actually came in at the top of their qualifying group (Portugal is behind Poland actually) and they will want more of the same from Euzebiusz Smolarek who was instrumental in Poland qualify for the first time. The profile of everyone on the Polish national team before some more final thoughts from this Germany supporter. Or only one thought.
It's for real this time.
