Germany close in on finals goal

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was dubbed 'A summer fairy tale' in Germany, but it is fast developing into a 'Neverending story' as Joachim Löw's side close in on UEFA EURO 2008™ qualification.

One point needed
If the euphoria of a successful World Cup put the wind in Germany's sails going into their qualifying campaign, fast-forward a year and there is still not let-up. The team enter back-to-back Group D matches against the Republic of Ireland and the Czech Republic needing just one point to become the first side to qualify for next summer's final tournament.

'Better prepared'
Germany may have been riding the crest of a wave last September but as the success continues, it is clearly built on solid foundations. Leading up to the World Cup, the national team set-up had undergone much-needed alterations. Modern training methods were introduced and the backroom staff increased. Former coach Jürgen Klinsmann pushed through the changes, though many were initiated on the suggestion of his assistant Löw. "We are much better prepared now than when I was a Germany player," said team manager Oliver Bierhoff. "We now analyse the opposition play in detail, as well as their players, and we try to work on typical strengths and weaknesses in training."

Pool of talent
Germany arguably have greater strength in depth too – performing well seemingly regardless of personnel. "There are no substitutes, we're one strong unit," said midfielder Torsten Frings, who will captain his country in the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, before the Czechs visit next Wednesday. England experienced just how deep Germany's talent pool runs when they were defeated 2-1 by an understrength lineup at Wembley in August. The likes of Mario Gómez, Patrick Helmes, Christian Pander, Marcell Jansen, Gonzalo Castro, Simon Rolfes and Roberto Hilbert give supporters cause for confidence about the future.

Modern approach
In addition, Löw regards his role as more than just a head coach. He recently criticised Bundesliga clubs for outdated coaching techniques and he wants to push German football in fresh directions. "Look at Barcelona, they always practise the seemingly simple stuff: low passes, precise passes, creating openings – simple but effective things," he said. "We can improve on this in Germany. We are not at the level many think we are."

'Nothing left to chance'
Qualifying early for Austria/Switzerland could also accelerate Germany's improvement, giving Löw room to try out new ideas. "Löw is lucky because he can now experiment and try to find his best team for the EURO," said ex-Germany forward Karl-Heinz Riedle. "Nothing can be left to chance." Moreover, the team appear determined to prove that their successful World Cup was not just down to home advantage. "We have to close ranks even more," Frings said. "We have a very good side that can go places. But we have achieved nothing yet."