Mittag glee at German run

By Kevin Ashby in Preston

As the youngest member of the all-powerful Germany squad at UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™, many see striker Anja Mittag as a figurehead for the latest crop of talent to emerge from the continent's most successful football country.

Honours
Since claiming their first European crown in 1989, Germany have been irrepressible in this competition, winning four of the five subsequent editions in addition to lifting the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003. The depth of quality players available to coach Tina Theune-Meyer is such that Mittag was the sole representative from the side that won the FIFA Under-19 World Championship in November to earn a seat on the plane to England.

'Very proud'
Speaking to uefa.com about that achievement, Mittag said: "I have to admit that I am very proud to be the only one – and I'm very happy too. I think there are other players who are good enough to step up as well, but it is the coach who decides which players are selected for the squad. It's important for my development to play and I'm very glad to be part of this team. What comes later we will have to wait and see."

Outstanding displays
Mittag is well worth her place in the side having performed outstandingly as her club, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, followed up their UEFA Women's Cup success with another in the German Cup prior to departing for EURO. The 20-year-old was the scourge of a Djurgården/Alvsjö team containing a number of Swedish internationals in that European final, weighing in with a goal in the first leg in Stockholm and generally running experienced defenders ragged.

'We can improve'
The forward could face those same defenders in the final of EURO should Germany overcome Finland and Sweden defeat Norway in this week's semi-finals, yet Mittag refused to look beyond Wednesday's game in Preston. "It won't be easy playing against Finland although we can still improve," she said. "They will fight us all the way and we have to resist their pressure. We are used to such situations."

Carrom contest
Mittag scored in Germany's 4-0 defeat of Italy and is "quite satisfied" with her performances in Group B, adding: "There are still some things I have to improve on, but I am still young and have time to get better." Another thing she hopes to improve is her form at Carrom, a draughts-like board game which arouses much interest – and noise - among the Potsdam contingent in Preston.

Team game
"Conny Pohlers and I are a team against Sonja Fuss and Navina Omilade," Mittag said. "We play every day and at the moment it's 6-5 to them, although we hope to be in front by the end of the tournament." With Mittag in determined mood, two titles are probably well within her grasp this week.