Germany has already lost

the match vs. the USA tonight.

Why? In Germany everything is about the media. If the BILD Zeitung wants Sammer as the sporting director because he is under contract with the Springer Verlag instead of an "unknown" hockey coach, they manage to get through with that.

Now the media proclaims that Germany plays the USA reserves (it's also called B-team or C-team in some tabloids). Now if we beat them 2:1 tonight which is sort of likely given the players situations with their clubs and the amount of time the team is available for the nationalcoaching staff it will be like another loss for the media. If we tie them or even lose they will want Klinsmanns head.

Even if we beat them let's say 3-0 all those "experts" will say of course it went that way since they played some "college-kids-from-a-third-world-soccer-country"! But actually a result like this would be just as unlikely if we played VfR Neumünster tonight.

Let them talk. I am sure Germany will come big and strong for the WC. They always do...

Come on now, Neumünster sucks this season. They are just lucky that they are in a league with Meiendorf, Brinkum and Kropp, otherwise they would be dead last. Which means Germany might be able to score three goals against them...

I think it's unfortunate, the overreaction from the media right now. Like Kasey Keller said in his interview on Gladbach's site, if you're going to lose by 3 goals (like Germany did against Italy), isn't it good you do that NOW rather than in June? This way you get the kinks worked out in plenty of time.

The World Cup is a totally different beast. However this game turns out tonight (what with its 6 substitutions and the less-than-full-strength teams on BOTH sides), I'm sure it won't be much of an indicator of how June turns out.

Take a deep breath and relax, everyone, it's only a friendly...

Don't start the cursing please! Tabloids will do anything for a buck. We know they are not the ethical standards of the media. So the lesser you take a serious look at them and concentrate on doing what you believe is right, the least they will have their influence on you.