The English are coming. Wrong. They are already here in Cologne where the "Three Lions" will take on Sweden on Tuesday to determine who is going to be top of group B and who will face the German team in the round of 16.

At the base of the mighty Cologne cathedral English supporters unfolded a banner which they are all signing with messages of good luck and support for the England team. The bars are stocked up with Kölsch beer and the souvenir stands have everything the Barmy army can wish for.

But I also heard of 25 very su####ious looking "fans" dressed up as tourists who were scouting the area near the center of Cologne (Friesenplatz). Hopefully they were just tourists...

A new
public viewing area with room for an extra 30,000 people opens up just in time for the big clash on Tuesday - over 50,000 English fans are expected to "invade" the city.

For the 1986 World Cup held in Mexico the German national team sung a song with musician Peter Alexander. It was about Mexicans hiding their eyes filled with pride behind their sombreros. "Mexico mi amor" even made it to the charts.

But believe me, you don't want to her Rummenigge, Matthäus and Brehme sing.

Twenty years later we hear a much better performance of the Tricolor fans at downtown Cologne as they await their team to play against Angola.

They didn't bring sombreros this time. One is hiding his pride behind a lucha libre though. Have a taste of their chanting.

Admittedly this is not studio quality, but after a few beers (or tequilas) down the throat everybody will sing along.

Thirty minutes into the game the English seem tired. The amateurs of T&T are well up to draw again. Rumours are that a bunch of German fans partied all night in front of the English hotel, the Grand Hotel in Nuremberg, after the Germany game.

Possibly some of the Engerland players had their rooms towards that street...

REMEMBER REMEMBER THE 7th OF SEPTEMBER.

While most English fans have gone to Nuremberg for Beckham, Bier und Bratwurt, a whole bunch, let's say a few thousands have stayed in Cologne where England will play Sweden in the last group game next week.

Already hours before the game the fans secured the bests spots in front of TV screens or at the public viewing sites. I'm out here hoping not to get hurt. Will post more pictures soon. Read about the action on the pitch here.

I went to an alternative viewing, that is one not set up by FIFA or any of the host cities but by private persons, organizations or bars. The viewing area was attached to a beer garden where all the alternative retro-grunge or post-punk kids go to.

Right by it Canadian band Billy Talent rocked their show. An indoor concert with all the heat outside? I tell you that meant a lot o perspiration - smelled like teen spirit ...

I switched location to see at least some of the Brazil-Croatia game. Here is my impression of it...

I'm on my way back to Cologne. The AC is not working - German engineering. Four hours of perspiration... Good lord, why today? Next to me sits German TV presenter Enie van de Maiklokjes - she's hot. I am too but in a different way. I could concentrate on my work but a lousy internet connection and empty batteries surely don't make my life easier. Missing out on the Portugal-Angola game. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.