I could almost sense her perfume but I didn't. A few feet away Victoria Beckham a.k.a. Posh ####e escaped the paparazzi to hop on that bus where all the English players' wives were waiting to be hauled to probably yet another party...
I wasn't fast enough. By the time I got my camera working she was gone. All I have is this lousy foto of the bus.
But I thought, hey, it's "a time to make friends" (the official World Cup slogan). Not with Posh but guess who else I met at the England-Sweden game.
September 11th, 2002 is a special date for all fans of Manchester City. Maine Road their spiritual home for over 100 years would be hosting deadly rivals, Manchester United for the last time before their move to a new venue, the City of Manchester Stadium. Gareth, 32 said he’d never been up for a match more than this one and what a day it turned out to be as the ‘Goat’, Shaun Goater ####ed home a brace to secure a famous 3-1 victory.
In honor of this historic win, Gareth had the signatures of the starting XI and manager Kevin Keegan tattooed on his right leg. It also reads 3-1, ‘we beat the scum’. I hope he doesn’t run into any United fans over the next few days!
I guess that is what you would call devotion to your club.
Incredible! Three quarters of the Westfalen is filled with Swiss fans, continously cheering for their team. For those of you watching the game at home what they shout may sound like "super ####", in fact they sing "Super Nati" refering to their NATIonal team. So don't be shocked.
Since half of Switzerland is in Dortmund right now it is in fact a good time to annex that country ;-)
The slogan "a time to make friends" couldn't be more true here on the train to Dortmund where Switzerland and Togo are about to play their second group game. Whereever the few Togolese fans go they have a warm welcome. Even on the Basel IC Express train to Dortmund where Swiss fans have been standing in for hours (it was packed). Fans united. These are the images we want to see. In fact, a lot of Germans sympathize with the African teams too. I've never seen so many white Africans. On the pitch both teams will go for the win, especially after yesterday's draw France and South Korea. All four teams can still make it to the next round. The game has been in jeopardy though as the Togo players went on strike again to demand more bonus money. German coach Otto Pfister was waiting for them in the hotel lobby ready to go to Dortmund. FIFA intervened and with delay of two hours the team started their trip to the Westfalen. Last week it was Pfister himself provided for a major upset in the Togolese team when he quit the coaching job after players missed a training session because of their strike. Pfister recalled his decision a day later later. Some things go terribly wrong these days in that team...
The facts: Germany needs a win against Ecuador to top group A. England leads group B, Sweden is second. Germany plays Ecuador at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the England-Sweden game is at 9 p.m.
Why would Sweden go for a win against England on Tuesday if Germany ends up second in group A?
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.
The Azzurri has made the long trip north to Kaiserslautern and they have turned this sleepy German hamlet into the most fashionable place to be seen on a glorious Saturday afternoon. With tickets in big demand, scalpers are asking 500 Euros for a Cat 1 ticket, face value 100 Euros.
The mood of the fans is fantastic and there is no animosity between them and their American counterparts as they out sing one another from across the street with their respective national anthems. In fact many Americans of Italian blood have claimed split loyalties and don't know who they want to cheer for, hence the Italian Elvises in the house. I must say the organizing committee in Kaiserslautern really has done a magnificent job making this venue, the most fan friendly so far. The main street is a carnival of color with beer and food tents and you can't believe how many face painted kids are hanging with their parents.
With confidence high for a comprehensive Italian victory the score lines I have been getting should put fear into American hearts. 2 - 0 was the lowest with some supporters saying that Argentina's 6 - 0 win over Serbia and Monte#### will be beaten. They feel with Francesco Totti back in the team and getting fitter every day a run for the title is achievable. We shall see.
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.
The English fans have all reason to party all night through. The "Three Lions" made it to the next round and their fans are dancing the streets of - not only - Cologne. Ofcourse most of them barechestedly.
The Swedish fancrowd joined in with the English as their team plays Paraguay right now. No hostility in Cologne whatsoever. They all get along fine. But wait until the two teams meet next Tuesday...
In Germany, I am a rock star, however for the next 31 days I will become the 'Mannschaft'. A finely tuned piece of engineering. Come and listen to my engine purr.
I could almost sense her perfume but I didn't. A few feet away Victoria Beckham a.k.a. Posh 
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. 
