Gimpy Squad Makes for Poor Chances

Ach, Deutschland.

Slumping economy, high unemployment, election-year bickering, spoiled organic food products, a winter that won’t go away - Does it get any better from here? Has the country hit bottom yet? Is the summer coming, or what?

Yes, the summer is coming. But no, it most likely won’t get better from here. At least not in the next month or so.

The reason: the World Cup kicks off this Friday in South Korea and Japan. Germany will be there - though just barely.

After almost missing the World Cup following a disastrous 1-5 qualifying match against nemesis England, the German national team, like the country it represents, is lacking the self-confidence and bravado of the past.

German footballers have won the World Cup trophy three times since 1930. This year, they most likely won’t make it a fourth.

Germany is fielding one of the poorest world cup teams in its history, according to both football-mad supporters and analysts.

God says: "Average"

German football god Franz Beckenbauer (photo) has labeled this year’s team "average."

Former national player Jürgen Klinsmann said people are "realistic" this year. "They know that Germany is not going to win the World Cup."

His fellow countrymen seem to agree. Only 6 percent expect Germany to reach the World Cup final, 5 percent expect them to win, according to a recent poll. A full 53 percent expect them not to get out of a tough first round, where they play Africa champion Cameroon and dark horses Ireland and Saudia Arabia.

The unanimous pick for champ among Beckenbauer and his countrymen appears to be 1998 world champion France.

A gimpy squad

Morale on the team seems to be anything but high, reflecting the country’s current mood.

Creative playmaker Mehmet Scholl told the German Football Association at the end of April he was not going to be playing due to injuries in a decision some saw as a cop-out. Talented young striker Sebastian Deisler succumbed again to injuries after an already injury-plauged year. Various strains and tears have also taken out defenders Jens Nowotny and Christian Wörns and midfielder Jörg Heinrich.

A bevy of German starters, including striker Oliver Bierhoff and star Michael Ballack continue to suffer from nagging pains in the days leading up to the Saudia Arabia game.

The result makes for a miserable World Cup prognosis.

Some of the world's best

Still, national team coach Rudi Völler (photo) remains optimistic. The member of the 1990 German World Cup Championship team said he expects "surprises" of the good kind in Germany’s tournament.

"I am totally optimistic," he told reporters following the 10-0 thumping of a squad of Japanese footballers this week, all under 18 years old.

Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is considered to be the best net minder on earth and has matured from a tempermental player to a worthy team captain. Attacking midfielder Michael Ballack (photo), considered one of Europe’s best players, shone in qualifying matches and led his Bayer Leverkusen club to the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Striker Oliver Neuville was among the Bundesliga’s highest scorers, with 13 goals this season. Fellow striker Miroslav Klose scored three more this year for Bundesliga team Kaiserslautern.

Young talent, too young

The moody Klose, 23, is among the young contingent of German players Völler has had to fall back on following the injuries. The lack of depth many critics attribute to the increased amount of foreign players in Germany's top league.

Observers, like Klinsmann, said Germany didn't take the time to encourage younger players and give them valuable playing time at top league level. As a result, the current crop of youth talent is still extremely green. Only six of the squad's 23 players have actual World Cup experience.

For those players, this World Cup will provide unequaled experience. It is the small consolation Germany's football fans allow themselves.

After all, the World Cup is coming to Germany in 2006. Maybe the German team will be championship material by then.

Maybe the economy will be as well.