Stern faces at Baden-Baden
- 20 Jun 06, 12:55 PM
BUHLERHOHE SCHLOSSHOTEL, BADEN-BADEN - Lots has already been said, filmed and written about the official in the mountains outside Baden Baden.
But with the England team away in Cologne, Ricco and I thought we would pop along to see if we could get any interesting chat off the staff there.
Task one was finding the place. Svan chugged his way slowly up a mountain before it dawned on us that we were up the wrong one.
Down we went - then up again - until eventually the Schlosshotel came into view.
Ricco and I pulled up in Svan outside the main gates to be greeted by two burly security men and four police officers.
Our camper van looked slightly incongruous in such high-security surroundings but we pressed on to the gate nonetheless.
One security guard seemed extremely perturbed when I produced accreditation but a faint suggestion of relief flashed across his face when he pointed out that it was not correct.
With the team - and the attendent army of journalists - away he seemed to have time on his hands and cheerfully answered questions in broken English.
Check out the video.
No he had not met the team, they had not even waved at him or given him a thumbs up or anything.
He did not like football and did not have a favourite player.
And no, he will not post a birthday card for my sister in the hotel post box. To do that I will have to go down to the village.
He did not seem hopeful of being given an England shirt during the team's stay so we gave the security and police officials some of our 'Fletch and Ricco' Sport Relief T-shirts.
But with the English FA having booked out the place until 10 July there could be time yet for the security man to get his signed shirt.
Though just how optimistic booking the hotel until the end of the tournament looks at the moment is very much open to question.
In other news: Ricco and I saw Horst Klinsmann again yesterday. We were parked on private property and he suddenly started speaking in English. Amazing.
We are now heading to and plan to watch Germany's game at a truck stop. More later.
Don't forget to for the chance to win some
fabulous Sport Relief prizes, including a Pele-signed table football and
our very own Shevchenko-signed Fletch and Ricco t-shirts.
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It is very obvious that the people would be crazy wherever they go. English are might be in some relief as their strikers have met with goal and could show some magic in the last match and now it is yet to be seen what strategy they will have for the today鈥檚 match.
Thanks Ricco and Fletcher for your thorough investigation and hope to see something in future.
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Get yerselves down to Tamtam bar in Achern for bevvies and TV. And just to remind you all that for 35 Euros a night you can stay in a comfortable local Gasthof with continental breckie!
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Trinidad and tobago
hi, well so far i think spain will win the world cup. they might meet the swiss in the 2nd round and oops Brazil in the quarters.well whatever, but in todays match i hope trinidad and tobago beats paraguay and england rips through sweden. Trinidad win play Germany in the 2nd round and it might be an upset.
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do u have lot of fun in u campavan ? and what is it like in the street wan england won they both games so far .. thank chris gd luck england came on we can do it tonigth
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Sounds like you're having a ball at the 大象传媒's expense, Fletch. You'll be pleased North End got a decent new manager in Simmo. No more Billy Bighead. Let's hope Derby get relegated with him at the helm. See you for a pint when you get back from dossing around in Germany.
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Once you guys are down there I suggest you to check out the Guntia-Fest in G眉nzburg/Donau. Its the old-town-fest and a highlight of the year in this very provicial sleepy place. I grew up there.
A local sponsor has set up the wm-arena.
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Once you guys are down there I suggest you to check out the Guntia-Fest in G眉nzburg/Donau. Its the old-town-fest and a highlight of the year in this very provicial sleepy place. I grew up there.
A local sponsor has set up the wm-arena.
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Lets not get ahead of ourselves and assume that Rooney is going to be his at his talismanic best because it might not be that way, Sweden are a very well organised, physical team and in knowing that Rooney will start, will be targeting that metatarsal right from the first whistle. I dont expect the Swedes to win, but i dont expect Rooney to light this world cup up yet either. You would do well to remember that he's only 20 and already carries the burden of being the mos influential player for both Manchester United, arguably one of the biggest clubs in the world, and his country, although i have no doubts those broad shoulders of his can bare the load, that metatarsal injury of his might jusy buckle under the weight of expectation.
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Hello im writing my opinions here as other blogs don't seem to post them but here is hoping It would be great if Trinidad & Tobago got to the next round and i think they could over turn Germany.They are great team who work hard and have no fear fantastic.
I would love it if England won but i'm not going to get my hopes up as they will probably mess up at some point or lose on penelties oh well here is hoping. I would like to say here that all the people complaining that the 大象传媒 just talks about England suck it up its an English Channel so will have bias. I live in New York City and the games over here are on ESPN and ABC and the commentators have no clue what they are talking about once calling England Germany of all nations and Paraguay they called Uraguay it is quite funny and annoying at the same time. So i say come on England and Viva the Beeb i bid you good day.
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The sight of the English team congested in the goal mouth, trying to prevent Sweden scoring in the last min utes of the game spelt disaster, whenever a team tries these tatics the inevetable result happens,due to the fact that all the action and pressure is concentrated in the defenders half of the field. You do not need a millionaire manager to make this elementary error.
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What a lame report.
The football is THE most important thing her but, bside that,
Maybe it would be a good idea for the 大象传媒 reporters to learn some German before you start at "investigating" outside of England. It would make a difference not onl to the quality of their product but also to the impression that outsiders gain from them.
Please pass on this comment to your manager / supervisor so that they start investing in the education of their staff - I hope that it will help you all. If the 大象传媒 want to be a world leader in news they should help and encourage their young and enthusiastica staff to learn foreign languages so as to be able to communicate respectably in the countries they are working in.
Paul Fitzpatrick
(England supporter - and desperate to meet and beat Argentina in the final)
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