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Germany fans: Celebrating in Innsbruck
It's the one thing Euro 2008 has been lacking - a boozed-up England supporter running amok in a historic town centre, throwing patio furniture at the locals and singing songs about the war.
Not that I was about to conform to any of those (almost) outdated stereotypes, but as I walked the streets of Innsbruck on Thursday proudly displaying Three Lions on my shirt, there did appear to be an increased Polizei presence. Angry-looking men with batons jabbered into their walkie talkies in German and eyed me warily. Perhaps it was just my paranoia, but nevertheless I felt it was time to remind the rest of Europe that England did have a part to play at this tournament - the role of comedy cameo.
Having within seconds noticed my weedy frame and lack of tattoos, most Austrians quickly assessed that I posed no threat and raised a smile which carried the underlying message: 'Haha - his team is rubbish!' Those wearing Deutschland tops would usually stop to say 'ah... England!' and then laugh. Fortunately, with 'Gerrard 4' on my back, the odd Liverpool-friendly fan would give me a half-hearted thumbs-up, which helped to boost my now-fragile confidence.
Hysterics
Innsbruck's Fan Zone is located at the foot of the Bergisel Ski Jump, to the south of the city centre. Having trudged up the steep hill to reach the entrance, fans are quickly ushered towards the 'bier and wurst' and an array of sponsors' stalls. You can have your photo taken with Pierluigi Collina; shoot footballs into a giant tyre; or try to defeat a child in a game of keepy-uppy. I came close, but the eight-year-old girl I was up against was really quite talented. If she doesn't lift the Women's World Cup in 2020, something's gone seriously wrong in Austria.
We were then treated to an impressive demonstration of ski jumping, an activity which makes you realise just how insane Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards really was. Launching yourself at great speed from a height of over 125 feet knowing you have to balance your landing on two thin strips of plastic or face multiple injuries is a pretty terrifying scenario. We secretly hoped someone would wipe out, if only because the ambulance crew on standby looked so efficient it would have been a privilege to watch them in action.
Delirium
After a prolonged build-up of German football anthems, which were greeted with almost universal delirium, the action in Basel finally got underway. All the Fan Zones have huge screens provided by one of the tournament sponsors and with about 1,500 spectators - most of whom were kitted out in red, yellow and black - the big-match atmosphere was as good as you could get without actually being at St-Jakob Park. While England fans would struggle to support any of their neighbours in a major tournament, Austrians seem to have no such qualms about getting behind Germany and those cheering on Portugal struggled to make themselves heard. A pocket of three young men tried to start a chorus of 'God Save The Queen', but were roundly ignored. At least we tried, Ma'am.
The Germans took full advantage of the moments of indecision in Portugal's defence and despite the bellowing of Big Phil from the dug-out, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to produce his very best. When Michael Ballack's goal was allowed to stand - despite a blatant push on Chelsea team-mate Paulo Ferreira - it was clear Germany would not be denied a place in the last four. The cameras crowded around Ronaldo after the final whistle; he put on a sombre face before scurrying away to no doubt phone Real Madrid and ask when would be a good time to pop round next week. Back in the Fan Zone, another singalong began and we decided it would be a good time to beat a hasty retreat.
Pretzels
As in Germany in 2006, the organisation and planning in the host venues is meticulous. Innsbruck's Fan Mile runs right through the main street; whether you want pretzels, a Portugal shirt or just a pint, it's all here. With the FA preparing their bid to bring the World Cup to England in 2018, you have to wonder if we would truly embrace this approach. Would our uptight city councils jump at the chance to have their pedestrianised shopping precincts taken over by hordes of foreigners, drinking until the early hours - or would they nervously close the whole area off to anyone in football colours? Would they erect Fan Zones in the main city squares and invite hundreds of exuberant fans there to watch the matches - or would they situate them in out-of-town retail parks, and force people to pay inflated prices for the transport links?
I shouldn't really be cynical - and we'll have the experience of the London 2012 Olympics to draw on by then - but today's Britain doesn't seem anywhere near as fan-friendly as central Europe. The chaos which surrounded the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester serves as a grim warning. Mind you, the hosts for the next World Cup and Euros - South Africa 2010 and Poland/Ukraine 2012 respectively - will undoubtedly struggle to match the achievements of Germany and Austria/Switzerland. International events have come a long way in the decade or so since Euro 96, but if we can create a festival spirit in urban areas up and down the country, World Cup 2018 could bring England a lot of new friends. For now, however, we'll have to keep them smiling through our failures on the pitch. It seems the Germans do have a sense of humour after all - as long as we're the joke.
Comments (2)
Osibajo Oludeinde (Arsenal fan) says...
Lord have mercy on Berlin. As much as i love football, i never pray it would come to this. Have you ever inmagine how and what it would look like in Berlin when Germany meet T in the semifinal? Poor DEUTSCHLAND. Anyway we would overcome in JESUS name.
Posted 10:39 21st June 2008
Adam Upsall (Boston United fan) says...
So you have gone from photos with a group of French elfs to a Swedish blonde and now a pair of attractive fräulein - good work!
Posted 08:20 21st June 2008