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 - it will be on soon.
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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