Stuttgart: FAI please take note

[SUB of the day]

I'm sure everyone in the stadium on Saturday was impressed by the German FA' presentation of the fixture.After the mayhem in Paris, we got to the ground well in advance of kickoff.Flags, cards, drums, music , every opportunity to give their team maximum home field advantage was exploited to the max.I know the FAI have made efforts in this regard, but the DFB are in a different league.BTW, the German people and fans were fantastic...DANKE.

[soccerc]

I'm sure everyone in the stadium on Saturday was impressed by the German FA' presentation of the fixture.After the mayhem in Paris, we got to the ground well in advance of kickoff.Flags, cards, drums, music , every opportunity to give their team maximum home field advantage was exploited to the max.I know the FAI have made efforts in this regard, but the DFB are in a different league.BTW, the German people and fans were fantastic...DANKE.

FYI, the presentation was by the German Fans club who some of us met on Saturday afternoon.

Now for the funny part - they confirmed they got their ideas from the Irish fans having seen the el fans displays in 2003 on TV and approached the German FA saying if the FAI could do it in Ireland why couldn't they.

They communicated by 2 way radio with "cheerleaders" throughout the stadium and with the drummer sand flag bearers.

One of our group was even brought into the stadium at 6pm to hang his Tranmere Rovers tricolour in a spot that would get TV Coverage.

Fans have voices

[casso36]

I must say, when i walked into stadium i was stunned to see all the german flags around the ground, and said to myself now thats what support is about (although we Irish did pretty good ourselves) the whole country the german FA and the fans etc!! They really showed us in the world cup how to run an event and i as one,wish to thank them all for the kindness and events organisation at the weekend this was excellent!!!
and i had a ball!! And also thank them for the lovely invention of the Litre Beer!!!!

[OwlsFan]

I didn't think the German vocal support was that great. Without the music they could seldom be heard. They all waved their flags ok that were on their seats when the music was blaring out but apart from that there wasn't much coming from them. It's all artificially stimulated but I know that's the way of the world but they were pretty dead without the blaring music at the start, when the goal was scored and at the end of the game.

Really peeved at the end of the game that we were drowned out by the music again.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, agree with OwlsFan. The German atmosphere was very organised. But there's no harm trying to recreate that ourselves and incorporate it into what we had on Saturday.

[monutdfc]

Now for the funny part - they confirmed they got their ideas from the Irish fans having seen the el fans displays in 2003 on TV and approached the German FA saying if the FAI could do it in Ireland why couldn't they.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well done soccerc!

[londonirish17]

I was there on saturday and I have to say that apart of not having flags (and loosing the game), support for the Irish team was great and as OwlsFan said one could wonder at some point who played at home.
The whole athmosphere before, during and after the game was really positive.
Everything was superbly organized.

[Schwalker]

Well, cheers for that lads...

I know it´s a bit of a parody but we are good at organisation. As for the "plastic" atmosphere it´s a pity but to be honest only the club games have a real and passionate atmosphere. We are trying to get things working at national games as well..and if unlimited resources can do it someday we will succed.

As some of you might have noticed the fans have power in Germany, mainly because the clubs are owned by their members..meaning that if someone suggested that we should disallow flags, drums, standing room or beer sold on the stands they would get few votes..

[DmanDmythDledge]

There was a post in another thread which showed a picture of Dennis Bergkamp's testimonial where everyone was given a t-shirt to where dependent on where they were sitting. It looked amazing and would be brilliant if we could pull of something like that.

[Poor Student]

I posted this somewhere else but I can't find it now. The German singing and waving died within an instant of the song ceasing over the PA system. It died so instantly I couldn't believe it. The flag display was something to behold in full flight but there was no sponteneity.

[highlight100]

Fantastic atmosphere by the Irish fans apart from the a**holes near the back of block 61e who spent the whole match telling everybody to sit down!!!!!
Not a bit of green to be seen on them even,if they wanted an un - restricted view they should of stood up like everyone else or go back to the hotel.
I just think of all the supporters down the town without tickets instead these people get in to the stadium.

Gripe over.....

[geysir]

I forgot to bring my noise suppressor headphones. It's sport USA style.
Decibel blasting noise for 90 minutes before the game interspersed with 2 permanently fixed grin Andy Gray cheerleadertypes shouting on the big screen, interspersed with adverts and one Andy Gray shouts out every 5 minutes lets hear it for the Ireland then lets hear it for Germany.
FFS
Half time, more moronic non stop noise and as soon as the game ends the stadium sound system is again blasting out fan supressant noise.
Sorry to those who think this fan power. This is the biggest heap of contrived shíte that I have ever witnessed. It's an insult to intelligence.
When Germany scored, even that response had to be choreographed.
There is no substitute for naturally aspirated athmosphere.
As for the flag waving, it was like the feckin Nurenburg rally.
The German fans around me suddenly at some secret prompt stand up ramrod straight and wave their paper flags in perfect unison and sit down respectfully after 33.5 seconds.
A big part of "fan power" I'd assume is being able to hear them before and after the game. I couldn't hear diddly from the Irish fans then.
The Stadium was fantastic, facilities first class and everything around it was first class, even the sound system was superb

[Thunderblaster]

Yeah, the Germans were pretty choreographed in their support but the Irish were fantastic. I was on 61d of the Gegentribune, part of a scattered group from Westport, Castlebar and Dundalk and we based ourselves in Weitnau. and I had my "Jambo Jambo Zamunda Supporter & Buddies on Tour" tricolour down the front beside the "It Bites" flag. The "You're Supposed to be At Home" chant was witty but the best of the night was when the eight German bass drum players beat their drums to the effect of "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM, Sie", we changed the word to "Cheats"!! The Irish supporter beside me from Colonge, originally from Dublin, could not hide her laughter. As the German team were passing by before the game, we waved our flag to them and the policemen got a great laugh. The frisking was something else!! Even the scrotum gets frisked and by the time the security official was finished with me, I was sexually aroused. It was a good trip.

[Closed Account 2]

I got in the wrong queue and was given the full frisk by a German policewoman on entry to the stadium.

[pineapple stu]

Sounds like you were in the right queue then...

[strangeirish]

I got in the wrong queue and was given the full frisk by a German policewoman on entry to the stadium.

How many times did you try getting in...?

[Fergie's Son]

There was absolutely no spontanaity from the German fans. They had officials handing out flags all over the stadium and the German fans only chanted when instructed via the PA system.

Effective but a little cold (not trying to be stereotypical). The music at the end was very annoying. Way to Amarillo? WTF.

I did, however, like how they introduced the German Team:

e.g.:

PA Announcer: Michael!

Crowd: Ballack!!!

Lastly, alcohol free beer? That just sucked the buzz out somewhat.

[irish tricky]

We out sang them during the anthem. I thought the atmosphere was brilliant, unreal.

Irish fans, best fans in the world, by far!!!

[Stuttgart88]

It's sport USA style.

The Stadium was fantastic, facilities first class and everything around it was first class, even the sound system was superb

That's the way it is these days though. Give me that contrived choreographed atmosphere rather than the empy seats & creaking PA system we have at Lansdowne 15 mins before every game.

I think it had a good effect. In the absence of terraces I don't think we can hark back to the days of the Dalymount Roar anymore. Certainly not at a bowl type ground like Stuttgart. Maybe a Dortmund / Cologne / kaiserslautern style grounds lends itself more to spontaneity.

Fair play to the Irish fans. It's just a shame I couldn't really hear them that much due to (a) my pathetic hoarse attemps at joining in and (b) any response of "Deutschland, Deutschland" from those near me.

[Stuttgart88]

The "Michael.................... BALLACK" thing was actually done at Palace years ago.

Any time Clinton scored the PA would announce "the goal for Palace scored by Clinton.." and the crowd would yell back "Morrisson". Simple but great.