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VIENNA - THEY say that size does not matter, but they tell a lie.
When it comes to size allied to physical strength, the Germans are hard to beat. When the size of a man's ego in terms of leadership on the pitch is concerned, look no further than Michael Ballack.
And, not least in the sporting equation, Germany - champions in 1972, '80 and '96 - are not exactly lacking in their will to fight either.
But if that last trait is exemplified by any team, it is the Turks coming back off the canvass in the last seconds of three consecutive matches.
'I know Turkish players from my own experience,' Joachim Loew, the German coach tells his men. 'They become euphoric, especially when things are going their way.
'I worked with them as coach to Fenerbahce in 1998-9 and Adanspor in 2001. They have national pride, very high morale, and they play until the end.'
Indeed, the Germans ought to know the Turks. They fought on the same side in the first World War, and the Turkish immigrant population inside Germany has grown to 3 million. That is almost three-quarters of the entire Singaporean population, living inside Germany, and some of them playing in the Bundesliga.
So, yes, they know the mentality. Ballack also warns that Turks, like Germans, never give up. His coach, who considered resignation when the Mannschaft lost 0-2 to Croatia in the first round, adds another thing his team must prepare for:
'In some ways,' cautions Loew, 'they are more difficult than Portugal. Turks don't stick to their positions so much, we will have to summon up all our resources.'
Are the Germans talking themselves up for the contest? Or is the knock-out phase so unpredictable that they are just being good professionals by refusing to consider this semi-final a mismatch?
Again, look at the physical aspect. Turkey come to play with possibly nine men ruled out through injuries and suspensions resulting from their sometimes too literal interpretation of the word fight.
Size does appear to goad them because, in the first round, they queued up to knock over Jan Koller, the 2m-tall Czech. Size also got to Luiz Felipe Scolari who, before his Portuguese met Germany, took out a piece of paper and read out:
'Their No 17 (Per Mertesacker) 1.98 metres. The No 13 (Ballack) 1.88 metres. No 21 (Christoph Metzelder) 1.94 metres. I've got to worry about that, and a bit more.'
If the coach fears a physical steamroller, imagine what that imparts to his team. And whether by coincidence or as a result of Portugal's coach revealing his fear, Loew changed his line-up to add two more hulking midfielders, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Simon Rolfes.
The result was that the Germans, not just big but, with notable exceptions in central defence, mobile and quick, overpowered the Portuguese. The tactical change from Loew's usual 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 seemed to free up Miroslav Klose, who headed his 40th goal in 79 internationals.
Curiously, Klose is one of the few Germans shorter than 1.83m. The other striker, Lukas Podolski, uses speed rather than might to break into scoring positions.
Podolski is a German midget, in comparative terms, standing at 1.75m. Whereas the previous coach Jurgen Klinsmann saw Podolski as a front-running reincarnation of himself, Loew uses him in a more withdrawn midfield role.
With Rolfes and Hitzelsperger being midfield road blocks in front of defence, it frees Ballack to go where he pleases, which is goal-hunting. And with Bastian Schweinsteiger - not the biggest German but the most athletic - also hungry to get forward, it seems like an awful lot of power running down on the Turks.
The depleted Turks, certain to miss the spirited Tuncay Sanli and Arda Turan as well as the clever Nihat Kahveci, are down on their numbers - and down on scorers.
They have scored six goals in four games - two each by Nihat, Arda and the striking sub Semih Senturk.
They are running out of bodies at the wrong time, but just the right time for the fully fit and available German squad.
The Turks will not give up now, and maybe for a while, the darting movement of Sabri Sarioglu will get under the feet of those lumbering centre-backs.
But Sabri, the smallest man on the field at 1.68m, could get knocked down the rush, especially if the Swiss referee has to flash the cards to the hard-running but reckless Aurelio and Co.
Germany must win, or Loew must go.
stsports@sph.com.sg
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