Klinsmann's confidence trick still helping Germany

According to research released this week, Germany's run to third place at the World Cup encouraged consumers to stop hoarding and start spending, with an average household apparently feeling 500 euros a month better off.

The boost in consumer confidence is remarkable given that the World Cup made no significant impact on the German economy. It is even more surprising to see the German national team and Bundesliga clubs doing so well on the pitch, after many had predicted a long bout of post-World Cup blues in the wake of Juergen Klinsmann's decision to step down.

Klinsmann used to refer to himself in terms that made him sound more like the CEO of a company than a football coach and he certainly had the sort of motivational quality more usually associated with a politician or business leader.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple and like Klinsmann a resident of California, is jokingly said to possess a ''reality distortion field'' that means he can convince people of anything.

Klinsmann displayed the same sort of charisma as he inspired a modest group of players to the brink of the World Cup final.

When Klinsmann made way for Joachim Loew, many people assumed there would be a swift return to mediocrity.

Instead the team have gone from strength to strength, winning all three of their Euro 2008 qualifiers and avoiding the sort of problems being faced now by Italy, England and other big teams.

''When I see how the other big teams are lumbering through the qualifiers, I can see that we are at the moment miles ahead in Europe,'' Franz Beckenbauer said recently.

''You can see the joy and confidence our players have.'' GROWING INTEREST Public interest in the national team grows and grows. A new documentary charting Germany's World Cup run has been number one at the box office for two weeks and has sold two million tickets.

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