My Euro2012 TV TalkShow: Before the Grand Finale & a first Review

Earlier today I hosted a Euro2012 TV show special in the Allee Center, Remscheid ahead of tomorrows final Spain vs Italy, looking back at the tournament and the disappointment regarding our own German team.

My talk guests were Mike Zintner (Manager, FC Remscheid), Lothar Steinhauer (Youth Coordinator, FC Remscheid), journalist colleague Andreas Dach (Remscheider General-Anzeiger) and the event manager Lars Nöker (Fanmeile Remscheid), who organised the public viewing arena in our city.

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rs1.tv VIDEO: Germany celebrating their Euro2012 victory against Greece!

Yesterday Germany took on Greece in their Euro2012 quarterfinal match and what a performance by the German team, the fans loved every bit of it. As now has become tradition in Germany people watch matches together in public viewing in big arena's, on the streets and in public areas where giant screens are installed. Thereafter it is onto the roads to celebrate the victories and what a party it was last night in Remscheid.

Here a report by me for rs1.tv from the festivities in Remscheid during and after the Germany vs Greece match.

VIDEO: Netherlands vs Germany: Post-Match Analysis with Renedy Singh & Godwin Franco

For the Netherlands vs Germany match at Euro2012 the Indian footballers of Renedy Singh and Godwin Franco were in my home town of Remscheid, Germany. Here comes the Post-Match Analysis with the two from Wednesday at the Fanmeile Remscheid!

rs1.tv VIDEO: Public Viewing in Germany, Renedy & Godwin amongst them

Last Wednesday saw Germany taking on Netherlands in their second Euro2012 group match. As has become tradition in Germany people watch matches together in public viewing in big arena's, on the streets and in public areas where giant screens are installed.

The same happens in my home town of Remscheid, where people watched and then celebrated Germany's win against Portugal. What drew special attention in Remscheid that evening was the attendance of Indian footballers Renedy Singh and Godwin Franco.




Link to the article: German media covers Indian footballers - Renedy & Godwin visit

German media covers Indian footballers - Renedy & Godwin visit

My good friends Renedy Singh (Shillong Lajong FC) and Godwin Franco (Dempo SC), both Indian footballers, are currently holidaying in Europe. Both on their own, but we met-up this week and the duo visited my home town of Remscheid here in Germany.

As part of their visit to my place we visited on Wednesday evening, June 13 the public viewing of the 2012 European Championships match between the Netherlands and Germany at the central city square.

I did interview Renedy and Godwin after the match for television, but as local journalist colleagues knew the two would be at the public viewing, they showed real interest that Indian footballers were in town to watch the game and reported about the visit.


Here the link to the online version of the newspaper article in German in the Bergische Morgenpost: Nationalspieler im Fanblock .

Here the online version: Fußball-Party: Inder feiern mit Remscheidern

The regional version of the newspaper had the news that Indian footballers visit public viewing in Remscheid: Public Viewing in der Region - Im EM-Rausch: Jubel, Party, Autokorso


(Photo Source: Bergische Morgenpost; Jürgen Moll)

rs1.tv VIDEO: Germany watching & celebrating win vs Portugal

Saturday saw Germany taking on Portugal in their first Euro2012 group match. As has become tradition in Germany people watch matches together in public viewing in big arena's, on the streets and in public areas where giant screens are installed.

Here an example from my home town of Remscheid, where people watched and then celebrated Germany's win against Portugal.

Germany celebrating

After last nights 4-0 trashing of Australia Germans were out to celebrate "Die Mannschaft"! And across the country people poured out onto the streets to relive the moments of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the European Championships 2008. And all are hoping that the "Sommermaerchen" (the summers fairytale) will be relived during this summers World Cup. At least the start has been made...

Public viewing as a concept is something which was developed and professionalised for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and it is now not only an "in" thing to watch a major football tournament together with other people outside, but something very normal here in Germany. It is now happening across the country be it large cities or smaller towns with thousands of Germans watching. And now the concept is even spreading around the world with the official FIFA FanFests across the globe.

I myself watched the game on the public square in front of the town hall in my home town of Remscheid with 5,000 other people. And it was a great atmosphere, an enjoyable experience under a sunny evening sky. I had invited two Indian friends over and met a number of friends at the ground. My Indian friends told me afterwards that they had had an experience which they never expected. They surely enjoyed the football with the sausages and beer, but even more the celebrations as they were surprised to see the Germans celebrate like this especially after the game when people started singing and dancing on the roads, hugging each other, honking their cars, hanging out of their cars with the police just mute bystanders. It looked like Germany had already won the World Cup. And to think about July 11 and what would happen here, I would love to see it...

Some are already talking about the passage to the final. And could read like this: pre-quarterfinal: vs England; quarterfinal: vs Argentina; semifinal: vs Spain; final: vs Brazil.

Still it is a long way to go for the German team to reach the finals and lift the cup for the fourth time. But a first step has been taken, a big first step and the basic foundations have been laid. Now the team needs to build on it and it surely has the full public support back home in Germany.