History on the side of the Germans

It has seen it all before. The town of Charleroi is no stranger to invasion. Over the centuries the French, Dutch, Spanish and Austrians have taken Charleroi. Today it is the English and the Germans' turn. That one of the most resonant fixtures in international football's calendar should be taking place in a town of previously little interest to either nation, beyond its coal mining, is one of the beautiful idiosyncrasies of tournament football.

It is taken to the edge, and Charleroi is the edge of Belgium. In the southern province of Hainaut, this is a place now occupied by industrial decline. Anyone who has been to south Yorkshire and witnessed redundant coal pits, static mine shafts and a feeling that time's passed, will recognise in Charleroi something of Barnsley.

They are, of course, renowned for their "Just Like Watching Brazil" chant at Oakwell. Tonight, however, it is most unlikely that we will see anything Brazilian. There will be some rough challenges, and Brazilian defenders are not averse to using such tactics, but it is easy to foresee this as an attritional event, a battle of sparked out former champions whose day has been and gone. It could have been staged in a square ring with ropes around. Without knowing it, Charleroi could be the perfect setting.

A sentiment called Historical Inevitability appears to have gripped England. And from Cornwall to Carlisle "grip" is the word of the week. It is Alan Shearer's word. He has used it several times since Monday night in Eindhoven when England failed to "get a grip" of Portugal's midfield. Now England have to get a grip of their historical inferiority to the Germans and bin it.

In Kevin Keegan there is a widespread belief that they have got the wrong man for that task. The perception of Keegan as an international manger is of someone who thinks tactics are a pocket-sized box of mints. Keegan, though, knows the Germans. It was Keegan who, in 1977, when at the peak of his muscles with Liverpool, left for the Bundesliga and Hamburg. He became European Footballer of the Year there - twice - an underrated achievement. When he then went to the dilapidated Newcastle United in 1992 he transformed them from a clapped-out club of black and white nostalgia into a modern colourful force that could include David Ginola and Faustino Asprilla in its ranks. They may have won nothing but admiration and handclaps but that too is an underrated achievement.

Ever since Monday's disarray Keegan has talked of the "pluses and minuses" of England's performance. It is hard for the neutral to remember anything other than shoddy defending. The minuses won snugly, but one of the pluses since has been Keegan.

"That's gone now," was his repeated response to questions about Monday evening's calamity. We are right to wonder if Keegan has the capacity to digest the lessons of Eindhoven, but at the same time it is difficult not to admire his complete refusal to acknowledge anything but the future. "I am not one of those who has a great belief in history or fate or that," said Keegan on Thursday, in marked contrast to the mumbo-jumbo merchant who preceded him. "If you go down that route it's defeatist I think."

The lack of historical perspective is correct even if questions on the subject were inevitable. England have played Germany so many times, been involved in so many tumultuous encounters, that the history of the fixture was always going to be raised. For the record, the last time England beat Germany in the finals of a tournament was in 1966. The year of Dennis Wise's birth. By the way, the last time England won a match on foreign soil in the finals of a European championship was against Spain in 1980. The year of Steven Gerrard's birth. It doesn't matter, of course. It's all about now.

But it is Germany who hold the English imagination. For Keegan it has an extra dimension and he will see it personified on the opposition bench tonight when Horst Hrubesch, his striking partner at Hamburg, sits down beside the German manager Erich Ribbeck.

Ribbeck, under as much if not more pressure than Keegan, appointed Hrubesch six weeks ago after Ribbeck's previous deputy Uli Steilike was sacked for criticising the manager's wisdom. Hrubesch, the scorer of the two goals that won the 1980 European championship final, was seen as a motivational figure, though he has not been able to eradicate the internal German discord. Lothar Matthaus' offer to drive to New York to see his girlfriend on Wednesday night was a staggering moment.

When Hrubesch and Keegan played together one was known as Mighty Mouse and the other as Head Monster. Yesterday the Head Monster may not have had soothing words for his own superior but he had some fond ones for Keegan.

"I'm glad he became national coach," Hrubesch said of Keegan. "I'm not surprised he took to coaching. He has great knowledge and great potential as a coach. From a human point he is a wonderful person with a very natural character. He was very easy to play with because he was someone who lived and loved football."

Hrubesch then paid Keegan the ultimate cultural compliment. "He was un-English. That was his great forte. He was professional in every way. He adapted himself to Germany and the language. Learning the language was a big advantage for him. Another thing is that he is not shy. I don't think there is anyone in Hamburg who doesn't like him. In the end he could speak German so well he was a little bully."

Many think Keegan would be a better manager if he was a bit more un-English in his thinking, although Hrubesch said Keegan possesses "all the characteristics to be a national coach. You couldn't have better pre-conditions. I don't think tactics come into it anyway. There are no great tacticians working at this tournament. When England took a 2-0 lead his tactics were brilliant. Because they lost, his tactics are condemned."

Hrubesch's judgments and opinions have to be treated with care. He is regarded as Germany's Alan Ball. Yet Hrubesch was right when he said neither Germany nor England had any secrets from each other.

Hrubesch's boss Ribbeck was unexpectedly sceptical about the worth of England all yesterday morning. "We've done well in qualifying," said Ribbeck. "We lost just one game. We came top of our group. I'm making a comparison here. We didn't come second in qualifying. In the end England were grateful for that."

Indeed England were. Finishing nine points behind Sweden now looks appalling, as does losing at home to Scotland. But England must derive some encouragement from Germany's disarray. Ribbeck named his team yesterday and it is not so impressive. The forward line in particular offers hope to England's anxious defence. Neither Carsten Jancker nor Ulf Kirsten would get in the England squad. With Oliver Bierhoff out, both play.

Steve McManaman trained on the Charleroi pitch last night but does not think he will play. Dennis Wise or Nick Barmby will come in. With Tony Adams injured, Martin Keown will be part of the suspect defence.

"The one thing we won't be short of is commitment and honesty," said Keegan mentioning two things. Ribbeck said much the same and added: "I just hope it is played as a football match and not a war. I'm sure Kevin Keegan will help to make sure it remains a sporting contest."

With a smile Ribbeck then said: "I want it to be another classic Germany-England match with us winning once again." The Germans know history is on their side. Keegan knows it is time to alter its course. Charleroi awaits King Kev, the man who dispenses with the past. England are on the edge of history.