IT ALL BEGAN IN MALMO and 999 views!!!

I am in Bremen, having ferried across the water from Hull overnight, and now in the old City, feeling proud that I have managed to get the hotel computer working and have negotiated the German keyboard. I got to it first and threw my towel over it before anyone else could use it.

There is an air of expectancy in the town. Hotels have their flags flying and one of the Best westerns actually has the scoreboard on show in the Foyer.

Henry Winter in the Telegraph reminded us, as if we didn't know, that Belo Horizonte is twinned with Malmo in Sweden. The Germans came full circle on Tuesday night when they put Brazil to the sword, in similar fashion to the 4-0 beating of the England U21 team during the 2009 European U21 final staged in Malmo.

Eight players from that successful German squad have gone on to play for the full international side and six are in this World Cup team, including Neuer, Howedes, Boateng, Hummels, Khedira and Ozil. Jurgen Klinsmann started the development of "die Mannschaft" and this involved fostering home grown talent; the 50+1% rule encouraged by the Deutscher Fussball-Bund.

The process was to educate 20,000 school teachers to coach pupils and to back the three to six year age group to be physically active. There were training centres set up for the 11-17 year group, establishing football schools and academies. Sounds like England? Well yes, it is happening here but the Germans are way ahead. (see previous blog)

Klinnsman worked with club coaches to establish a pattern of play for the national team, players were encouraged to hone their skills overseas and immigrant communities in Germany were scoured to find rich talent from the "Gastarbeiter",  the guest workers, from Turkey and such; Ozil and Khedira for example.

German Football has had continuity since 2004 in its commitment to youth, to the attacking game, and to national leadership, with Joachim Low, now the team coach, and Oliver Bierhoff, still at the helm of the DFB.

Sadly, we have nobody of that calibre and influence at the FA. We also do not have the cooperation between our FA, the Premiership and the clubs, unlike in Germany where the German FA, the Bundesliga and the clubs have a strong bond.

England's starting line up in 2009 included Micah Richards, Kieran Gibbs, James Milner, Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott, who went on to play for the full XI. Joe Hart was suspended for the final and Frasier Campbell and Agbonlahor were also being disciplined. Milner is the only one to be in Brazil.

So to complete my circle, I am off to Sweden on Monday to visit the Gothia Cup. It's our 40th wedding anniversary, so my lovely wife is in for a real treat. Have a look at the www.gothiacup.se website. It's a brilliant tournament, originally run by Dennis Anderson, an ex Swedish international. Charterhouise School U15s will be there pitting their wits against the best young footballers.