GERMANY’S plot to win the World Cup is a breath of fresh air.
England’s rivals have taken their national pastime of attention to detail to a whole new level in selecting their base camp in Qatar.
The four times world champions are holed up in isolation in a luxury eco hotel in north Qatar on the shore of the Persian Gulf.
And meticulous national team overlord Oliver Bierhoff targeted the expensive hideaway – because his players can open their windows.
Germany have rocked up at the plush Zulal Wellness Resort in Al Shamal and block booked more than a quarter of the five-star rooms that range from £700 to a jaw-dropping £19,000 per NIGHT. The top end suites also include a personal butler.
Former Germany striker Bierhoff is now the national team director of Die Mannschaft in charge of keeping his superstar players in the best possible shape.
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Bierhoff said: “We love finding a home from home. It would have been nice to stay in Doha maybe but we saw hotels in the city centre where the windows do not even open. You feel a bit imprisoned.
“Your dreams can’t always come true. We are happy to be here in this part of the country and we have told the players to move their bodies to get as used to the heat as much as possible.
“Our hotel is fantastic and comfortable. The facilities are great for our analysts and scouts. The layout is lovely.”
The Zulal is barely a year old and being a green resort no plastic is allowed on site. The Germany players are also banned from drinking fizzy stuff like cola.
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Boss Hansi Flick’s 26-man squad while away the hours playing basketball in the nearby sports club where they underwent a gruelling double training session on Saturday.
In their downtime they are also playing card games such as Uno and a competitive throwing game called Cornhole – which hails from the USA in which participants have to throw small bags of seeds onto a raised board and try to get it through a small gap at the top.
Germany’s triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign was put down to their seclusion on an island in Brazil – away from prying eyes and pressure.
They kick off in Group E against Japan on Wednesday.
Bierhoff said: “It is difficult to survive in this humidity and heat if you are playing. But everyone is acclimatising and getting ready to go.”
