England v Germany
UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Group 6 Qualifiers
7.30pm, 25 March 2005
Hull City FC

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The fans’ love of the game in this country is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Fulham’s Moritz Volz since he left Germany nearly five years ago to continue his career in England.

Aged just 17, Volz set off to London after sealing a move from Schalke 04 to Arsenal. After three enjoyable years at Highbury, it was time to move on with first-team opportunities limited. Following a loan spell with Wimbledon, a step up into the Premier League was offered by Fulham.

Now a regular member of the Germany Under-21 squad, which takes on England in Hull tonight, the full-back knows what to expect inside a packed KC Stadium.

”It’s something that Germany would envy the English for; they always get good, passionate crowds at youth games,” said the 22-year-old when he spoke to TheFA.com

”In Germany it’s hard to fill a stadium. Over here it’s totally different it’s something we’d love to have there, only recently we’ve started to get
Peter Taylor’s Under-21 team will be trying to make it an unhappy night for their visitors and Volz is fully aware of Germany’s challenge.

”I know most of their players. Every time I speak to my coach I tell him that they have great talent there; he knows about them as well.”

”They’ve got very good players, they are a very good team and the two games against England will be the hardest in the group stage. But we’ll be prepared.”

He continued: ”We’ve played a few games and not lost yet since the beginning of the season. The way that we’ve performed, the way that we were committed in the games and the chances that we have created has been positive.

”Previously the Under 21s wasn’t like that, so it’s a really nice thing to play like that and hopefully we’ll do well in the qualification. With the top two qualifying it could be us and England,” he adds.

Volz puts the change down to the coach, Dieter Eilts, who will probably be remembered by most football supporters in England for the part he played in Germany's success at Euro '96.

The Werder Bremen midfielder, at 31 years of age, was one of the outstanding performers of the tournament, and with Thomas Helmer alongside, proved themselves to be an effective partnership.

“Dieter will be remembered not only for the way that he played but he was also well known for being a modest person, committed to his football and his teams." said Volz.

”He played for the team I supported when I was young and I followed Euro ’96 very closely. He did very well there. Those players will always be remembered for what they did.”

Eilts was an integral figure in his 17 years at Bremen and made nearly 400 appearances. Recognition for the German national team may have arrived late – he had just turned 29 when he made his debut in a 3-0 friendly win against the USA in San Francisco – but in his 31 caps became widely respected and a champion of Europe.

Since hanging up his boots in 2002, Eilts turned his mind to coaching, and after a spell with the youth side at Werder, he became Germany U21 coach in 2003 and has built a great rapport with his players.

”We have some one that we can look up to,” added Volz, “It’s good also to have a coach who we can remember playing, it gives us a bit of a connection.

”The atmosphere is good, he keeps it relaxed, but also approaching the game he makes sure we focus, give a good performance and get a result.

”But I think for everyone who is involved it’s fun, it’s a good team to play for, we want to play football.”

”As long as we go through we’ll be happy, but the game in Hull will be crucial.”

To book tickets for the game in Hull call the KC Stadium ticket hotline on 0870 837 0004.

Or, if you don't wanyt to miss the match against Azerbaijan next Tuesday call the Middlesbrough hotline on 0870 421 1986.