By George Burns Jun 5, 2006, 19:09 GMT
Baden-Baden, Germany - The England team touched down in Germany for the World Cup Monday, arriving at Baden Airpark in the south-west of the country before travelling by coach to their headquarters in the luxurious Schlosshotel Buehlerhoehe high in the Black Forest.
There was a visually low-key security presence for the arrival of Sven-Goran Eriksson's side on an A320 Airbus named 'Pride of the
Nation' which touched down 25 minutes early and pulled up beside the now disused old terminal after landing.
The around 200 onlookers and fans who had come for a glimpse of the team were only allowed to view the squad from a distance.
The approximately 80 press and photographers present were allowed a little closer but were required to arrive a full 90 minutes ahead of the team in order to allow enough time for them to pass the security screening process.
Only a FIFA representative and a German football federation (DFB) official were on hand at the airport to welcome the England team with a single bunch of flowers for Eriksson while at the team's 90-room hotel, the grounds were already sealed off to the public long before the players' arrival.
Only Eriksson and team captain David Beckham paused to acknowledge the waiting fans with a wave while the rest of the squad, including Wayne Rooney who flies back to England Wednesday for a scan on his recovering foot, promptly made their way to the adjacent coach which bore the encouraging logo 'One Nation, One Trophy, 11 Lions'.
If Monday's arrival is anything to go by, it seems that any Germans wishing to see the '11 Lions' close up will need to acquire front row match tickets to one of England's group matches against Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden.
It was planned that 1,000 fans and local children would be allowed watch a public training session Tuesday but this number has since been reduced to just 250 because of security reasons.
The decision to restrict the number allowed to be present at the England team's only appearance in front of the local public has caused anger in the area.
The mood hasn't been helped by the security precautions around the England team that have led to a lot of disruption in this rural idyll, which is more accustomed to pensioners relaxing in the local baths or hill walkers trekking their way through the forests.
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