The first thing they teach you, it seems, on day one of "Punditry - an introductory course for beginners" is that, no matter how grim things look you should (all together now) never write off the Germans.

The fact remains, however, that not a single observer of note appears capable of finding a better reason to avoid belittling the defending champions' prospects here at Euro 2000 than the fact that they are, well, German.

Age is, of course, the key factor for their detractors and the fact that 39-year-old Lothar Matthaus has been the main injury worry ahead of this afternoon's game against Romania in Liege tends to underline the point.

As it happens, neither the German skipper nor Jens Jeremies, whose left knee was also causing concern, reported any ill effects after yesterday morning's training session.

Ulf Kirsten was another matter, however, with the 34-year-old Bayern Leverkusen striker picking up a knock in the run-out that may hand either his clubmate Paolo Rink or Bayern Munich's Carsten Jancker the chance to partner Oliver Bierhoff up front.

The Romanians, meanwhile, are all in fine fettle with Gheorghe Hagi shaking off the groin strain that kept him out of last week's friendly defeat of Greece to start.

Also expected to start is Viorel Munteanu, who should start alongside Adrian Ilie after spending the first half of the Greek game on the bench.

Coach Emerich Jenei will be hoping that the trio can, between them, engineer the goals required to give the Romanians a first win in 11 European finals matches . . . although (like the rest of us) he's not writing off the Germans.