HAVING spent much of his reign urging a sceptical public to keep the faith, Jürgen Klinsmann’s players appear to have taken him literally. With grave doubts persisting about Germany’s World Cup chances, the hosts have fallen back on the power of positive thinking gleaned from their LA-based leader, with visits to faith healers, alternative therapists and the use of “energy wristbands” forming a significant part of their preparation for today’s opening game against Costa Rica. Cynics are suggesting that the players, like their coach, are merely guilty of Californian dreaming.

Klinsmann is used to defending his methods, but as he considers this afternoon’s team talk in Munich he will be preaching to the converted. Seven of his squad, including Michael Ballack, Jens Lehmann and Robert Huth, spent Wednesday visiting Kurt Schweinberger, a self-styled miracle guru, to undergo bioresonance therapy. The treatment attempts to maximise a player’s energy levels by connecting him via electrodes to a cup of water and measuring its oscillations, with the patient invited to drink the water at the end of the session, bringing a new meaning to the concept of an energy drink.

Having moved from scoring inside the box to thinking outside of it, Klinsmann professes to have no problem with such alternative methods of refuelling. “We’re not that exclusive are we?” he said. “If there is someone a player has trust in, has faith in, who are we to deny them that access? We’re open to everything. If he wants to seek alternative treatment then let him do it.”

Torsten Frings, the midfield player, was more effusive in his praise. “If Kurt is there we play better,” he said. “His treatment heals and gives additional power.”

Unfortunately for Germany, Schweinberger’s powers have not worked on their captain, with Ballack ruled out of the group A opener with the calf strain he sustained in last week’s friendly victory over Colombia. The 29-year-old has been heavily criticised in the German press for taking last weekend off rather than seeking treatment, an allegation he denied yesterday.

“I completely reject the allegation that this has been handled unprofessionally,” he said. “That is an affront and a slur on my reputation.”

Klinsmann excused his captain, whom he is likely to replace with Tim Borowski and with Bernd Schneider leading the team, though he did prescribe the reassuringly old-fashioned remedy of hard work. “Ballack will continue to receive treatment, but he will have to work double quick and double hard,” he said. “If we have one training session he will have to brace himself for two. The No 1 priority is that he trains with the team and not to pack his bags after half an hour.

“It goes without saying that we would wish to have Ballack, he’s our leader and captain. The injury is annoying, yes, but it’s not the end of the world. Of course there are matches that are so important you cast injury considerations aside, but this is not one of them.

“I think he underestimated his injury, but every player knows their body better than anybody else. That knock from Colombia, he thought would be gone by Monday, but it was not the case. No one is cross with Michael. Everyone knows that he would’ve given his right arm to play in the opening game.”

Klinsmann will not make the mistake of underestimating Costa Rica, calling for a passionate performance. “We will tear our hearts out against Costa Rica and show everything we’ve got,” he said. “It’s not just our first group match, but the opening game of the World Cup in our own country which adds weight to the issue and makes us even more committed. Costa Rica are dying for this game.”

Miroslav Klose, the forward, also offered a typically Teutonic assessment of Germany’s task. “Truth be told, efficiency is the name of the game,” he said. Some things never change.

GETTING TASTE FOR POSITIVE DRINKING

MATT HUGHES