With the International Yoga Day approaching on June 21, here's a piece of news that will make Germany football team fans, especially in India, sport a smile. Die Mannschaft have hired a yoga teacher in an attempt to get a better edge over the other teams in Euro 2016, reported Agence France-Presse.
Patrick Broome, a Munich-based yoga instructor, is the man in the limelight. Broome became a part of the Germany coaching staff just around two years back but he has been accompanying the team over the last decade in the FIFA World Cups as well as the European Championships.
Current United States Men's Soccer Team (USMNT) head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was the Germany football team coach in the past, was the one who roped in Broome.
"To my knowledge, I was the only yoga teacher working with a national team at the World Cup in Brazil," said Broome, who is in his 40s. "Good recovery after a game is essential for the players to maintain their level of performance.
"At the time, the German press made fun of the players when they were training with rubber bands, to increase their muscle strength, and yoga with 'all this nonsense'," he added.
Sessions on improving flexibility, focus and performance during a game remain the most integral parts of Broome's yoga training with the team. His sessions last for at least 45 minutes on a day-to-day basis, mainly focusing on the players' recovery after a gruelling training regime. The injuries in the squad are also, in the process, minimised.
"He's been part of the team since (the 2014 World Cup in) Brazil and he offers courses every day," said veteran Germany forward Lukas Podolski. "We can decide for ourselves to take advantage or not. It's not on the training plan that we have to go, but he does a good job," the 31-year-old added.
Die Mannschaft have one win so far in the Euro 2016. They take on Poland on Thursday in their second group game of the competition.
