THE whole country will be hoping the Scotland National Team will have a pleasurable experience when they head for Wank.
If ever there was a place for the players to enjoy some me-time in peace and quiet, it’s in this little corner of Germany.
Steve Clarke and his side will actually be based in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a 30,000 population resort town at the base of Mount Wank.
The team will train in seclusion surrounded by snowcapped mountains at their Bavarian base.
But the holiday spot for skiing, snowboarding, and hiking is far from a tourist trap. The region is most famous for its stunning scenery, especially when your vantage point is thousands of feet in the air.
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Visitors begin their journey at Wankstüberl, a fun-filled eatery next to the Wankbahn, a cable car system that lifts you 5,840 feet to the summit.
Once you’ve reached the ride’s climax, it would be rude not to enjoy a wiener at Wank-Haus, the perfect bar and restaurant for a pint and plate of Bavarian Cuisine.
The views of the Loisach valley, close to the Austrian border, rival anywhere else on the planet.
Just 55 miles from Munich, around 200 miles from Milan and 175 miles from Switzerland’s Bern, there’s a real edge-of-the-world feel to the frozen terrain.
But Elisabeth Koch, 61, the mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, reckons the Scotland side will be at home in her stunning ski town.
There will be a special public screening of the first game against Germany with hundreds of supporters expected to gather.
She said: “We are doing a lot for the players, fans and tourists. We have two traditional bands who will play together for a very warm welcome.
“The best team should win, whether it’s Scotland or Germany. Two hearts are beating in my chest.
“But Steve Clarke told me he expected to win.”
The national team are staying at the plush Obermuhle Hotel, a 250 euro a night spa resort with a history dating back to 1634.
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Management are clearly excited to welcome the team as they prepare for the country’s first foreign showpiece tournament in 26 years.
But they’ve promised to keep the ball on the deck as the Tartan Army pins its hopes on their footie heroes.
The same can’t be said for any fans who decide to follow the side to Wank.
There’s a plethora of watering holes across the town where visitors can embrace traditional Bavarian culture complete with shoe flats, yodels and schnitzel. There’s also a handful of ex-pats ready to reclaim their national pride partying the night away.
John Gourlay, 63, from Maryhill in Glasgow, is restaurant manager at Hotel Rheinischer Hof and has been waiting for a moment like this since emigrating 40 years ago.
He said: “This is the biggest event I’ve ever experienced here.
“I wanted to offer to be a translator because they’ll have Americans doing it who won’t know what the Scottish people are talking about.”
John added: “The biggest qualification success was beating Spain, that was a real highlight for me with my wife being Spanish. My son Tom sticks with his dad. He supports Scotland. I’m looking forward to the Tartan Army coming over, with kilts, bagpipes and hopefully some black pudding for me too.”
Iain McNab, 84, lives in one of the town’s grandest homes after moving 30 years ago.
The pensioner, from Uddingston, Glasgow, said: “It was an unbelievable surprise to have the Scotland national team choose us as a base.
“Hopefully the fans come and it’s good for Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“My wife is German but supports Scotland and so do my children. I’m very patriotic.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Syme, 51, swapped Aberdeen for the Austrian border at the age of 18 and ran his own restaurant for years.
Now he’s part of the team that looks after the dining scene surrounding Wank and hopes to welcome lots of his compatriots.
He said: “Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a nice town and it’s not too big, if you walk through town you need to account for an extra ten minutes because you bump into people you know.
“I’m so excited about Scotland coming. I think this will be our tournament and we will get to the next stage. I can’t walk through town without being asked by locals how many fans are coming and what they are like.
“I hope lots of fans come. It’s a beautiful place only an hour away from Munich so is a great base.
“It’s got that small-town feel but still with tourists and a lot happening, there’s always sporting events and beer tents and markets.”
And if the Tartan Army are worried about laughing at the name Wank, they won’t be alone.
John joked: “I still laugh at Wank more than 40 years later.
“There’s going to be so many photos that fans get with signs that say Wank.”
Meanwhile, Andrew quipped: “When I came here at 18 my friend and I had a real chuckle about that.
“There’s stickers saying ‘I love Wank’ and they do quite well.”
So I’m proud to be a Wank convert after such a wonderful time in Garmisch.
Just remember, the letter W is pronounced like a V in Germany. A tiny change that can make a massive difference.
