German Sparrow Hawks Flock To Team Togo

Sven Klein has just finished his university business degree. But he isn't sending out job applications yet -- being vice-president of the German-Togolese Soccer Fan Club that he and his Togolese friend Kossi Aziabou founded last October has turned out to be more work than he expected.

"We are promoting the fan club at various conferences to attract sponsors and meet with the press," Klein said. "I think that I will have to wait until the World Cup is over to start thinking about getting a real job."

Totally Togo

While many bilateral "friendship" clubs are born out of political or business interests, the German-Togolese Soccer Fan Club has personal roots. Klein and Aziabou have been friends for years and both are soccer fans. As the Togolese national team, the Eperviers (Sparrow Hawks), got closer to qualifying for the World Cup, the two were in constant contact. Aziabou, a Togolese embassy employee in Berlin and president of the fan club, was surprised at his friend's enthusiasm for his home team.

"During Togo's last qualification round against Congo, I was watching at home and Sven had his eye on the FIFA Internet ticker," Aziabou said. "He kept calling me to talk about the game. When the Eperviers won, we decided that we had to do something to support them."

Flying high

In honor of Togo's debut World Cup qualification, Klein and Aziabou founded the German-Togolese Soccer Fan Club -- with no budget, no base and just a handful of enthusiasts. When they told friends about it, one offered to set up a free Web site for the group. Soon, people from all over Germany were signing up.

"I was totally surprised," Aziabou said. "I thought that the club would be like five people sitting on my couch watching the games together. And now there are over 700 members, from all over Germany. We have Germans, Togolese, other Africans, even Turkish members."

Small size, big response

After just six months, the club now has four regional coordinators to mobilize fans throughout the country. But it isn't always easy. Klein said that many people are hard pressed to even place Togo on a map. The country is one of Africa's smallest, a sliver of land that's smaller than Bavaria, pressed between Ghana and Benin.

"But everyone who hears about them is really enthusiastic," Klein said. "Maybe it's because of the national colors (green, yellow, red and white), maybe because it's such a small country. Maybe it is because this will be their first time at the World Cup. People just like them."

Rallying for support

At the International Soccer Fan Congress in Bonn, the two friends presented their group's ideas for the World Cup. Helping them drum up support were four former Togo national players.

"It is difficult to get into contact with Togolese fans back home," Aziabou said. "But we finally got into contact with these older Togolese players that now live in France. They are big names in Togolese soccer history and have a lot of fans. I think with their support, we have a chance to get even more people in Togo involved."

Togo's new cultural ambassadors?

The fan club has big plans for the games. Their Web site supports Togolese who want to attend the games with information and accommodations. They also plan to set up an intercultural café in Berlin, organize dancing and music for Togolese fans during the preliminary matches, and get a Team Togo together for a fan soccer tournament. But all ideas are still waiting for sponsors to make them happen. If nothing else, the first yellow and green fan shirts are already made.

"We want to fans to cheer on the Togolese national team," Klein said. "But we also want awake interest in Togo in general. We will keep the club going, even after the games are over."