Duesseldorf (Germany): Forget the once notorious English or Dutch hooligans ruining the World Cup, or a new threat from violent Polish or Ukrainian fans.
The top police officer in charge of keeping hooligans under control at soccer's showcase event said on Friday he most fears the troublemakers living in host Germany.
"What gives me headaches sometimes is thinking about how we going to keep our own 10,000 hooligans in line," said Michael Endler, head of ZIS, Germany's office for sports information.
In February, the Germans were embarrassed when 65 people were arrested after their fans rampaged in a friendly win in Slovenia - the worst violence from the country's hooligans since the 2000 European Championship.
Endler is still hopeful the German hooligans - about 3,000 are regarded as hardcore - can be kept under control. He also believes the threat from other European hooligans is exaggerated.
ZIS is Germany's National Football Information Point (NEF), trading information with other NEF offices across European countries about troublemakers.
About 500 officers - mostly hooligan experts - have been sent by the 32 countries playing at the World Cup to help out.
"The cooperation with other countries has been excellent. From what I have heard from them, I believe reports of trouble have been overblown," Endler said.
"Every time before a tournament, people scream alarm. We regard the risk as far lower."
The German media, among others in Europe, has been filled with lurid stories recently about how hooligans could overrun Germany during the tournament, which runs June 9-July 9.
Respected German TV station ZDF has an article about Polish hooligans psyching themselves up for weeks by screaming slogans like "Revenge for WWII" or "blood to the Germans."
Thousands plan to cross the border to Germany, the report states, with only about 500 identifiable by police.
Endler said, however, the hooligan scene in countries like the Ukraine and Poland - whose teams have qualified for the World Cup - centers on clashes between supporters of clubs.
The violence rarely surfaces at national team matches.
"We do not expect it to affect Germany," Endler said.
Endler did not rule out a repeat of last November when 30 Germans and 55 Poles were arrested after a brawl in a forest near the two countries' borders.
Hooligans could well seek out places hidden from police to battle.
"Unless we get some very good information, there is nothing to prevent them from calling each other and meeting somewhere else. Nothing at all," Endler said.
Endler said that even at the 1998 World Cup, marred by a French police officer being beaten into a coma by German thugs, 61 of the 64 games were peaceful. He has no doubt that will be the case in Germany, too.
Nonetheless, Endler admitted that he will be relieved when the World Cup is over after four years planning the effort to combat hooliganism.
"I am going to sit in my garden, light up a big cigar, pour myself a stiff cognac and read a book that has absolutely nothing to do with football," Endler said.
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