Germany's descent from footballing super-power to nation in disarray will be exposed when Uli Stielike arrives at Wembley to spy on England, three weeks after being sacked amid bitter controversy.

Morale has plummeted after a sorry run of form that resulted in Erich Ribbeck ordering Stielike to be dismissed as assistant manager earlier this month.

The German Federation went along with their head coach's wish but insisted on retaining the 42-times capped former central defender in a lesser capacity for the year left on his contract.

They decided Stielike should be utilised on spying missions and, in a further slap in the face to the increasingly marginalised Ribbeck, told him to start his duties at England's Euro 2000 warm-up with Brazil.

Ribbeck, who was already unhappy at Franz Beckenbauer's public declaration that there would be a change of coach after the Championships, had made it clear he wanted a detailed breakdown of every England player.

As one Germany follower said: 'Ribbeck is expected to trust the judgment of someone whose whole attitude became so alien to his own that he got rid of him.'