Germans eyeing bumper payday

Each of the 23-strong Germany squad who competes in the June 7-29 Euro 2008 will receive a bonus of 250,000 euros should the team be crowned champions.
The bonus was fixed during a meeting here on Monday between German football federation officials and representatives of the players, Michael Ballack, Jens Lehmann, Miroslav Klose and Bernd Schneider, ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Austria.
As was the case in Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, players will receive a bonus only if they qualify for the quarter-finals.
If they are eliminated at the first knock-out stage, they will receive a bonus of 50,000 euros, which goes up to 100,000 euros should they be eliminated in the semi-finals, and 150,000 euros should they lose in the final.
Germany, which finished third in the 2006 World Cup and was the first country to qualify for Euro 2008, is one of the main favourites to win European football's showpiece tournament.
The three-time European champions (in 1972, 1980 and 1996) have been drawn in Group B with Poland, Croatia and Austria.