Confident Australians arrive in Germany

OEHRINGEN, Germany, June 5 (Reuters) Australia have arrived in Germany in grand style, looking confident and ready to take on the world.

The World Cup squad, boosted by their 1-1 warm-up draw with Netherlands yesterday, touched down at Stuttgart International Airport today.

The pilot unfurled a green and gold Australian flag which was raised above the cockpit as their jumbo jet taxied down the runway to a swarm of media, including reporters, photographers and television crews from Europe, Asia and South America.

Dutch coach Guus Hiddink led the players, dressed in dark suits and ties, down the gangway and on to the tarmac where they were greeted by the Australian High Commissioner.

The squad then posed for photos against the backdrop of their team bus, emblazoned with the slogan ''Australia's Socceroos, Bound For Glory'', before heading off to their rural hideaway in Oehringen-Friedrichsruhe.

Hiddink and his players declined requests to speak to the media but there was no mistaking the spring in the step and confident swagger as they headed to their hotel.

Australia, making their first World Cup appearance for 32 years, are given little hope of winning the trophy and are in one of the toughest groups, alongside Brazil, Croatia and Japan.

They qualified in dramatic fashion, beating twice former champions Uruguay in a penalty shootout at Sydney's Olympic stadium last year, and beat European champions Greece 11 days ago before holding the Dutch.

REUTERS AY PM2037