It was, like many of Klinsmann's moves, controversial at first when Hermann became the first psychologist on the payroll in the German soccer association's history.

But it seems to be paying off now.

Klinsmann also put the team in an isolated hotel in a quiet, leafy corner of Berlin. Fans get nowhere near the luxury hotel cordoned off from the public. Klinsmann also picked Berlin for psychological reasons -- the final will be here on July 9.

"From the first matches we've sensed this growing wave of enthusiasm out there in the rest of the country," said assistant coach Joachim Loew at a news conference on Wednesday.

"We sense that intensively before the match, the euphoria and excitement," he added. "We use the film highlights to get the players going emotionally. We're trying to think up a possible trick or two for Friday."

Before the first knockout round match against Sweden, Klinsmann abruptly switched from being a friendly, supportive, understanding type of coach into a cold, demanding task-master.

He suddenly raised the pressure on his team, demanding victory against Sweden one day before the match and warning darkly it would be a "disaster" for a Germany team to exit before the semi-final.

The trick worked. Germany played their best match in years and easily won 2-0 after two goals in the first 12 minutes.

"I think it was hard for Sweden to react after the two early goals," Klinsmann said in Munich after the match. "They must have been hit hard mentally by that."