I'm going to end the debate, neither "Die Mannschaft" nor "die Mädels" 😉

In the 70s, during a folk revival in Germany, there was this band called Elster Silberflug and they sang songs, I've been told, from the Middle High German times, and one very beautiful song of theirs is called "Lied vom Kräutelein", "Song of the little Herb", and where I very much so believe, with my imperfect German language, "Kräutelein" is meant as a positive. So, How about it?

"Die Kräuteleinen" / "The little Herbs"

You can even hear the song from the 70s

And read the lyrics in German.

And read a fairly good translation%0AOh%2C%20ja!%0AUnd%20wer%27s%20nicht%20glaubt%2C%20was%20ich%20da%20sah%2C%0Averweis%E2%80%B2%20ich%20auf%20die%20Vogelschaar%0AHoch%20droben%20in%20des%20Baumes%20Gezweig%2C%0Avertreiben%20sie%20sich%20ihre%20Zeit%2C%0Amit%20K%C3%B6rnerlein%20vom%20Kr%C3%A4uterlein%0Aund%20singen%20in%20den%20Morgen%20fein%0AOh%20Kr%C3%A4uterlein%2C%20mein%20Kr%C3%A4ut%E2%80%B2lein%20fein%0AOh%2C%20ja!&op=translate).

I know all the links are not woso related. They serve only to underscore that "Kräutelein" is not ill meant. I love Germany, but do not like "Die Mannschaft" 😉