Comments on: Jogi Löw names Euro Squad

By: Bashar

Bashar — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:30:27 +0000

I’m an Italy fan but I think Germany will win this Euro.. or at least have the best shot at it. Prediction.. Germany 0-1 Italy final. (Really the result is based on passion. 1-0 to Germany is probably more likely)

I was looking at the squad list and found something really upsetting. I’m sure this was mentioned to some extent but where the hell is Neuer and to a lesser extent Hildebrand? Did Loew just call up 2 keepers that are good but not good enough to compete with Lehmann? It’s like they don’t want a repeat of the Kahn/Lehmann saga. Neuer should be starting but he’s not even in the squad!!

Marin, Jones and Helmes won’t make it to the Euros. Calling up Neuville was just baffling but maybe he wanted some experience there. Aside from that… Thank God Asamoah is not on there. I have no clue how he keeps getting called up. Shame Schneider is out.

Who Loew should play up front is a hard question. Gomez is a given. Podolski seems to be hitting form while Kuranyi has been good this season. Klose is probably in the worst form but he’s the most experienced with Germany and I see him as a different type of player than Poldi or Gomez. I think Gomez and Poldi should play together based on form but if that doesn’t work well try Klose with Gomez.

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:54:03 +0000

It’s not about blood but citizenship. They all have German citizenship and thus are German and not foreigners. Klose, Podolski and Trochowski all have an emigration background. Mario Gomez has a Spanish father (thus the family name) and a German mother and was born in Germany.

By: Michel-olivier

Michel-olivier — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:20:53 +0000

klose, podolski, and gomez have german heritage
i dont know about trochowski but all of them have german blood no matter what the percentage.

By: Jan

Jan — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:51:17 +0000

They are all German.

By: ashkaaa

ashkaaa — Sun, 18 May 2008 22:18:31 +0000

klose, podolski, trochowski, gomez….we don`t have good german players ?
shortly German team will be consist of only foreign players

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:42:32 +0000

Well as long as you’re 100% sure

Think Helmes will get dropped too…not quite seeing the point of this 26-man-squad malarky, it hasn’t been done before by Germany, has it? Am hoping Marin will stay in the team, with Jones and Trochowski dropped…they’re mediocre at best and I don’t understand why Loew has included them when there are better midfielders in the Bundesliga.

And I have to agree: Thank God the dire stiker times are over. I don’t miss Hanke at all. In fact, thank God the dire player times are over. Remember Ramelow, Jancker and Linke playing? I cringe to think of it.

By: Olivier

Olivier — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:27:05 +0000

marko marin, Helmes, and J. Jones are going to be drop

starting line up(100% sure)

klose-gomez
schweini-Frings-ballack-trochowski/rolfes
lahm-Mzelder-Msacker-fritz

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:09:12 +0000

Jan: Nick did get in touch with us I’m taking care of it no worries mate.

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 16 May 2008 21:09:08 +0000

Chris: I guess you can’t argue too much over Enke vs Rost, when you just compare their goalkeeping it comes down to details. But Enke is an easier character, so you can simply include him in any team and you don’t have to fear any conflicts. Rost has settled in excellently at Hamburg but was also in the centre of a dressing room rift between Slomka/Bordon and him at Schalke. Though, he probably also has an unwarranted bad reputation.

Nick: I’m not up to date on this one. Did you get in touch with us concerning blogging here?

And Marin indeed has “special qualities” .

I’d be surprised should Löw not drop one striker, unless he has plans to play Podolski as an attacking midfielder.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:23:59 +0000

I am not all that surprised with the team selection.

Odonkor, who can forget his run against Argentina? He stole the ball from Sorin, unsettled him, and this directly set-up Ballack’s cross to Borowski and the flick to Klose for the miracle equaliser. Sure he has not had a great season, but when he was called upon, like in the friendly against Romania, he showed his speed, ran away with the ball and beat several players to score a goal alone. Honestly I haven’t seen such solo midfield play since Thomas Haessler.

Neuville, his form at Borussia merits his callback, if not his late crucial goals over the span of two World Cups. Plus Germany lack a relatively compact extremely agile striker.

Hitzlsperger of former Aston Villa fame. Of course Schneider would have been better but unfortunatly he is injured. On the other hand Thomas has shown his drive to give it all and his goals and play (even if a bit scrappy) got him the nod.

Hildebrand, it’s all been said before, but I will give another reason. Against Romania his responses were slow, he was unsure. Most importantly the defenders do not trust him.

Adler, this should not be a surprise. It was after all the Champions League performance for which Klinsmann chose Lehmann over Kahn, and again we see the pattern here.

Kuranyi, well I still do not trust him. After the four goals and the public nod, his place was set. Though as with Schalke the man seems to always miss the goals other strikers gladly put away. His game against the Czechs was great and he provided a good flick on in the Swiss friendly. Besides that he’ll be warming the bench, because Neuville is far more effective as a substitute than Kuranyi.

Marin. Well according to N-TV and FAZ Low has been quoted as saying Marin has these special qualities, the one-on-one play and so forth. With Schneider out Low decided on Marin. Let’s see what happens.

Not sure about Trochowski or Jones, but again Schneider will be sorely missed.

Now am I the only one seeing the pairings? Like the 54 World Cup one player plays with another. Of course it helps when they have been on the same team for a whole season and doing well like Borussia: Marin, Helmes, Neuville. Or the Hitzlsperger, Gomez.

And Jan I agree with the Hanke metaphor. Tahnk goodness those days are over.

I think two midfielders and a defender will be dropped.

And I am sure Germany have the quality to win this. Deutschland vor!