Kicker Poll

Judging by the poll from Kicker, the three who will be not going to Austria and Switzerland for the Euros will be Trochowski, Odonkor and Helmes. I don’t follow the 2.Bundesliga that closely and so I cannot comment on Helmes (maybe Jan can, given he’s a Cologne fan :P) but then I thought Odonkor don’t feature much at his club at Real Betis? Maybe I am wrong given I used to read that he has an injury-plagued season there.

I only know remember when during the provisional squad was announced and seeing Odonkor on it, I had a feeling he may be excluded from the final 23-man squad. Just my thought.

And after reading about Marin (through Jan’s profile) since his surprise call-up, I will love to see him in action during the tournament.

Posted from  Singapore

23-05

Borowski is sick, Friedrich has a stomach virus, and Gomez has a calf problem. Still the poll is just about right.

Nick: I think all three will be fit in time for the Euro. I think the prelim games will give Jogi a chance to test the new additions and then return to some of his more regular players. I also look for Gomez to feature regularly. After his season, there is no reason he shouldn’t.

Posted from  United States

Agreed, Angela. Or maybe again, I am biased given I am a Stuttgart fan.

But speaking on players who will not make the cut, I have found a link on someone who has been omitted entirely from the preliminary squad. Timo Hilderbrand was telling Bild am Sonntag that he was very furious that instead of Loew who called and told him that he did not make the cut, it’s goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke who told him about it. I know Jan has posted here before that Jogi did called Hilderbrand after the omission in terms of his involvement in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers but now I wonder if the remark on Bild am Sonntag is going to have any real major impact or not.

Even I myself have to take a while to digest what Timo is saying. From the sound of it, he is really angry.

The link - http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/germany/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=international_feed/08/05/24/SOCCER_Ger-Germany_Hildebrand.html&TEAMHD=germany

Oh yes. On a (sort of) related note, I remembered back then on the day of when England coach Fabio Capello announced his squad for the friendly against the Swiss in February, he personally called David Beckham (which if I am not wrong at that time, majority of the English media want him to be on the squad) to tell him why he was not on the list. Back then Beckham did not have enough match practise as the MLS season has not started yet.

Posted from  Singapore