Comments on: The Asia Nominations http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html Germany - World Cup 2010 - South Africa Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:13:16 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107363 Nick Thu, 28 May 2009 17:52:32 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107363 I can't believe Friedrich is doubtful AGAIN. It is as frustrating as when you leave messages for someone and they don't call you back for two weeks. I can’t believe Friedrich is doubtful AGAIN. It is as frustrating as when you leave messages for someone and they don’t call you back for two weeks.

]]> By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107362 Nick Wed, 27 May 2009 17:49:29 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107362 Westermann is injured and Enke is not 100%. Neuer is guaranteed a start. After watching the DFB video I have noticed Gomez mumbles a lot. He won't last very long at FC Bayern if he doesn't score any goals and continues mumbling. Westermann is injured and Enke is not 100%. Neuer is guaranteed a start. After watching the DFB video I have noticed Gomez mumbles a lot. He won’t last very long at FC Bayern if he doesn’t score any goals and continues mumbling.

]]> By: diana http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107361 diana Wed, 27 May 2009 13:47:25 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107361 I was amused reading what Mario Gomez has to say after they landed in Shanghai. He was surprised at the temperature checks when they arrived. But then again, there had been cases of people being infected with H1N1 in China. Precaution is always important. And this is coming at a time when today, my country had been added to the growing list of countries being affected by the H1N1 outbreak. Though the first infected person here recently came back from the United States and she had the symptoms when she flew back home. Her case was confirmed yesterday. I was amused reading what Mario Gomez has to say after they landed in Shanghai. He was surprised at the temperature checks when they arrived. But then again, there had been cases of people being infected with H1N1 in China. Precaution is always important.

And this is coming at a time when today, my country had been added to the growing list of countries being affected by the H1N1 outbreak. Though the first infected person here recently came back from the United States and she had the symptoms when she flew back home. Her case was confirmed yesterday.

]]> By: diana http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107360 diana Wed, 27 May 2009 12:37:55 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107360 'Then they would have the three most popular German athletes in China ready to tell the Chinese about the wonders of German football and the national team players could stay at home, take a rest and enjoy their holidays.' Jan, this got me being reminded of England's friendly away at Trinidad & Tobago last year (this happened some days before Euro 2008). It was seen as some way in pulling votes for England's 2018 World Cup bid. No exhibition game scoreline (to paraphrase Nick) at that time, because the FIFA website told me after I did my 'research' that it was 3-0 to England then. But then again, what do I know of the scoreline on Friday. As for now, I don't see any sign from the TV listings that this friendly match will be shown here...even if the timing fits where I am. China and Singapore share the same timezone. And our national team will be playing China in August for a friendly actually. It has been almost donkey months since we last played an opponent... Nick, since you mentioned Oliver Kahn...you know it was actually the 2002 WC I first knew about Kahn. And a certain someone called Michael Ballack. For some reason at that time during the tournament, those two names stood out for me in regards to who was on the German national team, other than knowing Rudi Voeller was the national team coach then. It has been seven years. ‘Then they would have the three most popular German athletes in China ready to tell the Chinese about the wonders of German football and the national team players could stay at home, take a rest and enjoy their holidays.’
Jan, this got me being reminded of England’s friendly away at Trinidad & Tobago last year (this happened some days before Euro 2008). It was seen as some way in pulling votes for England’s 2018 World Cup bid. No exhibition game scoreline (to paraphrase Nick) at that time, because the FIFA website told me after I did my ‘research’ that it was 3-0 to England then.

But then again, what do I know of the scoreline on Friday. As for now, I don’t see any sign from the TV listings that this friendly match will be shown here…even if the timing fits where I am. China and Singapore share the same timezone. And our national team will be playing China in August for a friendly actually. It has been almost donkey months since we last played an opponent…

Nick, since you mentioned Oliver Kahn…you know it was actually the 2002 WC I first knew about Kahn. And a certain someone called Michael Ballack. For some reason at that time during the tournament, those two names stood out for me in regards to who was on the German national team, other than knowing Rudi Voeller was the national team coach then. It has been seven years.

]]> By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107359 Nick Sat, 23 May 2009 22:35:30 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107359 Speaking of the Asia tour I just watched a tape of the 2002 WC semifinals. I cannot believe how good Metzelder was or how lacking in depth the Germany squad was. (Apparently we did not have any fullbacks at the time, so Metzelder effectively played as left back.) The only time recently I saw Metzelder make a run forward was during Euro 2008 against Portugal. Despite everything that's been said about him, he is still the most proven center we have next to Mertesacker. I really hope Arsenal sign him this summer so he can be back in form for 2010. Alternatively he can move back to Germany and partner Howedes at Schalke. As for the U21, we have a tough group and it seems like we have no strikers. Defense is good, midfield good, and goal excellent, but no clinical finishers. As long we can make it out of the group alive we have a shot at winning it. Speaking of the Asia tour I just watched a tape of the 2002 WC semifinals. I cannot believe how good Metzelder was or how lacking in depth the Germany squad was. (Apparently we did not have any fullbacks at the time, so Metzelder effectively played as left back.) The only time recently I saw Metzelder make a run forward was during Euro 2008 against Portugal. Despite everything that’s been said about him, he is still the most proven center we have next to Mertesacker. I really hope Arsenal sign him this summer so he can be back in form for 2010. Alternatively he can move back to Germany and partner Howedes at Schalke.

As for the U21, we have a tough group and it seems like we have no strikers. Defense is good, midfield good, and goal excellent, but no clinical finishers. As long we can make it out of the group alive we have a shot at winning it.

]]> By: Jan http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107358 Jan Fri, 22 May 2009 22:57:23 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107358 Maybe they should have invited Timo Boll (table tennis) over as well. Then they would have the three most popular German athletes in China ready to tell the Chinese about the wonders of German football and the national team players could stay at home, take a rest and enjoy their holidays. The preliminary U21 squad for the Euros has been announced as well, if anyone's ineterested: G: Ralf Fährmann (Schalke 04), Florian Fromlowitz (Hannover 96), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tobias Sippel (1. FC Kaiserslautern) D: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Andreas Beck (1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Bremen), Benedikt Höwedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Mergim Mavraj (VfL Bochum), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund), Daniel Schwaab (SC Freiburg) M: Daniel Adlung (VfL Wolfsburg), Änis Ben-Hatira (MSV Duisburg), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Borussia Dortmund), Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Patrick Ebert (Hertha BSC Berlin), Mike Frantz (1. FC Nürnberg), Dennis Grote (VfL Bochum), Fabian Johnson (1860 München), Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart), Mesut Özil (Werder Bremen) A: Ashkan Dejagah (VfL Wolfsburg), Chinedu Ede (MSV Duisburg), Marko Marin (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sandro Wagner (MSV Duisburg) Maybe they should have invited Timo Boll (table tennis) over as well. Then they would have the three most popular German athletes in China ready to tell the Chinese about the wonders of German football and the national team players could stay at home, take a rest and enjoy their holidays.

The preliminary U21 squad for the Euros has been announced as well, if anyone’s ineterested:

G: Ralf Fährmann (Schalke 04), Florian Fromlowitz (Hannover 96), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tobias Sippel (1. FC Kaiserslautern)

D: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Andreas Beck (1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Bremen), Benedikt Höwedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Mergim Mavraj (VfL Bochum), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund), Daniel Schwaab (SC Freiburg)

M: Daniel Adlung (VfL Wolfsburg), Änis Ben-Hatira (MSV Duisburg), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Borussia Dortmund), Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Patrick Ebert (Hertha BSC Berlin), Mike Frantz (1. FC Nürnberg), Dennis Grote (VfL Bochum), Fabian Johnson (1860 München), Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart), Mesut Özil (Werder Bremen)

A: Ashkan Dejagah (VfL Wolfsburg), Chinedu Ede (MSV Duisburg), Marko Marin (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sandro Wagner (MSV Duisburg)

]]> By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107357 Nick Fri, 22 May 2009 21:45:21 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107357 Apparently Trochowski is a little bit injured too. (So is most of Hamburg, but who knows maybe they can pull off a 0-22 score against Frankfurt and hope Dortmund don't win.) Apparently Trochowski is a little bit injured too. (So is most of Hamburg, but who knows maybe they can pull off a 0-22 score against Frankfurt and hope Dortmund don’t win.)

]]> By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107356 Nick Fri, 22 May 2009 21:16:29 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107356 Jansen is sick again so he’s staying put. He shouldn’t be too down as the tour (at least the China part) is in fact a promotional event. I hope to see exhibition game scores then! Honestly even ONE goal scored against us will be counted in my mind as a loss. Oliver Kahn (we all know who he is and apparently so does most of Asia) along with 2008 Olympic Fencing gold medalist / FIFA representative Britta Heidemann will also be going to China with the DFB. (Apparently she is popular in China and speaks Chinese.) She was on the German Playboy a while back - this deserves a whole ‘nother post. Jansen is sick again so he’s staying put. He shouldn’t be too down as the tour (at least the China part) is in fact a promotional event. I hope to see exhibition game scores then! Honestly even ONE goal scored against us will be counted in my mind as a loss.

Oliver Kahn (we all know who he is and apparently so does most of Asia) along with 2008 Olympic Fencing gold medalist / FIFA representative Britta Heidemann will also be going to China with the DFB. (Apparently she is popular in China and speaks Chinese.) She was on the German Playboy a while back – this deserves a whole ‘nother post.

]]> By: Jan http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107354 Jan Thu, 21 May 2009 21:29:03 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107354 I wouldn't rule out Tasci yet. He's doing well at Stuttgart and we'll have to wait and see, where he'll be in his development next season. It's the same with a player like Höwedes. I wouldn’t rule out Tasci yet. He’s doing well at Stuttgart and we’ll have to wait and see, where he’ll be in his development next season. It’s the same with a player like Höwedes.

]]> By: Nick http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html/comment-page-1#comment-107353 Nick Thu, 21 May 2009 20:05:21 +0000 http://germany.worldcupblog.org/friendlies/the-asia-nominations.html#comment-107353 Metzelder is injured yet again that's why he was not selected. Otherwise he has been pretty good lately. Huth well from what I heard and the above he hasn't made any glaring errors. Howedes will be at the U21 training camp, though it would be interesting to see him play. Westermann and Tasci hopefully will not be used again as central defenders. A Mertesacker / Friedrich pairing looks real promising and along with a backup of Metzelder/Huth should carry us through qualification. Metzelder is injured yet again that’s why he was not selected. Otherwise he has been pretty good lately. Huth well from what I heard and the above he hasn’t made any glaring errors. Howedes will be at the U21 training camp, though it would be interesting to see him play. Westermann and Tasci hopefully will not be used again as central defenders. A Mertesacker / Friedrich pairing looks real promising and along with a backup of Metzelder/Huth should carry us through qualification.

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