- News>
- Football
Germany squad for Euro 2004 springs a surprise
Frankfurt, May 25: Germany soccer coach Rudi Voeller has announced his squad for Euro 2004.
Frankfurt, May 25: Germany soccer coach Rudi Voeller has announced his squad for Euro 2004.
Hanover 96 striker Thomas Brdaric was a surprise selection by Germany coach Rudi Voeller in his squad for Euro 2004, announced on Monday (May 24).
The 29-year-old Brdaric, who played only once for Germany over two years ago, has scored 12 goals for his club in the Bundesliga this season.
The other names on the list of 22 players for the finals in Portugal starting on June 12 were largely expected but Voeller left the door open for a young player. A 23rd player, a member of Germanys under-21 squad, would be named before June 2, Voeller said.
The two favourites for the remaining slot are Cologne striker Lukas Podolski, 18, and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 19.
Brdaric was the second most prolific German national in the Bundesliga this season behind Hansa Rostocks Martin Max, who scored 20 goals but is 35 and plays no role in Voellers plans.
A member of the Bayer Leverkusen squad who reached the Champions League final in 2002, Brdaric won his only cap in a 4-2 win over the United States in a friendly in March 2002.
Voeller has been under pressure to make some changes since a traumatic 5-1 defeat by Romania in a friendly in April exposed the 2002 World Cup runners-ups limitations.
There will be young blood in the squad, probably in either Podolski or Schweinsteiger, but Voeller relied mostly on experienced players.
VFB Stuttgarts Timo Hildebrand won the battle to become the teams third goalkeeper behind Bayern Munichs Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann of Arsenal.
Voeller could not pick seasoned midfielder Carsten Ramelow after the Bayer Leverkusen player said last week he was retiring from international football.
Podolski, who scored 10 goals in 19 Bundesliga games, is an interesting option but so is Schweinsteiger, especially since Ramelow has ruled himself out.
Germany playmaker Michael Ballack, who is naturally on the list, has told Voeller that his Bayern team mate had a great potential and should make the trip to Portugal.
Voeller named the following 22-man squad for the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal starting on June 12.
Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart)
Defenders: Frank Baumann (Werder Bremen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel, Philipp Lahm (both VfB Stuttgart), Jens Nowotny (Bayer Leverkusen), Christian Woerns (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Rahn (Hamburg SV)
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Fabian Ernst (Werder Bremen), Paul Freier (VfL Bochum), Torsten Frings (Borussia Dortmund), Dietmar Hamann (Liverpool), Jens Jeremies (Bayern Munich), Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)
Strikers: Fredi Bobic (Hertha Berlin), Thomas Brdaric (Hanover 96), Kevin Kuranyi (VfB Stuttgart), Miroslav Klose (Kaiserslautern)
Bureau Report
The other names on the list of 22 players for the finals in Portugal starting on June 12 were largely expected but Voeller left the door open for a young player. A 23rd player, a member of Germanys under-21 squad, would be named before June 2, Voeller said.
The two favourites for the remaining slot are Cologne striker Lukas Podolski, 18, and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 19.
Brdaric was the second most prolific German national in the Bundesliga this season behind Hansa Rostocks Martin Max, who scored 20 goals but is 35 and plays no role in Voellers plans.
A member of the Bayer Leverkusen squad who reached the Champions League final in 2002, Brdaric won his only cap in a 4-2 win over the United States in a friendly in March 2002.
Voeller has been under pressure to make some changes since a traumatic 5-1 defeat by Romania in a friendly in April exposed the 2002 World Cup runners-ups limitations.
There will be young blood in the squad, probably in either Podolski or Schweinsteiger, but Voeller relied mostly on experienced players.
VFB Stuttgarts Timo Hildebrand won the battle to become the teams third goalkeeper behind Bayern Munichs Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann of Arsenal.
Voeller could not pick seasoned midfielder Carsten Ramelow after the Bayer Leverkusen player said last week he was retiring from international football.
Podolski, who scored 10 goals in 19 Bundesliga games, is an interesting option but so is Schweinsteiger, especially since Ramelow has ruled himself out.
Germany playmaker Michael Ballack, who is naturally on the list, has told Voeller that his Bayern team mate had a great potential and should make the trip to Portugal.
Voeller named the following 22-man squad for the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal starting on June 12.
Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart)
Defenders: Frank Baumann (Werder Bremen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel, Philipp Lahm (both VfB Stuttgart), Jens Nowotny (Bayer Leverkusen), Christian Woerns (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Rahn (Hamburg SV)
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Fabian Ernst (Werder Bremen), Paul Freier (VfL Bochum), Torsten Frings (Borussia Dortmund), Dietmar Hamann (Liverpool), Jens Jeremies (Bayern Munich), Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)
Strikers: Fredi Bobic (Hertha Berlin), Thomas Brdaric (Hanover 96), Kevin Kuranyi (VfB Stuttgart), Miroslav Klose (Kaiserslautern)
Bureau Report