LOW MOMENT FOR GERMANY TRIO
May 28th, 2008
Germany coach Joachim Löw has confirmed his final 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2008™ with midfielders Markus Marin and Jermaine Jones and striker Patrick Helmes missing the cut from his provisional party.
Friendly roles
All three players came on as second-half substitutes as the three-time European champions let slip a two-goal lead in Tuesday’s friendly international against Belarus, yet none impressed sufficiently to win a place in the final squad. The FC Schalke 04 midfielder Jones, the 19-year-old Marin – an attacking midfielder with VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach – and Helmes, who scored 17 goals in 1. FC Köln’s promotion-winning campaign, were told of the decision at 11.30 this morning and will leave the Germany camp later today.
‘Very difficult decision’
“It was a very difficult decision for our staff,” said Löw. “It was a millimetre decision, because every one of those three would have deserved a place in the final squad. This is no decision against their quality; they have all left behind a great impression in the training camp in Mallorca. Patrick Helmes, Jermaine Jones and Markus Marin have good chances to be back in the national team after EURO and play a good role in it.”
Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal FC), Robert Enke (Hannover 96), René Adler (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
Defenders: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid CF), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC Berlin), Marcell Jansen (FC Bayern München), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Heiko Westermann (FC Schalke 04).
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea FC), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), David Odonkor (Real Betis Balompié).
Forwards: Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern München), Lukas Podolski (FC Bayern München), Mario Gómez (VfB Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (FC Schalke 04), Oliver Neuville (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach).
