Loew names World Cup training squad

January 21, 2010

Germany coach Joachim Loew on Thursday named an extended group for a three-day World Cup training camp in Stuttgart to look at potential candidates for the final squad set to travel to South Africa.

The national squad is set to assemble in the southern German city on Sunday evening with extensive fitness tests planned until Wednesday next week.

Captain Michael Ballack will be missing, as he is involved in his club Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Birmingham City, while Cologne striker Lukas Podolski and Schalke defender Heiko Westermann are both injured.

Rising stars Thomas Mueller of Bayern Munich and Leverkusen’s Toni Kroos, both 20, are included while Hamburg defender David Aogo has also been called up.

Defenders Robert Huth, of English club Stoke City, and Stuttgart’s Christian Traesch are also included.

“The 30-man squad is of players who played a role in our team over the last few months and for younger players who are prospective talent for the World Cup,” said Loew.

“This group, as well as those who can’t attend the Stuttgart training through injury, will be observed through the coming months.

“Of course, the door is not closed to other candidates, but they will need to produce significant performances from now up until the end of the season.”

Goalkeepers

Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders

Dennis Aogo (Hamburg), Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Stoke City/ENG), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), Christian Traesch (VfB Stuttgart)

Midfield

Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg)

Forwards

Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich)

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: aaron hunt, andreas beck, arne friedrich, Bastian Schweinsteiger, bayer leverkusen, bayern munich, berlin, birmingham city, captain Michael Ballack, Christian Gentner, Christian Traesch, David Aogo, Hamburg, Heiko Westermann, hertha berlin, joachim loew, Lukas Podolski, Marcel Schaefer, marcell jansen, Michael Ballack, Per Mertesacker, philipp lahm, piotr trochowski, premier league, rene adler, robert huth, Sami Khedira, schalke 04, serdar tasci, simon rolfes, South Africa, stefan kiessling, vfb stuttgart, vfl wolfsburg, werder bremen

Loew backs Podolski

January 6, 2010

Lukas Podolski was welcomed as a lost son at Koln this summer, but his return to his youth love has been disappointing so far. In the first half of the season, Prinz Poldi only managed to score one goal in fifteen league matches. However, Podolski doesn’t have to worry about his World Cup chances.

Joachim Loew has supported Podolski, although the Germany coach has many good strikers to choose from.

“There are no doubts at all about his status as a national team player,” the national coach told German paper Express.

“His goalscoring record with us is noteworthy.

“He is cheeky and is not afraid. In the national team, he nearly always plays well.”

Podolski started his career at Koln, where he scored a lot of goals and became an international. After the World Cup finals of 2006 he joined Bayern Munich where he failed to become a regular starter. Podolski made 71 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern before he returned to Koln.

Tags: Bayern, german paper, Germany, joachim loew, love, Lukas Podolski, Munich, national coach, no doubts, podolski, prinz, score one, strikers, team player, world cup chances, world cup finals

Germany´s Bierhoff glad to avoid France, Portugal

December 5, 2009

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff admitted Friday he was relieved his side had avoided both European giants France and Portugal in their group stage draw for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Germany will open their 2010 campaign in Group D against Australia in Pretoria on June 13, then play Serbia in Rustenburg on June 19 before the pool stage final game against Ghana at Johannesburg’s Soccer City on June 23.

But Bierhoff was happy to have avoided danger sides France and Portugal who qualified through the play-offs and could potentially have landed in the same group as the Germans.

“We are glad we did not draw France or Portugal, but Australia, Serbia and Ghana will also not be easy,” admitted former Germany striker Bierhoff.

Germany have never been beaten by any of their three World Cup opponents in previous meetings, but will be most concerned about Australia who reached the last 16 at the 2006 World Cup.

It took a penalty deep into injury-time for Italy to overcome the Socceroos in Germany and continue their run to the crown.

Germany were also given a scare when they beat Australia 4-3 in the Confederations Cup in 2005 on their last meeting when a late Lukas Podolski goal proved to be the winner.

And Germany also won the 1974 World Cup group stage clash against Australia 3-0 in Hamburg on their way to winning the world crown.

African side Ghana were beaten 6-1 by the Germans in a friendly in 1993 and Germany had to come from behind to be seal a 2-1 victory against Serbia in a pre-Euro 2008 friendly.

“We are quite happy with this draw, it’s an interesting group,” said coach Joachim Loew.

“We already started a tournament against Australia when we played at the 2005 Confederations Cup and we had some difficulties against them.

“It will be important to get some confidence for the two following games.

“Serbia is a very strong team technically who dominated their qualification group and posed France many problems.

“As for Ghana, for me they are one of the best teams out of Africa along with the Ivory Coast and Algeria.

“Now we can focus on getting our preparations right ahead of the first game on June 13.”

The draw means Germany could potentially meet Group C favourites England in the first knock-out phase and Loew was enthusiastic about the prospect of facing their arch-rivals.

“England in the knock-out phase would be a great game for us, without question,” said Loew.

CAPE TOWN (AFP)

Tags: confederations cup, euro 2008, final game, germans, group stage, injury time, joachim, johannesburg, Lukas Podolski, oliver bierhoff, play offs, pool stage, pretoria, qualification group, Rustenburg, Soccer City, socceroos, striker, world crown, world cup finals

Wunderkind Kroos to return to Bayern next season

November 28, 2009

Rising German football star Toni Kroos will return to Bayern Munich next season after being loaned to Bayer Leverkusen since January, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Friday.

“Toni will return to Bayern and will become an important player for the club,” said Rummenigge.

Leverkusen had hoped to hold on to the teenager, who is under contract with Bayern until June 2010.

The 19-year-old was voted player of the tournament at the Under-17 World Cup in 2007, but had failed to regularly break into the Bayern first-team.

He joined Leverkusen to get more play as his game was limited at Bayern with the presence of Miroslav Klose, Luca Toni and Lukas Podolski.

Kroos played 19 times for Bayern between 2007 and 2009.

He has played 23 games for Leverkusen, scoring four goals.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP)

Tags: 19 year old, bayer leverkusen, Bayern, club chairman, football star, game, games, german football, Germany, karl heinz, karl heinz rummenigge, klose, LEVERKUSEN, Lukas, Lukas Podolski, miroslav klose, Munich, munich germany, presence, teenager, Toni, toni kroos, World Cup, wunderkind

Podolski: I can understand boos

November 1, 2009

Cologne striker Lukas Podolski admitted the fans had every right to jeer following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Hannover.

The Germany striker has called for crisis talks after Cologne slumped to 15th in the table, just one place above the bottom three.

“We have all got to question ourselves, me included,” he said.

“We have a week and we have got to try to get our self-confidence back by discussing things.

“Otherwise, there’s no point even going to (Hertha) Berlin. We may as well stay here.”

Podolski joined Cologne from Bayern Munich for a club-record fee of 10million euros in the summer, but has yet to live up to the high expectations placed on his shoulders.

Around 45,000 fans turned up at the Mungersdorfer Stadion again, but were sent home disappointed with another lacklustre performance from their side.

“I can understand the fans’ disappointment,” said Podolski. “We were weak and deserved to lose. We showed absolutely nothing.

“You could see that our opponents mastered us and we did not play as a team. You cannot win games like that.”

Cologne travel to the capital next weekend for a true relegation battle with bottom club Hertha Berlin, who have won one game all season and are currently five points from safety.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Bayern, bayern munich, boos, bottom club, cologne, disappointment, five points, game, Germany, hannover, hertha berlin, high expectations, lacklustre performance, Lukas Podolski, mungersdorfer stadion, opponents, relegation battle, self confidence, shoulders, striker

Mission accomplished for Germany´s Loew

October 11, 2009

It was mission accomplished for Germany coach Joachim Loew after his squad booked their place at the 2010 World Cup finals as the ten-man Germans sealed a 1-0 win over Russia in Moscow.

A first-half goal from striker Miroslav Klose was enough to give Germany an unassailable four-point lead at the top of Group Four and even the second-half dismissal of Jerome Boateng did not hamper the guests.

“I’m happy about the game, we spent the whole whole week preparing well and the result is very pleasing, of course,” said Loew.

“The team played with discipline and deserved to get the berth at the finals.”

Hamburg defender Boateng started his first international in the cauldron of Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, but a second booking earned him a red card with 20 minutes remaining as Germany finished with ten men.

Russia missed out on a penalty in the dying stages when replacement defender Arne Friedrich appeared to commit a foul on Russia captain Andrei Arshavin in the box, but the referee waved play on.

“I don’t know whether it was a penalty on Arshavin but anyway I think it was the right decision by the referee,” added Loew.

“The red card for Boateng was also justified.”

Klose, the top-scorer at the last World Cup, struck in the 34th-minute after Lukas Podolski and Mesut Oezil combined to unlock the Russian defence.

“We dealt well with the pressure here – it was not an easy place to play,” admitted Bayern Munich striker Klose.

“We used our chance, it was not a top-class game and the match was difficult in places, but Mesut Oezil and I are developing a good understanding.”

Russia play Azerbaijan in Baku while Germany host Finland in Hamburg in their last qualification game, but Guus Hiddink’s Russian side now face two-legged play-off matches if they are to reach South Africa.

“We cannot be happy with the result of course, but the team showed character in the second half,” said Hiddink.

“We were not good enough at finishing our chances or on the counter-attack.

“But we still have a chance to qualify for the finals in November’s play-off.”

Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler was the visitors’ hero with at least four world-class saves and looks set to travel to Africa as the number one choice ahead of Hanover’s Robert Enke.

“That was the most emotional match of my career,” admitted the 24-year-old Adler.

“The fact that the game went so well for me personally makes me very happy, but I only wanted to share in the victory.”

And Germany captain Michael Ballack, who brushed off a first-half ankle injury to lead his side to victory, said his side showed plenty of mental strength to leave Moscow’s Luzhinki Stadium with three points.

“We showed strong nerves and belived in ourselves with some disciplined play,” said the Chelsea star.

“We came here with a positive attitude and it showed in the way we played.”

Joachim Loew’s side safely saw out the game and leave Moscow with the three points.

“The team did well: we needed a bit of luck, but we have made sure of qualifying for the World Cup and you can’t ask for more,” beamed Loew.

MOSCOW (AFP)

Tags: arne friedrich, Baku, Bayern, berth, boateng, captain Andrei Arshavin, captain Michael Ballack, cauldron, class game, Finland, germans, Germany, good understanding, guus hiddink, Hamburg, Hanover, Jerome Boateng, joachim loew, Lukas Podolski, Luzhinki Stadium, luzhniki stadium, mesut, miroslav klose, Moscow, referee, rene adler, right decision, robert enke, russian defence, russian side, South Africa, top scorer, world cup finals

Muller slams Germany strikers

September 29, 2009

Legendary Germany forward Gerd Muller has claimed the nation’s current crop of strikers would not have stood a chance of playing alongside him in his day.

The 63-year-old, who scored 365 goals in the Bundesliga and 68 goals in just 62 caps for Germany, has criticised Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski ahead of next week’s crucial World Cup qualifier with Russia.

“When you see what strikers we have in the national team today, in my day, they would not have even been allowed to even sniff the ball,” he told DSF television.

Only one German striker is deserving of a place in coach Joachim Low’s attack, according to Muller, and that is his namesake Thomas Muller, who is making a good impression in his first season as a professional with Bayern Munich.

“He is an incredible young lad,” added Muller.

“He can use both his left and right foot, like me.

“He is quick, strong in the air and he is one that can be taken to the World Cup.”

However, Low has defended the three strikers he is almost certain to name in his squad this week, insisting times have changed since Muller hung up his boots.

“I have the utmost respect for players like Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer and Gunter Netzer and they are role models today, but you cannot make comparisons over decades,” he told the Bild newspaper.

“It has become incredibly difficult for strikers. Football has developed particularly in the art of defending.

“Nowadays, strikers don’t even get five minutes worth of the room that the strikers used to get over 90 minutes in a game.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Bayern, bayern munich, bild newspaper, Bundesliga, franz beckenbauer, Gerd, Gerd Muller, Germany, gunter netzer, joachim low, Lukas, Lukas Podolski, mario gomez, miroslav klose, namesake, rajput, right foot, role models, slams, striker, strikers, thomas müller, utmost respect, world cup qualifier

Ze Roberto eyes Bundesliga title – and world crown

September 26, 2009

League-leaders Hamburg face the biggest test of their tenure at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday as their Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto takes on his former club Bayern Munich.

The 35-year-old has enjoyed a new lease of life since swapping Bavaria for the Hanseatic city and with three goals in six games is hoping to help Hamburg win the German league title this year.

Bruno Labbadia’s Hamburg side will certainly have their credentials tested by third-placed Bayern who are getting stronger and chasing their fourth consecutive league win.

“Our team has a bright future and I am in the form of my life,” said the midfielder.

“Bayern always starts the season with the goal of being German champions, we must also make sure that doesn’t happen.

“My goal is to win the Bundesliga with Hamburg – and the World Cup with Brazil.”

Having effectively retired from the Brazil national team so he could re-join Bayern in 2007, Ze Roberto said he would love to play for his country again at next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

“Resigning from the national team was the biggest mistake of my life,” he said having won 84-caps for his country.

“If national coach Dunga calls me, am I there.

“It is my biggest dream to still play at another World Cup for Brazil, I want to be a world champion.”

Hamburg suffered a German Cup upset when they lost their second round tie at third division Osnabrueck on Wednesday, while Bayern roasted second division Rot-Weiss Oberhausen 5-0 at the Allianz Arena.

After being dumped out of the German Cup on Wednesday by Cologne, defending league champions Wolfsburg are ninth and need a win to boost flagging confidence at home to Hanover.

Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio is banned for this weekend’s game having been sent off in the defeat by Leverkusen nearly a fortnight ago.

But both Edin Dzeko and strike partner Grafite are both in fine form playing in front of play-maker Zvjezdan Misimovic.

Jens Lehmann returns for Stuttgart against Eintracht Frankfurt after his club suspended the ex-Arsenal stopper for an unauthorised trip to Munich’s beer festival.

The 39-year-old missed Wednesday’s German Cup injury-time win against VfB Luebeck because he attended the Oktoberfest last weekend for a charity event after his side’s 2-0 defeat by Cologne.

Neighbours and bitter rivals Dortmund and Schalke meet in Saturday’s 134th Ruhr valley derby then later that night the draw for the third round of the German Cup takes place with both teams still involved.

With just one win in their last four games, Schalke are down to fourth in the league while Dortmund are 13th in the table with only their opening day of the season win over Cologne to show after six games.

Cologne are chasing their third consecutive win at second-placed Leverkusen having beaten Stuttgart and Wolfsburg in their last two games with striker Manasseh Ishiaku in form alongside Germany’s Lukas Podolski after scoring twice against Wolfsburg.

Friday

Nuremberg v VfL Bochum

Saturday

VfL Wolfsburg v Hanover 96

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04

Werder Bremen v Mainz 05

Cologne v Bayer Leverkusen

Eintracht Frankfurt v VfB Stuttgart

Hamburg v Bayern Munich

Sunday

Freiburg v Borussia M’gladbach

Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: allianz arena, Bayern, berlin, brazil, Bremen, bruno labbadia, cologne, consecutive league, diego benaglio, dunga, edin dzeko, eintracht frankfurt, FRANKFURT, german cup, german league, Germany, grafite, Hamburg, Hanover, hanseatic city, jens lehmann, league champions, league leaders, Lukas Podolski, mistake of my life, Munich, national coach, nuremberg, Roberto, rot weiss oberhausen, six games, South Africa, Wolfsburg, world champion

Podolski targets derby victory

September 25, 2009

Bundesliga outfit Cologne’s striker Lukas Podolski believes victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Rhine derby on Saturday would be worth far more than the two wins his side have celebrated over the last week.

The Bundesliga strugglers won their first league game of the season at Stuttgart last weekend and followed that up by sending Wolfsburg out of the DFB-Pokal in midweek.

But, as far as Podolski is concerned, Saturday’s game is the biggest since he returned to the club from Bayern Munich in the summer.

“Of course it is, it’s a derby,” he told the club’s website.

“You want to win this game over anything, and it doesn’t matter if we are now bottom or top of the table.

“Derbies always have a great atmosphere, particularly when they are played in Cologne.

“You get extra motivation for a game like this one.

“So much is at stake for the club, the region and for the fans.”

However, Cologne’s recent record in derby matches does not make pleasant reading with five straight defeats and no win in the last 12 years.

Leverkusen have also yet to lose a game in the Bundesliga all season, although they were beaten in the DFB-Pokal by second-tier side Kaiserslautern in midweek.

Midfielder Simon Rolfes claims that defeat will not unsettle them for Saturday, though.

“Unfortunately, losing is part of football. You cannot win always,” he said on the club’s website.

“However, we can still go into the derby full of self-confidence.

“We have to deal with this defeat, and we have done that, and now we have to prepare ourselves mentally for the derby.”

Cologne’s top scorer from last season Milivoje Novakovic has recovered from a groin strain and returns to the squad, although midweek cup hero Manasseh Ishiaku should keep his place alongside Podolski in attack.

Leverkusen will have to do without Lars Bender, who has been included in the Germany squad for the Under-20 World Cup.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: bayer leverkusen, Bayern, bayern munich, bender, cologne, dfb pokal, Germany, germany squad, groin strain, kaiserslautern, lars, Lars Bender, league game, Lukas Podolski, midweek, novakovic, rhine, self confidence, simon rolfes, striker, stuttgart, top scorer, World Cup

Germany cruise past South Africa

September 6, 2009

Mario Gomez and Mesut Oezil scored either side of half-time to give Germany a comfortable 2-0 friendly win over FIFA World Cup hosts South Africa.

With Germany facing Azerbaijan in Hanover in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, coach Joachim Low got the dominance he had demanded in the game’s build-up with his side rarely troubled by Bafana Bafana. Lone striker Gomez scored his 11th international goal midway through the first-half before Oezil showed great composure to score his first goal for Germany.

Low introduced a different attacking system, with Oezil and Marko Marin on the flanks and Gomez in the centre. Before kick-off, Germany stalwart Bernd Schneider was honoured to mark his contribution to the national team after been forced to retire earlier this year with a back injury, having won 81 caps for his country.

However, Germany’s next generation showed their talent with 20-year-old Marin impressing as he won his seventh cap. The Werder Bremen play-maker made the first significant inroad into the South African defence just before Bayern Munich striker Gomez beat goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez on 37 minutes.

Fernandez, who plays for German second division side Arminia Bielefeld, was powerless to stop Gomez’s shot after Oezil and captain Michael Ballack combined to set up the Bayern striker. South Africa responded immediately and forced Rene Adler into an excellent save.

Low opted to switch his attack after the break as Bayern striker Miroslav Klose came on to win his 90th cap alongside Cologne’s Lukas Podolski. Oezil, who made his first start for Germany, hit the second when Klose found the Bremen midfielder with a diagonal pass and Oezil was ice-cool with his finishing on 77 minutes to seal the win.

Since succeeding Jurgen Klinsmann as national coach in August 2006, Loew has now registered 29 wins, six losses and six draws as well as having reached the final of Euro 2008 when his team lost 1-0 to Spain in Vienna last June.

Abhimanyu Rajput