Metzelder back for Germany...

[Timonator]

METZELDER BACK FOR GERMANY

Borussia Dortmund defender Christoph Metzelder has been included in a Germany squad for the first time since suffering a succession of serious injuries that threatened to end his career.

His last appearance in a Germany shirt was on February 12 2003 when he was involved in Germany's 3-1 friendly defeat with Spain before tearing cruciate ligaments and spending almost two years on the sidelines.

"Christian has been given a lot of time since his serious injury to work his way back into the national team and he has done this patiently," said Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who will be hoping to welcome an in-form Metzelder into his misfiring defence.

"After talking with Dortmund coach Bert van Marwijk, we believe he is ready to move back up to international level," he added.

"We already know of his qualities as a leader on the field and now he must forget about his fear of injury."

Klinsmann will invite 28 players to an initial fitness test in Hamburg on 3 and 4 October with Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm and Gerald Asamoah of Schalke also asked along despite the fact they are both recovering from injury.

From those 28, Klinsmann will retain 21 for the upcoming international friendlies against Turkey on 8 October and China four days later with Jens Lehmann, Christian Worns, Sebastian Kehl and Andreas Hinkel dropping out while Mike Hanke will join the under-21's.

"Christian is not included because we want to take a look at Metzelder and Robert Huth this time," explained Klinsmann.

"We have a good competition for places in central defence and Per Mertesacker and Lukas Sinkiewicz are currently ahead.

"On the right hand side of defence, Patrick Owomoyela and Arne Friedrich have the upper hand over Andreas Hinkel."

Meanwhile, Oliver Neuville will be given another chance to prove himself in attack after missing out through injury in recent squad-selections.
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Squad


Timo Hildebrand (Stuttgart), Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich)

Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Chelsea) :D, Marcell Jansen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Per Mertesacker (Hannover), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund) :clap , Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen), Lukas Sinkiewicz (Cologne)

Michael Ballack, Sebastian Deisler, Bastian Schweinsteiger (all Bayern Munich), Tim Borowski, Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Fabian Ernst (Schalke), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)

Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Monchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)



Good to see Chris back in the team after his bad injury. I hope he stabilises our defense. :USA_Blue

[The Southern Dandy]

Marco Engelhardt deserves another chance. However, it's nice to see Ollie back in the squad.

[Barje]

I like this squad, altho i still think Hanke shouldnt be dropped of friendlies because of his ban.

[Timonator]

Let's pray for Olli that he won't get more than 3 goals :D I want to see the "0" again :USA_Blue

[The Southern Dandy]

Let's pray for Olli that he won't get more than 3 goals :D I want to see the "0" again :USA_Blue

By Olli I meant Neuville. Kahn can go **** himself.

[Timonator]

I know that you meant him ;) it's obvious that you don't like "the monkey" :D

What I really care about, is our defense. It always stresses me when we get so many goals :devil

[Ballack13]

This is the squad I have been wanting for a while. Only problem is why the hell does Klinsmann keep calling up sorry ass Hitzlesperger? Hes crap. Why no kehl?

Nice to see Metzelder finally back. Metzelder and Mertesacker in defense looks very promising. Along with Jansen and Friedrich...the defense is finally starting to look good. Add Lahm and that it is world class.

Glad to see Neuville back as well.

Only thing that is really missing now is a true defensive midfielder like Jeremies or Gattuso..etc.

[Timonator]

Hey, come on Balla13...why calling Hitz an ass? I mean he doesn't deserve to be in the NT atm, but you shouldn't call him an ass! It was Klinsis decision to call him up ;)

[Ballack13]

Hey, come on Balla13...why calling Hitz an ass? I mean he doesn't deserve to be in the NT atm, but you shouldn't call him an ass! It was Klinsis decision to call him up ;)

Lol, true....nothing personal against Hitz but he has no place in the squad. Only reason to call him up would be to play at leftback which we all know is a disaster waiting to happen. Obviously he is not good enough to play in the midfield so whats the point of calling him? Englehardt, Kehl, etc...are better.

[The Southern Dandy]

Engelhardt and Kehl are the midfielders of choice to be called up as well.

[bastian]

agree with balla , hitz sucks, he's currently the worst NT player IMO.

[Timonator]

lol I didn't say that he plays good, just said that no player (especially when he's actually a nice person) should be called an ass. He said himself that he is dissapointed of how he played in past games and that he can play better than that.

He works hard in training and this still gives me hope, to see better games of him :USA_Blue

I agree that he doesn't deserve a place in the NT at the moment.

[Coldplay]

Kehl, Trochowski, Hanke, Lauth should be tried......

I may prefer Kiessling to Neuville, he is doing so well this season so far

[orswich]

kehl was tried and did well in WC 2002

a true fighter, but must prove his self control.. last year he had a breakdown and was out of control..
although this year he looks more mature and can use his aggressiveness as an asset

[Valmiki]

I prefer Hinkel to Owomoyela.

I think Freidrich is better defenisively but Hinkel is a better attacking full back.
Owomoyela is a distant third in my opinion.

Happy to see Metzelder selected.

[max morlock]

It is too soon for Metzelder.He has not played one good game so far this season and this forum said so.This call up with put more pressure on him and I hope he does not injure himself in trying to impress too much.

If Mertesacker and Sinkiewicz are ahead as Klinsmann said then god help them as they will be destroyed in the World Cup Finals.

[Faram|R]

Finally Metzelder is back!! Metzelder + Mertesacker looks good... I think another player is missing - Kehl ... don't know why Klinsmann is still have a faith on Hitz though..

[Coldplay]

Kehl and Trochowski should replace Borowski and Hitz

Trochowski can be put on the left, cant he? That will be a logical / sensible replacement of Schweini on the LM position. This will be far better than using Ernst or Schneider on the LM.

I have no idea why Neuville is still there. the 32 year old, has passed his best days ages ago. Why not Odonkor who is praised recently or Kiessling, who is such a big talent.

[shot_stopper91]

Looks like Woerns does'nt have a place in the national team anymore :D

[HK_fan]

Borowski doesn't work badly in the midfield. I think he deserves a place.
Woerns ?!! Please don't !
Kehl....mmm....it's difficult to say. I can't see his role in the midfield at present because there are so many good midfield players in NTnow. I was quite impressed by his performance in WC 2002 as he played as CB/sweeper at that time. However, he has never played in such position again for Dortmund. I really doubt whether he will get used to the position again.
Hitz....not a good choice too. He will be treated like a fool if he plays as LB again.

[elmubarak]

please no trochoswki, kiessling n odonkor. not yet. if they play consistently fr now to january, then yes . but not now. not yet

[max morlock]

Trochowski should be in the squad.He is the best player at Hamburgh-Bayern.He creates one goal and scores the other while er...er...Deisler sits on the reserves.
Okay-one good game and he has been called up to Germany-but it is one more good game than Deisler and Huth have played.

[Timonator]

If Trochowski would have been the best Bayern player, why didn't he play for them?! And why did they let him go? ;)

Troch played most of his Bayern games for the amateurs. And now call him up, b/c he scored a goal and played 2 or 3 good games? NO. I agree with Elmubarak...it's not good to call up too many young player, especially when they played only 2 or 3 good games.

[The Southern Dandy]

Exactly. You don't call up players just becaue they had a few good games in a row. It's imperative that you witness a long, successful run and then call up said player. Just common sense.

[Timonator]

lol LMAO :laugh

Just saw an interview of Wörns and he's so pissed off that Klinsi didn't call him up! He thinks about never playing for the NT again :laugh

[The Southern Dandy]

What a shame that would be.

[ACBerb]

Just saw an interview of Wörns and he's so pissed off that Klinsi didn't call him up! He thinks about never playing for the NT again :laugh

Nothing like an old veteran bowing out gracefully for one game, and I though it was the young hot-heads that pulled stunts like this. Me thinks he can keep his awesome ball clearing abilities (like in the game against the Dutch) for the Dortmund squad!
:rolleyes:

[Coldplay]

So how about Hanke then? He has proved his ability in U21, Confederation cup etc........

I think Trochowski should be called. Yeah, this may be his first season with regular match practice but well, we all heard about his amazing potential years ago. And we definitely need a replacement of Schweini on the left. One great match he played out of this season is far better than other NT players such as Huth, Hitz who have never produced any sound performance this season

[The Southern Dandy]

Neither Huth or Hitz should be called up. You know who should be though?

Engelhardt, Kehl and Alexander Madlung.

[ACBerb]

So how about Hanke then? He has proved his ability in U21, Confederation cup

Was that ability or stupidity? :redcard
Just jokin'... I agree with bring Hanke into the senior squad, he's been in form lately

[Coldplay]

Engelhardt will only be another DM/CM player in our squad. Similar type, we already have Frings, Borowski, Ernst in the squad. Engelhardt cant differentiate himself from these veteran playeers as well. Frings has the experience and doing extremely well this season with Bremen. Borowski lacks class but he is a solid DM, and he seems to do well with the NT as well, last match he plays as a starter, he scored a nice goal and produce some good performance. Ernst, WAS actually one of the best midfielders in Bundesliga last season and the season before.

I agree with ur selection of Kehl, no doubt. and Madlung as well , if he can establish himself as a regular start in Hertha( i prefer him to Huth at anytime tho).But what we really need is a CREATIVE PLAYER. Schweini is ok, but other than him, Deisler is simply experiencing his worst days; Schneider has to be LD or RD in some occasions, and Ballack has to be responsible for so many other things. Thats why i said Trochowski is an ideal selection

[Valmiki]

Was that ability or stupidity? :redcard
Just jokin'... I agree with bring Hanke into the senior squad, he's been in form lately

Hanke would make a significant positive diffference. Any update on Klinsmann's efforts to get his 2 match WC 2006 ban revoked??

[scorpion2a]

In my opinion, I'd call Kehl and drop out Ernst. He's not catching up the harmony neither at the NT nor at Werder. His only advantage is his good fitness. But he's clumsy just like Huth. Borowsky is solid and very stable. Trochowsky's time didn't come yet. His position is already loaded in the midfield. If U want to put him then drop out Ballack! Besides, he's right footed while Schneider plays with both feet almost equal. I'm very optimistic about Klinsmann's faith in Sinkiewicz.

[Faram|R]

I think we do not need any new player anymore... since there is only few more friendlies before the world cup, I think Klinsmann must now think about his regular starter.... hopefully Lahm will be fit before next year...

[Michael Thurk]

I really want to know why Metzelder is in the squad. He plays a bad season and made more mistakes than Woerns. On Saturday, Metzelder had no chance against Mohammed Zidan with his great technical skills.

[Ballack13]

I really want to know why Metzelder is in the squad. He plays a bad season and made more mistakes than Woerns. On Saturday, Metzelder had no chance against Mohammed Zidan with his great technical skills.

Dude, have you seen Huth and Woerns for the NT? They are terrible. At least we know Metzelder has the talent and ability...he may not be in great form but he is still fast and athletic unlike Huth and Woerns. As long as he doesnt get injured, him playing for the NT again can only help him along. Mertesacker needs a quality partner. Its either gonna be Metz or Sinkiewitz.