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Teams keep players guessing
Source: Agencies |
June 1, 2010, Tuesday
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GERMANY is eyeing the World Cup semifinals despite the loss of five players to injury including captain Michael Ballack, new skipper Philipp Lahm said yesterday.
Defender Heiko Westermann became the latest victim for the three-time World Cup winner when he was injured in stoppage time during its 3-0 win over Hungary on Saturday.
Christian Traesch also dropped out of the 27-man squad after starting keeper Rene Adler and midfielder Simon Rolfes were ruled out.
"The team cannot be allowed to be influenced by these injuries," Lahm, named as captain only last week, told reporters.
"The big aim is the semifinals but you first have to deal with the group stage. We want to get into the semis and the team does indeed dream of more than that," he said.
Germany has been drawn in Group D alongside Ghana, Serbia and Australia for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa.
The German team had its second unannounced visit by doping testers yesterday.
The injuries have also meant that coach Joachim Loew, who has ruled out any new call-ups, must reshuffle his midfield.
Lahm, who plays at right back for Bayern Munich, said he would be uncomfortable if he had to switch to a defensive midfield role.
"For a player it is easier if he always plays in the same position and I would prefer to play right. Don't even think I would play as a defensive midfielder. I have played that position only once in six years," he said.
Fabio Capello knows his final England World Cup squad but said he won't divulge it until today's deadline, while Italy's Marcelli Lippi still needs to cut five players.
Although some of the 32 World Cup teams have already named the 23 players, others are holding out until the last minute.
Capello revealed that he now knew the 23 he wanted to carry England's hopes. He just wasn't going to say who they were.
"You have to wait until June 1," he said. "I know. You have to wait."
That means checking on the fitness of midfielder Gareth Barry, who hasn't kicked a ball since he was injured playing for Manchester City on May 5. But he has also left the likes of Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock, Tom Huddlestone, Darren Bent, Michael Carrick, Michael Dawson, Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips wondering whether they will be going to South Africa.
Defending the title his team won four years ago in Berlin, Italian coach Lippi needs to cut players from his provisional 28 - forwards Marco Borriello, Fabio Quagliarella and Giuseppe Rossi are in the firing line.
But Lippi, who will be replaced by Cesare Prandelli after the World Cup, is not giving any clues.
"Just have some patience and on Tuesday evening you'll know everything," the veteran coach said on Sunday.
Despite lingering injury problems, Spain has already named its final squad and so have other leading contenders such as Brazil, Argentina, and the Netherlands. France coach Raymond Domenech has said he is sticking with the provisional 23 he has already named.
Defender Heiko Westermann became the latest victim for the three-time World Cup winner when he was injured in stoppage time during its 3-0 win over Hungary on Saturday.
Christian Traesch also dropped out of the 27-man squad after starting keeper Rene Adler and midfielder Simon Rolfes were ruled out.
"The team cannot be allowed to be influenced by these injuries," Lahm, named as captain only last week, told reporters.
"The big aim is the semifinals but you first have to deal with the group stage. We want to get into the semis and the team does indeed dream of more than that," he said.
Germany has been drawn in Group D alongside Ghana, Serbia and Australia for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa.
The German team had its second unannounced visit by doping testers yesterday.
The injuries have also meant that coach Joachim Loew, who has ruled out any new call-ups, must reshuffle his midfield.
Lahm, who plays at right back for Bayern Munich, said he would be uncomfortable if he had to switch to a defensive midfield role.
"For a player it is easier if he always plays in the same position and I would prefer to play right. Don't even think I would play as a defensive midfielder. I have played that position only once in six years," he said.
Fabio Capello knows his final England World Cup squad but said he won't divulge it until today's deadline, while Italy's Marcelli Lippi still needs to cut five players.
Although some of the 32 World Cup teams have already named the 23 players, others are holding out until the last minute.
Capello revealed that he now knew the 23 he wanted to carry England's hopes. He just wasn't going to say who they were.
"You have to wait until June 1," he said. "I know. You have to wait."
That means checking on the fitness of midfielder Gareth Barry, who hasn't kicked a ball since he was injured playing for Manchester City on May 5. But he has also left the likes of Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock, Tom Huddlestone, Darren Bent, Michael Carrick, Michael Dawson, Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips wondering whether they will be going to South Africa.
Defending the title his team won four years ago in Berlin, Italian coach Lippi needs to cut players from his provisional 28 - forwards Marco Borriello, Fabio Quagliarella and Giuseppe Rossi are in the firing line.
But Lippi, who will be replaced by Cesare Prandelli after the World Cup, is not giving any clues.
"Just have some patience and on Tuesday evening you'll know everything," the veteran coach said on Sunday.
Despite lingering injury problems, Spain has already named its final squad and so have other leading contenders such as Brazil, Argentina, and the Netherlands. France coach Raymond Domenech has said he is sticking with the provisional 23 he has already named.
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