Does anybody have any input on the inclusion of Arminia Bielefeld's Patrik Owomoyela? See story at link below: http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3211302
Actually he is more a defender with good offensive skills (mainly on the right side). Played really good in the last couple of weeks, so I think its a good idea to give him a try. I think Klinsmann does a good job by giving the younger players the oppurtunity to play in the national team.
The one I'm interested in is Steffen Hofman, who plays for Rapid Vienna. He is considering taking citizenship here and playing for Austria, but Klinsmann is likely to call him up for at least one game at some point - even if it isn't during the Asia tour. He could have a lengthy career with the Austrian national team if he chooses to, so it will be really interesting to see his decision. Either way he'll probably be leaving Vienna at the end of the season. http://www.kurier.at/sport/818898.php
Another important reason to pick Owomoyela is to "secure" him for the german team. He has the double citizenship and once he played for Germany he can`t play for Nigeria anymore.
More News... Klinsmann unveils new faces by Chris Ives - Last Updated 2 Dec 2004 Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has included three new faces in his squad to tour the Far East later this month. Arminia Bielefeld midfielder Patrick Owomoyela, Schalke left back Christian Pander and Wolfsburg goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch have all been nominated for the 22-man squad to face Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Klinsmann will be without his four Stuttgart players for the tour's opening match against Japan, but Timo Hildebrand, Andreas Hinkel, Philipp Lahm and Kevin Kuranyi will join the squad after their club's final Uefa Cup match on December 15. English-based players Jens Lehmann, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Moritz Volz are all missing from the squad due to Premiership club duties, but Chelsea's Robert Huth has been given permission to join the tour. Full squad: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Timo Hildebrand (Stuttgart), Simon Jentzsch (Wolfsburg), Robert Huth (Chelsea), Per Mertesacker (Hannover), Christian Worns (Dortmund), Andreas Hinkel (Stuttgart), Philipp Lahm (Stuttgart), Patrick Owomoyela (Bielefeld), Christian Pander (Schalke), Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Torsten Frings (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Fabian Ernst (Bremen), Frank Baumann (Bremen), Tim Borowski (Bremen), Bernd Schneider (Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bremen), Kevin Kuranyi (Stuttgart), Thomas Brdaric (Wolfsburg), Gerald Asamoah (Schalke), Lukas Podolski (Cologne).
i know klinsi said he wont tire out the players that need rest ,but if u look at the midfield all players come from bayern,leverkusen and bremen the three teams in champions league so im dissapointed he dint call another midfielder cuz i think we need to take this chance and experiment without ballack ,he could get injured before the worldcup and its all over cuz we depended too much on him and never tried out a plan b. i wouldve loved to see deisler get some match practice but oh well and i know friedrich just came back from injury but it was only like a three week injury. i expect owmoyela to play two games ,one at right back the other in midfield and maybe klinsi will try out different formations other than 4-4-2 just to experiment
As long as Owomoyela was born in Germany(which he was) I'm fine with him playing for us. I was wondering if he would be called up eventually. Pander is another pleasant surprise. This boy can't just be a sub for Lahm. IMO he must be converted to DM. He's got fantastic vision. Jenztsch I don't really like.
Very surprising for me as Owomoyela was a topic of discussion during the Bundesliga hightlight show only last week and suddenly he gets the cap... maybe Klinsmann watches the highlights show too. I think he is a pretty solid RB, but since this is one position Germany do not have to worry about I feel others will be ahead of him in the line up. and HALLELUYAH!!!! Christian Pander, the younger Christian Ziege finally gets a call!!! I really like this player, has accurate passing skills. Jenztsch deserves a call due to his form, but if that's the case I would have chosen Rost who has been amazing recently. Only downfall is his temper and that may have been the deterrent for Klinsmann omitting him, don't need to add another player to join in on the Kahn Lehmann feud.
Hofmann just became the first ever German to win the Austrian "Footballer of the Year" award. Still, he is virtually unknown in Germany.
Huth already out with Friedrich replacing him. Frings also deemed unfit with Engelhart taking his place. Now Christian Pander is out, ahh this disappoints me as I really think this guy has the talent to make the National Team. Christian Schulz replaces him, seen this guy play once... effective player but nothing special. I don't think the German team will be play that well as their minds will be set on vacation.
Bring in new guys will give the team more energy as well as more competition.Nobody should slack off even the arrogant Kahn.That is a quite positive signal for the team which was famous for its teamwork and spirit.A thumb to wise Klinsmann!!!!