Germany NT - NEWS thread

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Hildebrand Blasts Löw For Lack Of Respect

Valencia goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand has hit out at German national team trainer Joachim Löw for showing him a lack of respect following his decision to omit him from the European Championship squad.

The former Stuttgart keeper was the one surprise omission from the 26 man preliminary squad announced last week by Bundestrainer Jogi Löw with Jens Lehmann, Rene Adler and Robert Enke the keepers selected.

Hildebrand has reacted angrily at the fact that Löw left it up to goalkeeping coach Andreas Köpke to break the news to him, rather than doing it face to face.

“The national coach did not tell me personally. I take that as a lack of respect for me” he told the Bild am Sonntag.

“I was the Germany number two for many years, put myself in the service of the team - and was then booted out.

“I am angry and disappointed, irritated and empty at the same time. It is a nightmare, and it will last till I have worked through it all.”

Hildebrand also blasted the selection of Lehmann as Germany's number one even though he has not featured regularly for his club side Arsenal.

“I have played 40 matches. Other goalkeepers have scarcely played. As a professional you need game time - I have it, he does not. I am not at the Euros, he is in goal.”

Goal.com - Germany - Hildebrand Blasts Löw For Lack Of Respect

[BlackNess]

^^ Valencia Ha ....

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I agree with Hildebrand.

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I don't really feel sorry for Hildebrand. He ruined his own career by moving to Valencia. What a disastrous season they had.

[BlackNess]

Originally Posted by Trim

I don't really feel sorry for Hildebrand. He ruined his own career by moving to Valencia. What a disastrous season they had.

This is exactly my point, he is the only one to pay for his decisions, end of it .

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Matthias Sammer bleibt bis 2013 DFB-Sportdirektor

Matthias Sammer bleibt bis 2013 Sportdirektor des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes (DFB). Wie der DFB am Samstag bekanntgab, verlängerte der 74-malige Nationalspieler und Europameister von 1996 seinen Vertrag vorzeitig um zwei Jahre. Sammer hatte den neu geschaffenen Posten des Sportdirektors am 1. April 2006 angetreten und zunächst einen Fünf-Jahres-Vertrag...

Matthias Sammer bleibt bis 2013 DFB-Sportdirektor - transfermarkt.de

Matthias Sammer has extended his contract as the sporting director of the German FA (DFB).

Sammer, who played 74 matches as a professional footballer for Germany and won the European championship in 1996, has extended his contract for two more years - until 2013.

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Well not everyone has a chance to play abroad and since the Euro was coming up Hilde probably thought that playing in a top league like La Liga would probably lift his chances of becoming the number 1, well you have to admit, Valencia arent a bad side to be with.

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Ballack Caught Up In Row, Beenhakker Apologises

Poland coach Leo Beenhakker has apologised to Michael Ballack after a Polish newspaper depicted him holding up the decapitated heads of Germany coach Joachim Löw and Ballack himself...

Polish daily Super Express photoshopped the image in the build-up to the two sides' meeting on Sunday in Klagenfurt.

They still carry a sense of rivalry since World War II and have never beaten the Germans before. Despite Beenhakker himself branding the "bring us their heads" captioned feature as "sick", UEFA have also attempted to placate the controversy.

A spokesman declared: "We are aware of the pictures. It's not something we should condone, people should be talking about the football.

"There is a healthy rivalry but there is a limit. We are hopeful the talking will be done on the pitch."

Sick People

Beenhakker, who himself is Dutch, spoke to Bild about the images: "That is rubbish. It shows that all over the world there are sick people. I distance myself from it totally.

"I hope I can speak in the name of many Polish people, but at least I speak in the name of the Polish team and everybody around it.

"We want to say that we apologize to the German people for what was yesterday on the front page of a certain paper in Poland.

"It was an awful thing, and we want to totally distance ourselves from these, let me say, weird and dirty and sick people who think they have to represent Poland this way in relation to Euro 2008.

"But I have said from the first day that we knew our opponents, that we have to separate and stay totally away from these emotions and sentimental things and within the team just focus on the game ... I don't lose any time on this emotional and, as we have seen, sometimes dirty occasions."

The chairman of Bundestag's sport committee, Peter Danckert, slammed the daily for the publication: "This photo-montage is a scandal. I hope that the Polish government reacts appropriately to it."

Germany coach Löw did his utmost to ignore the paper, declaring: "What was in one newspaper is not representative ... Polish and German fans were together celebrating the match at the World Cup two years ago

"I have a very high opinion of Beenhakker and he is very humane and very open."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Ballack Caught Up In Row, Beenhakker Apologises

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Ballack Blasts Polish Propaganda

Germany captain Michael Ballack has added to the chorus of complaints over a mock-up image of his severed head on the front page of a Polish newspaper…

Super Express published the picture as a provocative battle cry ahead of Poland’s opening match of the EURO finals against Germany, and the stunt has drawn scathing criticism from all quarters.

Poland coach Leo Beenhakker has registered his disgust at the image, which depicted him brandishing the severed heads of Ballack and German coach Joachim Low, labelling it “mad, dirty and sick”.

Another Polish newspaper depicted Ballack wearing a Prussian helmet, recalling the 15th century battle in which the Poles defeated the Teutonic knights.

The German parliament have hit out against both publications, the sports commission chairman Peter Danckert intent on addressing his Polish counterparts regarding the “absolute scandal”.

Concerned

Ballack revealed his disappointment in the pictures, and lamented the way certain sections of the public have brushed them off as typical workaday journalism.

"We have seen the pictures and it doesn't really make us jump for joy," said the Chelsea midfielder. "There are some people who are cynical enough to just accept this is an everyday occurrence and there is nothing you can do about it.

"But I for one am a little bit more concerned about it. This is just a football match and this sort of thing should not be printed."

Keen

The 31-year-old heads into the EURO finals on the back some fine form for the Blues, his attacking presence from midfield proving vital as Chelsea reached the Champions League final and challenged strongly for domestic honours.

The former Bayern Munich man has flourished this year after initially failing to settle at Stamford Bridge, and he is hopeful of continuing in the same vein in Austria and Switzerland.

"I have been fortunate enough recently to collect lots of compliments on my form and that is something I am keen to transfer to the Germany side," he said.

"I am happy to play in the Premier League. It's a competition which encourages players to give only their very best week in, week out and you have to be 100%."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Ballack Blasts Polish Propaganda

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Sammer To Remain With DFB

Despite growing rumours linking him with a possible move, Matthias Sammer has confirmed that he will be staying in his role as technical director with the German Football Association (DFB).

Sammer has recently been linked with the vacant Czech Republic national team job, while Turkish giants Galatasaray were also reported to be interested in the 40 year old.

However, Sammer has confirmed that he will be remaining with the DFB, with whom he has a contract until 2011.

“For me it’s about finishing the work I have started at the DFB” Sammer explained. “Any offers I receive are pointless.”

Sammer has set himself specific targets within his role as technical director and desperately wants to achieve them. “We still have to achieve a few things” Sammer added.

Sammer was capped 51 times by Germany (with a further 23 caps for the former East Germany) during his playing career which took in Dynamo Dresden, Stuttgart, Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund.

He had two managerial stints after he stopped playing at Dortmund (winning the Bundesliga in 2002) and Stuttgart.

Goal.com - Germany - Sammer To Remain With DFB

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Löw Looking To South Africa 2010

With the disappointment of the Euro 2008 final loss still fresh in his mind, German national team trainer Joachim Löw has turned his thoughts very quickly to qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Bundestrainer Jogi Löw has outlined his thoughts on the goalkeeping question, a possible new tactical line-up, the mood following the European Championships and the challenge of Russia in the upcoming qualifiers.

Looking back on the summer’s Euro 2008 finals Löw said: “Our team showed a lot of positives”.

Following the 1-0 loss to Spain in the final in Vienna, Löw admitted that the better side had won.

Despite that Löw explained that: “In the past two or three years, we have made superb developments.”

This development is by no means at an end Löw stressed. He believes it is a huge plus that young players such as Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger Philipp Lahm and Per Mertesacker have already reached 50 caps at their young ages.

“They haven’t reached their peak of performance” Löw said. He added the likes of Marcell Jansen and Mario Gomez to that list, while not ruling out a few more young up-and-coming stars for 2010.

The trainer also believes that Germany will step up to the challenge of qualifying for the next World Cup even though they have been drawn in the same group as the increasingly impressive Russia.

Germany play the Russians at home in Dortmund on 11 October, whereas they travel to Russia 12 months later on 10 October 2009.

“Everybody saw during the European Championships how good the Russians are” Löw explained. “That was good, because before the Euros everyone was saying we had an easy draw.”

Alongside the Euro 2008 semi-finalists, Germany will face Finland, Wales, Azerbaijan, and Liechtenstein. The group winners will go through automatically whereas the eight best runners up will enter a play-off.

“We are convinced that we will master the qualification for the World Cup” Löw vowed.

The mood in the camp will need improving he said referring to the small dispute between captain Michael Ballack and manager Oliver Bierhoff following the loss to Spain in the final.

“There is always tension” Löw admitted, “But there is no drama and no loss of discipline. It as pure emotion, both have shaken hands and it’s all okay.”

The question as to who will be the number one goalkeeper is one that still needs an answer. 38 year old Jens Lehmann is expected to stand down as the first choice keeper and concentrate on his new club Stuttgart.

“Of course at a certain point in time there is going to be a generation change. But a decision will be met first of all after talking to Jens.”

Germany seemingly has a plethora of talented keepers to choose from with Schalke’s Manuel Neuer, and Leverkusen’s Rene Adler the two prominent candidates. Timo Hildebrand, Tim Wiese, Michael Rensing, and Robert Enke will also be hoping their names remain in the frame.

Regarding tactics, Löw is refusing to rule out a change from his trusted 4-4-2. In the future the tactical line-up will be adapted from game to game.

“I have not changed my basic philosophy within the past four weeks. I will play with two strikers if they are in form. In Austria and Switzerland that wasn’t always the case.”

Goal.com - Germany - Löw Looking To South Africa 2010

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GERMANY NOT ON WORLD CUP STANDBY

The president of the German Football Association has revealed Germany is not one of the countries on standby to host the 2010 World Cup should South Africa be unable to stage the event.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter recently claimed three countries were in line to step in should South Africa not be ready for the tournament in two years' time.

Fears over South Africa's preparations have arisen since it emerged the new stadium in Port Elizabeth had fallen behind schedule and would not be ready in time to stage Confederations Cup games next summer.

But German FA (DFB) chief Theo Zwanziger feels staging the World Cup for the second time in four years would be too much to ask for the 2006 hosts.

"Our country is fundamentally not ready to host the 2010 World Cup if the problems in South Africa are not resolved in time," he told the Cologne Express.

"We would be barking up the wrong tree if we tried to repeat the fantastic summer fairytale of 2006."

Despite insisting only a natural disaster could prevent South Africa from staging the event, Blatter has still put a plan B into place.

But Germany, it appears, does not figure in this plan.

"Mr Blatter has not yet contacted the DFB with regards to this and has not informed us of his intentions either," said DFB spokesman Harald Stenger.

SportingLife.com

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DFB DENY EURO 2012 REPORT

The German Football Association have dismissed a report claiming they have been approached by UEFA to step in and co-host Euro 2012 with Poland.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the 2006 World Cup hosts had been put on standby to rescue the tournament after planning for work on stadium upgrades in Ukraine fell behind schedule.

However, German FA (DFB) president Dr Theo Zwanziger is refusing to jump the gun ahead of a UEFA meeting in Bordeaux at the end of September.

"We are not getting involved in any imaginary games or speculation about the 2012 European Championship," he told Tuesday's Bild newspaper.

"Should there be any difficulties, then UEFA president (Michel) Platini will make suggestions."

After staging one of the most successful tournaments in recent years in 2006, Germany has already been tipped as a reserve host for the 2010 World Cup should South Africa have any problems, or suffer a natural disaster, that would prevent them from hosting the event.

The DFB have already distanced themselves from such reports with Zwanziger recently saying Germany is "fundamentally not ready for the 2010 World Cup" and that they would be "barking up the wrong tree" in trying to repeat the atmosphere of the 2006 World Cup so soon.

SportingLife.com

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Sammer: Euro Celebration Was Unjustified

German national team director of Sport Matthias Sammer has criticised the celebrations held for the German team after they lost the Euro 2008 final to Spain calling the celebrations unjustified.

On their return from Vienna after losing the final to Spain, the national squad was given a party at the Brandenburg Gate in front of an estimated 100,000 fans.

Sammer has hit out at the fact the U-19 side that recently won the European title were given no such reception and that as a losing side the senior side didn’t warrant a celebration.

"I don't think it is right that players lose a European Championships final and then celebrate in front of the fans in Berlin as if they had won the game" he said at a trainers' conference in Wiesbaden.

"That makes it hard for me to explain that to an Under-19 player and still try to squeeze a winning mentality out of him.

"I could tell with the Under-19s that the celebrations had annoyed a few players."

German trainer Joachim Löw