Germany vs Brazil is Euro 2012 casting instead of Ballack farewell
By Arne Richter Aug 3, 2011, 12:22 GMT
Berlin - Michael Ballack appears to have no late change of heart which means that Germany's friendly with Brazil next week will be no farewell match for the former captain but another test of young talent.
Germany coach Joachim Loew, who picks his squad on Thursday, had offered Ballack a chance to play a 99th and final match against the record World Cup winners on August 10 in Stuttgart.
But Ballack, 34, declined the offer in a brief spat with Loew over the way the end of his Germany career was announced - by Loew and not the player.
Loew and the DFB said Ballack had been told in March that his Germany career was over and that they made the announcement two months ago after Ballack was not reachable. Ballack said Loew gave no indication in March he was no longer wanted and said it had been agreed that he would announce his retirement in the off-season.
Neither side appears keen to raise the issue again ahead of Loew's nomination and the game against Brazil which is the national team curtain-raiser for a season culminating in Euro 2012 in June.
With Ballack not present, Loew could test the likes of Sven Bender from champions Borussia Dortmund or Wolfsburg's Christian Traesch in defensive midfield after they missed Euro qualifiers in June for injury reasons.
Both are seen as backups to the established Bastian Schweinsteiger/Sami Khedira pairing and expected to make the squad on Thursday. So is young Marco Reus from Borussia Moenchengladbach, and possibly even Ilkay Guendogan, now at Dortmund after a strong past season at Nuremberg.
Schweinsteiger will return from injury along with new Bayern Munich team-mate Jerome Boateng and Miroslav Klose, who has left Munich for Italy's Lazio. Defender Per Mertesacker may also be invited back after returning from injury at Werder Bremen.
How much information Loew will get out of the game remains open as it comes right at the start of the season, with the Bundesliga having played just one round and players from other leagues still in pre-season training.
Source: Monsters And Critics
SO... no reasons to see this game.
But I have to say that I am really proud of him, sincerely.
He's a man of his word, does not go back as far. And he's right, after all, who has THE RIGHT to choose when to retire is the athlete, not the coach.
That's why I love this man.
~~~~~~There is only ONE CAPITANO~~~~~~