Frings can only get better

Fit again after a season ravaged by a cruciate ligament injury, Torsten Frings is back in the Germany squad and dreaming of victory in the UEFA EURO 2008™ final in Vienna.

First choice
Frings played just eleven Bundesliga games this term, two more in the UEFA Champions League and he last featured for Germany in a 3-0 defeat by the Czech Republic on 17 October 2007. Nonetheless, he remains one of the first names on national coach Joachim Löw’s team sheet. “The coach always tells me I am in the squad if I am fit,” he said. “So I’ve always had an eye on the EURO.”

Knee injury
Frings’ misfortunes began in July 2007 when he damaged cruciate ligaments in his right knee during a pre-season friendly. The Werder Bremen midfielder was to make two comebacks from the injury, but both were curtailed by recurrences of the same problem. “I feel as if I am being dogged by misfortune,” the battling anchor man said. “It just hasn’t been my year.”

Back on song
Frings returned to the Bremen squad for good for their 25th Bundesliga match of the season, helping them win six of their last eight fixtures to finish second in the table. Given the 31-year-old’s excellent form, Löw has been watching closely, congratulating him after a fine 25-metre goal against FC Hansa Rostock. Frings said: “Joachim Löw congratulated me. He is delighted that I am fit again.”

Tournament player
And with good reason. The former BV Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern München star is known as a tournament player. “Torsten can work his way into a championship and that is why he is so important to us,” explained Löw. Having scored ten goals in 70 internationals, Frings is hungry for finals action again, having been suspended for Germany’s 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-final exit against Italy.

Confidence soaring
His confidence soaring, Frings believes Germany are capable of winning UEFA EURO 2008™. “In my opinion, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, France and ourselves have the best chance of taking the title,” he said. A winner’s medal to go with his runners-up award from the 2002 World Cup remains the ultimate prize. “Winning in the final would be a dream come true. I’d do anything for that.”

source: uefa.com

View Torsten Frings’s profile with pictures and videos

Austria’s Martin Harnik: “Austria Wants to Be a Successful Host”

In the latest of a series of interviews ahead of Euro 2008, Austria and Werder Bremen striker Martin Harnik talks about playing Germany in Group B and whether his Bundesliga experience will be an advantage.

Harnik started training with Werder Bremen’s professional squad in the 2006/07 season after a spell with the club’s amateurs in the German lower leagues. He signed a professional contract with the club at the start of the 2007/08 season and played eight senior games in the Bundesliga, scoring one goal. He was called up to the senior Austrian squad in 2007 after two years with his country’s youth teams.

Martin Harnik, you are, as an Austrian, one of the hosts of the European Championship. What do you expect this summer?

Martin Harnik: After the World Cup in Germany two years ago, everyone expects a lot from this event. We want, of course, to be a very good host and hope for some very good games.

Will the atmosphere be as unbelievable at Euro 2008 in Austria as it was at the 2006 World Cup in Germany?

This is hard to say of course because first: this is a European Championship and not a World Cup, and secondly: the European Championship is shared between Switzerland and Austria. So, I think the mood will not be as extreme as it was in Germany.

You’ve played in Germany with Werder Bremen for a few years now. Is your experience as a Bundesliga player important for your national team?

Yes. To play with Werder Bremen is an advantage because we play very fast soccer and always try in training to play a very direct game. So, I hope I bring that tempo to the national team. Also, I am 20 years old and I can still learn a lot from the players of the national team.

You know the German players and German soccer quite well. Is this situation an advantage for you?

Yes, clearly it is an advantage if one knows the opponents even better than others. But I think before Euro 2008, we will analyze every opponent in detail, over and over again, then each of our players will know exactly every opposing player. It is an advantage for me, but also one my colleagues on the national team can benefit from.

The friendly game against group rival Germany in February resulted in defeat for Austria. Could things be different at the European Championships?

We hope of course that we can do better at Euro 2008. But even though we lost, on the whole we can be content with that game against the Germans, because in the first half we played strongly and actually controlled the game. Only the goals were missing. We have a few games coming up and so I think we can go into the tournament and perform much better.

The game in February was just a friendly. However, the next time you play Germany on June 16, the outcome will be very important for both teams. How do you think it will go?

Of course there are two other very important tournament games but the best situation would be that when we play Germany, both teams will be through to the next round. Regardless of this, the game will of course be a highlight and as I said, I think we will be much better and we should perform better. I think we will do this.

Which is your most dangerous opponent in the group: Poland, Croatia or Germany?

These are all very strong opponents, but none of them are guaranteed to qualify for the next round. The three games will be very hard because every team wants to win and every team is there to advance. We have the advantage of being at home at the championships and we will of course want to get through the group to the quarter-finals.

How far do you think Austria will go in the tournament?

I hope, at least, as far as the quarter-final. That for us would be a great achievement.

What does Austria want to achieve as the host?

If we are as successful as the Germans in 2006, we can be very content.

source: dw-world.de

Naldo: “I just like defending”

In Brazil it’s normally the technically gifted ball-jugglers who gain the attention, but that doesn’t bother Werder Bremen’s Naldo. Even as a child, all he wanted to be was a defender. In the first instalment of a lengthy interview, the 25 year old spoke openly with Werder.de.

Werder.de: The season is over now. Are you looking forward to a trip back home?

Naldo: “I think it’s quite normal that there is always a little feeling of home sickness there but, because I feel so comfortable here, it’s less of an issue. Of course I am looking forward to my holiday in Brazil after such a strenuous year. I will have the chance to see my family and regenerate – as well as catch a few rays of sun (laughing).”

In Brazil it has always been the great technical experts and attacking players that have grabbed the headlines. Does that not lead to reluctance in becoming a defensive player?

Naldo: “No, it wasn’t like that for me at all. I think everyone realises early on where his ideal position is, and I realised that I enjoy defending. In addition there is also the fact that my physical stature is very suited to a central defender. Sometimes I do attempt to help out my colleagues up front.”

The central defender Naldo lives for the football pitch, but in particular for…

Naldo: (laughing)“…tackling, tackling and even more direct tackling! Whether on the floor or in the air. The most important thing for me is the attitude to challenges. I always want to win every tackle. I also like to shoot the odd free-kick too.”

source: werder.de