Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has dropped striker Kevin Kuranyi from his squad for friendlies against Italy and the United States next month.
Klinsmann called up Mike Hanke of Wolfsburg in place of the out-of-form Schalke 04 forward Kuranyi and also angered experienced defender Christian Worns by denying him a recall after he as called up to a larger squad for fitness tests last month.
Defenders Robert Huth and Christoph Mezelder and Bayern Munich midfielders Sebastian Deisler and Bastian Schweinsteiger were included, even thou\gh they have not been playing regularly for their clubs.
“I’m extremely disappointed, especially about the way this was done,” Woerns told reporters. “A journalist informed me about the decision. Klinsmann just left a message on my answering machine. That’s not the fair English gentlemanly way to do it.
Klinsmann included both goalkeepers, Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann, and said he would alternate the two rivals, with Bayern Munich keeper Kahn playing against Italy and Arsenal’s Lehmann in goal for the USA match.
German squad for games against Italy in Florence on March 1 and the United States in Dortmund on March 22:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)
Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Chelsea), Marcell Jansen (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Hannover 96), Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund)
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Sebastian Deisler (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Fabian Ernst (Schalke 04), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke 04), Mike Hanke (VfL Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)