Krankl keeps faith with Flögel

Austria coach Hans Krankl has retained Thomas Flögel as captain for the friendly international against Costa Rica on 20 August despite the fact the midfield player recently lost his first-team place at FK Austria Wien.

'Deserved captain'
"He is better than some of their other players and in my squad he remains captain, because that's what he deserves," declared Krankl when announcing his 18-player squad. Although there are no new faces in the squad, Krankl has made six changes from the squad for Austria's last international, a 5-0 UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying win against Belarus in June.

Significant returns
Martin Hiden and Andreas Ivanschitz from Austrian Bundesliga leaders SK Rapid Wien are both back, while Matthias Dollinger, Roland Kollmann and Markus Weissenberger return after injury and Markus Schopp is back after suspension.

Qualification hopes fading
Meanwhile, Martin Stranzl, Roman Wallner and Roland Kirchler are all included, despite recent injury concerns. Austria currently lie third in Group 3 with nine points from six games and next face the Netherlands on 6 September.

Austria squad
Mandl, Payer, Dospel, Ehmann, Hiden, Pogatetz, Stranzl, Aufhauser, Dollinger, Flögel, Wagner, Ivanschitz, Cerny, Weissenberger, Schopp, Kirchler, Kollmann, Wallner.