Krankl calls for Kahraman

SV Pasching midfield player Volkan Kahraman is the surprise name in Hans Krankl's Austria squad to face Switzerland in next week's friendly.

New blood
Krankl has been forced to search for some new blood in midfield with Ivica Vastic now playing his football with Grampus Eight in Japan, and Martin Stranzl sidelined with injury. While, after a series of poor performances in recent weeks for SK Rapid Wien, the 95-times-capped Andreas Herzog has been dropped.

Meteoric rise
Kahraman's rise to prominence has been nothing short of meteoric. The 23-year-old joined Pasching only a year ago when the club was still in the second division. But having helped them win promotion last season, he has been a key figure in steering the club to the heady heights of fourth place in the Austrian Bundesliga in recent weeks.

No Sturm players
"We have watched him [Kahraman] five times," said Krankl. "He played particularly well in three of those games and has really earned this nomination." Krankl has failed to select a single player from the current league leaders SK Sturm Graz.

Austria squad
Goriupp, Manninger, Baur, Cerny, Pürk, Feldhofer, Martin Hiden, Wimmer, Aufhauser, Flögel, Panis, Wagner, Kitzbichler, Weissenberger, Brunmayr, Kahraman, Linz, Wallner