Germany run rule over young trio

The uncapped trio of Clemens Fritz, Piotr Trochowski and Jan Schlaudraff have received their first call-ups to the Germany squad for the friendly against Georgia and UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier with Slovakia.

Enke returns
The three players all have a chance of being involved when Joachim Löw's side take on Georgia in Rostock on 7 October and Slovakia in a Group D fixture in Bratislava four days later. Hannover 96 goalkeeper Robert Enke also returns to the squad after a seven-year absence although he has yet to make a senior appearance for Germany, who have won both their group fixtures so far, scoring 14 goals without reply.

'A promising alternative'
Trochowski was called up because Bremen's Tim Borowski is injured. "We have watched him for many months and he is a promising alternative," Löw explained. "We are impressed by his technical abilities." Of Werder Bremen defender Fritz, meanwhile, the coach said: "He deserves a chance as he can perform well on the right side in defence and attack." The same goes for TSV Alemannia Aachen forward Schlaudraff who, according to Löw, "has performed convincingly so far this season and is a player with potential".

Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Robert Enke (Hannover 96), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal FC)

Defenders: Malik Fathi (Hertha BSC Berlin), Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (1. FSV Mainz 05), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Alexander Madlung (VfL Wolfsburg)

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea FC), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), David Odonkor (Real Betis Balompié), Bernd Schneider (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV)

Forwards: Mike Hanke (Vfl Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Oliver Neuville (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (FC Bayern München), Jan Schlaudraff (TSV Alemannia Aachen)