Experience the key for Germany

By Mark Bennett

Five players with experience at Under-21 level will be the backbone of Germany's U20 national team at the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.

Bundesliga experience
Germany coach Michael Skibbe has included Marcell Jansen, Lukas Sinkiewicz, Marvin-Job Matip, Oliver Hampel and Sahr Senesie in his 21-man squad, and the quintet's added know-how at the higher level will be invaluable as Skibbe's side seek to add to the world crown West Germany won in 1981. Jansen, Sinkiewicz, Matip and Senesie have all played in the Bundesliga and are regular starters for their respective clubs.

Form the guide
Elsewhere Skibbe admitted he found it hard cutting his squad down. "We have the luxury of having around 30 players with a lot of talent and it was an extremely hard decision for me to make," said the 39-year-old. "In the end the players' current form swung the decision."

High hopes
None the less, the coach believes he has made the right choices and hopes his side will be able to compete against the best. "Brazil, Argentina and Spain are my favourites for the title," admitted Skibbe, who has worked within the German Football Association since 2000 when he was appointed as Rudi Völler's assistant after a spell in charge of BV Borussia Dortmund, whom he led into the UEFA Cup in 1999/00. "Hopefully we will be able to hold our own against them and maybe even spring a surprise."

Talented strikers
Apart from the five U21 internationals Germany will also be able to look to the talents of Michael Delura up front. Delura made eight Bundesliga appearances for FC Schalke 04 this season and also played two UEFA Cup games. He was set to be partnered by VfB Stuttgart's Mario Gomez, the German U20 team's leading scorer with 23 goals from 46 appearances, but the striker has been forced out by a knee injury.

Star player absent
Skibbe will also have to make do without 1. FC Köln forward Lukas Podolski. The 19-year-old, who was part of his country's UEFA EURO 2004™ squad last summer and scored 24 goals for Köln in their promotion-winning campaign, has been included in Germany's FIFA Confederations Cup squad.

China setback
Germany disappointed in their friendly against China on 11 May when they only managed a 2-2 draw. Nicky Adler gave the home side the lead but goals from Chen Tao and Feng Xiaoting put the visitors in command until a late goal from Christian Gentner allowed Germany to salvage a draw.

Chile loss
Skibbe's boys then slipped to another friendly defeat, going down 3-2 against Chile in Kleve despite Gentner and Sebastian Freis giving them a two-goal cushion before half-time. The South Americans - who will also compete in the Netherlands - turned the tide in the final 20 minutes, with Ricardo Parada and Matías Fernández hauling them level before José Pedro Fuenzalida's last-minute winner.

Final preparations
Before the start of the tournament - where Argentina, Egypt and the United States are Germany's opposition in Group D - the team will finalise their preparations with a game against the Russia U21 side on 7 June, when they will no doubt be hoping for a morale-boosting win.