I think the Dinamo Tbilisi-Austria Vienna match has been cancelled or something like that. But yes, for sure.

I think it will be over by then

Germany have announced their call ups for the August 20 friendly v. Belgium(link):

Tor: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif) , Robert Enke (Hannover 96)
Abwehr: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Philipp Lahm (Bayern München), Marcell Jansen (Bayern München), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)
Mittelfeld: Michael Ballack (FC Chelsea), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern München), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Marko Marin (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (Bayern München)
Angriff: Miroslav Klose (Bayern München), Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen)

La Palma, isn't Marin the kid there's been a good bit of talk about?

Other national teams should be announcing call ups in coming days. Italy will announce their callups on the 16th for their friendly v Austria on the 20th.

Yes, he's only 19 years old and is a huge prospect for the creativity department in the NT. A tricky winger with good vision. But he's a bit too weak IMO. Just 1,70 tall and a lightweight. He has to improve there. An even bigger prospect is Bayern Toni Kroos. Probably the best U21 playmaker in the world. Klinsmann is a huge fan of him and it's possible he'll enjoy his breakthrough this year.
Rene Adler...he's the future. But what bothers me is that we didn't have a WC CB since Jürgen Kohler retired from international football. That's a huge problem.

Here are Spain's call ups:

Spain squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF), Pepe Reina (Liverpool FC).

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Club Bilbao), Andoni Iraola (Athletic Club Bilbao), Raúl Albiol (Valencia CF), Juanito (Real Betis Balompié), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal CF), Fernando Navarro (RCD Mallorca).

Midfielders: Marcos Senna (Villarreal CF), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool FC), Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona), Diego Capel (Sevilla FC), Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Rubén De la Red (Getafe CF), David Silva (Valencia CF), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal CF).

Forwards: David Villa (Valencia CF), Daniel Güiza (RCD Mallorca), Bojan Krkić (FC Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Liverpool FC).

Here are Portugal's call ups from the Portuguese FA's site. They've listed players by club.

Atletico Madrid: Simão;
Chesea FC: Bosingwa, Deco, Paulo Ferreira e Ricardo Carvalho;
Dinamo de Moscovo: Danny;
FC Porto: Bruno Alves e Raúl Meireles;
Galatasaray SK: Fernando Meira;
Málaga CF: Duda;
Manchester United FC: Nani;
Real Madrid CF: Pepe;
SC Braga: Eduardo;
SL Benfica: Carlos Martins, Nuno Gomes e Quim;
Sporting CP: João Moutinho;
SV Werder Bremen: Hugo Almeida;
US Lecce SPA: Antunes;
Valência CF: Manuel Fernandes e Miguel;
VFL Bochum 1848: Daniel Fernandes.

(IMG:http://www.taganrogcity.com/images/308celebration_salute2.jpg)

No Ricardo! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)
Therefore we're twice as strong as we were 2 months ago.

Here are the call ups from the Netherlands (they play Russia in a friendly)

Netherlands squad
Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (AFC Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord).

Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Club Atlético de Madrid), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburger SV), André Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers FC).

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Mark van Bommel (FC Bayern München), Orlando Engelaar (FC Schalke 04), Nigel de Jong (Hamburger SV), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid CF), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar).

Forwards: Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AFC Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool FC), Robin van Persie (Arsenal FC), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid CF), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic FC).

(Gosh, Van Bommel, I guess it helps some when your father-in-law is coaching the NT).

And here's the Czech squad:
Czech Republic squad
Goalkeepers: Petr Čech (Chelsea FC), Daniel Zítka (RSC Anderlecht).

Defenders: Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), David Rozehnal (S.S. Lazio), Tomáš Ujfaluši (Club Atlético de Madrid), Zdeněk Pospěch (FC København), Zdeněk Grygera (Juventus), Michal Kadlec (AC Sparta Praha), Radoslav Kováč (FC Spartak Moskva).

Midfielders: David Jarolím (Hamburger SV), Jaroslav Plašil (CA Osasuna), Jan Polák (RSC Anderlecht), Marek Matějovský (Reading FC), Jan Rajnoch (FK Mladá Boleslav), Radek Šírl (FC Zenit St. Petersburg).

Forwards: Milan Baroš (Olympique Lyonnais), Václav Svěrkoš (FC Baník Ostrava), Michal Papadopulos (FK Mladá Boleslav).


FORZA JANKU! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif)

Bouma should be there! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

I think it's England that the Czechs are playing isn't it? We have a whole summer off, then as soon as the league starts up again, they disrupt it with friendlies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Aug 16 2008, 02:14 AM

Yep, they play England at Wembley.

How's Freddie doing, Kurt?

Should be interesting to see how we've progressed under Capello. Under the clown we'd have lost this one.

Ahead of schedule I believe. Initially the doctors said February, now it's expected to be around December time as he's healing up well. Gotta stay in a cast for a few months, then just get football fit. Can't wait to see him back!

Here are Italy's call ups:

Amelia (Palermo), Buffon (Juventus)
Barzagli (Wolfsburg), Bonera (Milan), Cassetti (Roma), Chiellini (Juventus), Dossena (Liverpool), Grosso (Olympic Lione), Zambrotta (Milan)
Aquilani (Roma) Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Palombo (Sampdoria), Perrotta (Roma), Pirlo (Milan)
Del Piero (Juventus), Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino(Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus).

You beat me to it! Dossena was called up... interesting... he's pretty good. I wish we got him instead of liverpool...

Either way, good call up... though I'd drop Barzagli. Glad to see Bonera called up too...

But the best part of it is this: NO INTER REPRESENTATION. LOL!!

This post has been edited by Giancarlo: Aug 16 2008, 05:27 PM

No Panucci and No Cassano. The Panucci one doesn't surprise me as he and Lippi don't like each other much. The Cassano one does, just a touch.

I would imagine that a couple of guys from the U21/U23 team may get called up for the next round (eg Giovinco, Rossi, Montolivo).