Berlin: Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has selected bitter goalkeeping rivals Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann together in the same squad for the first time since the middle of last year, ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Italy in Florence.
But Arsenal stopper Lehmann will not have been pleased to learn that Klinsmann is planning to select the Bayern Munich No 1 for the World Cup warm-up match, provided he is fit.
Kahn was due to keep goal for Bayern in the Champions League last 16 tie against AC Milan in Munich on Tuesday but broke down before the game began and had to be replaced in the starting line-up.
At a press conference in Frankfurt, Klinsmann announced that Lehmann would have to be contented with a place on the bench, as long as Kahn overcomes his thigh strain.
The two head-strong goalkeepers have been forced to accept Klinsmann's rotation policy in the run-in to the World Cup finals due to take place from June 9 to July 9 ever since his appointment to the top post in German football in August 2004 - as such, Lehmann should be between the sticks for the March 22 friendly against the USA.
In other changes, Klinsmann opted to recall Wolfsburg forward Mike Hanke in place of Schalke's Kevin Kuranyi who the coach claimed "has not made the most of his potential recently."
Also omitted were Borussia Dortmund duo Sebastian Kehl and Christian Worns, the latter of whom complained that Klinsmann failed to notify him of his decision before he heard about it from a reporter.
"It is a huge disappointment in both substance and manner as I was only informed of my non-selection by a journalist and not by the coach," said Worns.
Despite the two centre-backs being first choice at their club, Klinsmann has gone for Dortmund's Christoph Metzelder, who spends most of his time on the bench since returning from a serious injury, as does Chelsea's Robert Huth, also in the squad.
That is despite Klinsmann stipulating last year that one criteria for selection was being first choice at club level.
Klinsmann also expressed his wishes to delay his final selection of 23 players for the World Cup beyond May 23, the current cut-off point fixed by FIFA for the registration of squads.
"It is favourable to be able to work for as long as possible before the tournament with a larger pool of players," said the Germany coach.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal/Eng); Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Chelsea/Eng), Marcell Jansen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Hannover 96), Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund); Midfielders: Michael Ballack, Sebastian Deisler, Bastian Schweinsteiger (all Bayern Munich), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Fabian Ernst (Schalke 04), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen); Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke 04), Mike Hanke (Vfl Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Lukas Podolski (FC Cologne)
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