Team
30.08.16
Seven HSV men on international duty
The Bundesliga break for international games (29.08 – 07.09) sees seven HSV men on international duty for their respective national teams.
No sooner had the much-anticipated 2016/17 Bundesliga season kicked off last weekend, before it was taken away from us again through a break for international games! From August 29 until September 7 sees the opening internationals of the new season taking place. One of the reasons for the early break were the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Which pushed the start of the current Bundesliga season back. As usual there are HSV players who have received the call to duty. Some of them are playing 2018 World Cup qualifiers, others are playing friendly opposition. Here’s an overview listing who is on international duty.
Wood and Sakai overseas
Bobby Wood left Hamburg to join the USA national team under German coach Jürgen Klinnsmann in Jacksonville on August 28. The Soccer Boys are well into their season. The Americans face St. Vincent and the Grenadines (2. September) and then Trinidad and Tobago four days later in World Cup qualifying games. Wood, who scored on his HSV debut in the 1-1 home draw against FC Ingolstadt at the Volksparkstadion last Saturday. His flying miles tally will have risen by 7,444 km by the time he returns to Hamburg on September 8.
Gotoku Sakai also has a lot of miles to fly, as he answers a call to duty from Japan. He will be flying around 9,000 km just to reach the national team who are currently in Saitama. Sakai and Co. Are also in 2018 qualifying action and face the United Arab Emirates on September 1st. Five days later Japan take on Bangkok in Thailand. Sakai will report back in Hamburg on September 7.
Ekdal meets new national team coach
One man back much earlier than most others is Albin Ekdal. The Swedish international missed HSV’s final two friendlies of the pre-season period through an ankle injury and cannot play for his country. The midfielder still flew to the national team where he met Sweden’s new head coach Janne Andersson. The 27 year old will return to Hamburg on Wednesday August 31: “It was a compromise between ourselves and the Swedish FA”, revealed Rothosen boss Bruno Labbadia before adding: “Albin needs to be carefully brought back following his various injuries. It was also a wish of their national team coach who wanted cornerstone Ekdal present as he met the squad.”
Emir Spahic, who missed the visit of Ingolstadt to Hamburg at the weekend with a viral infection has made a speedy recovery and flew to join Bosnia–Herzegovina in Sarajewo on Sunday (August 28). He hopes to take a winning step with his national team who face Estonia on September 6, in a further World Cup qualifier. Nifty winger Filip Kostic flew to Belgrade on September 29 where his Serbian national team are preparing to face The Republic of Ireland on Monday September 5.
Halilovic and Jung to stay in Hamburg
Michael Gregoritsch and Austria are also in qualifying action on September 5. They face Georgia in their opening game. It is the first call up to the national team for the Rothosen striker. Things could be a bit tougher for HSV skipper Johan Djourou. The 29 year old battler who has 64 caps for Switzerland to his name will be relishing facing recently-crowned European Champions Portugal with superstar Christiano Ronaldo.
Alen Halilovic on the other hand declined an invitation from Croatia under-21s to remain in Hamburg and work “very hard” on his game. Fellow youngster and injured team mate Gideon Jung tore a tendon in his hip against Ingolstadt last Saturday and has had to turn down his first call up to the German under-21 squad.