Frings left out of squad for England friendly
Rebel midfielder Torsten Frings has not been recalled for next week's friendly against England after Germany coach Joachim Löw announced his squad on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Bremen star, who played in both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008
finals, was bitterly disappointed after Löw dropped him for the first time in his career for last month's World Cup qualifiers against Russia and Wales.
Germany captain Michael Ballack and Frings both criticised Löw over the decision and although the pair later apologised in person, Frings' return to die Mannschaft will not be immediate for Wednesday's England match.
The Hoffenheim pair of defender Marvin Compper and midfielder Tobias Weis have been called up for the first time, as has Wolfsburg defender Marcel Schäfer, but there is no place for Frings or injury-victim Ballack.
"I spoke to Jogi Löw on the telephone and he told me I am not in the squad," said Frings, who met Löw in Berlin 10 days ago to apologise.
"We came to an agreement about it. During our discussion last week, I said to the coach perhaps it is better I do not come to Berlin, because of the theatre around the last game. Now Löw has said he would like to try out some new things against England."
There is no place for Ballack, who has just recovered from a foot operation last month, while defenders Philipp Lahm, Marcell Jansen, Christian Pander and Clemens Fritz also miss out with injury.
"We want to use the last game of the year to try a few things out and to look at some new players," said Löw. "The three new members of the squad have earned their place through their achievements."
Frings added he will join up with the team in Berlin along with Lahm and Ballack on Monday at the coach's invitation as they are members of Löw's senior players group.
Compper and Weis have made the squad on the back of impressive performances for Hoffenheim, who have led the Bundesliga this season after winning promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history.
Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)
Defender: Marvin Compper (Hoffenheim), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel (Celtic/SCO), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schäfer (Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)
Midfielder: Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg), Tobias Weis (Hoffenheim).
Frowards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)
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The 31-year-old Bremen star, who played in both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008
finals, was bitterly disappointed after Löw dropped him for the first time in his career for last month's World Cup qualifiers against Russia and Wales.
Germany captain Michael Ballack and Frings both criticised Löw over the decision and although the pair later apologised in person, Frings' return to die Mannschaft will not be immediate for Wednesday's England match.
The Hoffenheim pair of defender Marvin Compper and midfielder Tobias Weis have been called up for the first time, as has Wolfsburg defender Marcel Schäfer, but there is no place for Frings or injury-victim Ballack.
"I spoke to Jogi Löw on the telephone and he told me I am not in the squad," said Frings, who met Löw in Berlin 10 days ago to apologise.
"We came to an agreement about it. During our discussion last week, I said to the coach perhaps it is better I do not come to Berlin, because of the theatre around the last game. Now Löw has said he would like to try out some new things against England."
There is no place for Ballack, who has just recovered from a foot operation last month, while defenders Philipp Lahm, Marcell Jansen, Christian Pander and Clemens Fritz also miss out with injury.
"We want to use the last game of the year to try a few things out and to look at some new players," said Löw. "The three new members of the squad have earned their place through their achievements."
Frings added he will join up with the team in Berlin along with Lahm and Ballack on Monday at the coach's invitation as they are members of Löw's senior players group.
Compper and Weis have made the squad on the back of impressive performances for Hoffenheim, who have led the Bundesliga this season after winning promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history.
Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)
Defender: Marvin Compper (Hoffenheim), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel (Celtic/SCO), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schäfer (Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)
Midfielder: Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg), Tobias Weis (Hoffenheim).
Frowards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)
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