Herzog future in doubt

Austria coach Hans Krankl has named a 20-man squad for his country's UEFA EURO 2004™ Group 3 qualifying matches away to Moldova and at home against Belarus.

EURO 2008™ venue
Austria travel to Tiraspol to meet Moldova on 7 June before welcoming Belarus to Innsbruck's Tivoli Neu stadium - one of the venues chosen to host games at UEFA EURO 2008™ - on 11 June.

Herzog overlooked
Former national captain Andreas Herzog has been overlooked for selection after losing his regular first-team place at SK Rapid Wien, while 22-year-old defender Thomas Eder from SV Austria Salzburg has earned his first-ever call up.
 
Eder 'deserves' chance
"I know Eder from my time at Salzburg when he was in the reserves, but he has secured regular status in the meantime and performs at a high level," said Krankl. "He really deserves his nomination."

'I don't know his plans'
The coach also admitted that he has not yet made a final decision about the future of the 105-times capped Herzog. "I can't say if Herzog will ever return, because I don't know his plans, but he deserves a different end to his career," he said.

Injured duo
Jürgen Panis and Markus Weissenberger are missing due to injury, but Harald Cerny, Andres Ivanschitz, Thomas Höller and Bozo Kovacevic return to the squad after missing Austria's 2-0 win in a friendly against Scotland last month. Kovacevic is suspended for the first game against Moldova but available to play against the Belarussians.
 
Third place
Austria are currently third in Group 3 with six points from four games, four behind leading duo Czech Republic and Netherlands.
 
Austria squad
Mandl, Payer, Aufhauser, Cerny, Dospel, Eder, Ehmann, Flögel, Hieblinger, Höller, Ivanschitz, Kovacevic, Pogatetz, Scharner, Schopp, Stranzl, M Wagner, Haas, Kirchler, Wallner.