Two new faces on Greek team
National soccer team coach Otto Rehhagel chose to stick with tried-and-tested players in the preliminary squad for the World Cup that he announced yesterday, although he did include two new faces, midfielder Sakis Prittas of Aris and left-back Giorgos Tzavellas of Panionios, among the 25-man list. Experienced players Christos Patsatzoglou and Giourkas Seitaridis have been included in the squad despite missing parts of the season due to injury, but there was again no place for Portsmouth’s Angelos Basinas, a Euro 2004 winner. The team includes the top scorer of the qualifiers, Fanis Gekas, the player who set up the winning goal in the playoffs with Ukraine, Dimitris Salpigidis, and veteran striker Angelos Charisteas. Another five players have been placed on standby until the German manager makes the formal announcement on June 1 of the squad to represent Greece in South Africa next month.
