Robert Enke death halts German

Robert Enke death halts German

Germany have called off their friendly with Chile in Cologne on Saturday following the suicide of goalkeeper Robert Enke.

Enke, who had been suffering from depression, was struck by a regional train travelling between Norddeich and Hanover at a railway crossing in Neustadt am Rubenberge on Tuesday evening and died at the scene.

The 32-year-old Hannover keeper had only recently recovered a mysterious bacterial infection and had been omitted from the squad for their upcoming friendlies against Chile and the Ivory Coast next Wednesday.

Germany coach Joachim Low claimed there was no other option but to call off Saturday's match.

He told the German FA's official website, www.dfb.de: "No one feels in the position to simply go about their normal day in this situation.

"We have lost a friend. That is a moment in which you have to stop, even in football. We are mourning Robert Enke deeply."

A tearful Oliver Bierhoff, the team manager, said: "The team want to say goodbye to Robert.

"It could have been a goodbye game, but there is a clear feeling that it would come too early."

The German Football League (DFL) have announced a minute's silence will be held at every ground in Germany ahead of the next round of Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga matches, with all players wearing black armbands.

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Aaron Hunt makes it in Germany squad

Aaron Hunt makes it in Germany squad

Germany coach Joachim Low has included Aaron Hunt in his squad to face Chile and the Ivory Coast in his side's last two friendly matches of the year next week.

Hunt, who this week declared he had no interest in playing for England despite being eligible for both countries, is one of two new faces in an experimental squad named by Low.

Bayern Munich's rising star Thomas Muller is the other new addition in the 24-man party which also sees Stefan Kiessling return after a lengthy absence.

Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness had discouraged Low from including Muller by saying recently the 20-year-old was "too young" and had not yet proven himself, but Low wants to nurture him into the national team and sees these two games as the perfect opportunity.

"Thomas should be given three or four days with us to get a taste of the atmosphere with the national team," said Low.

"But it is part of our concept, and this has also been agreed with Under-21 coach Rainer Adrion, that he will play in their important European Championship qualifier in Belfast first."

Hunt, meanwhile, will spend the whole week with the senior national team for the first time in his career after impressing as part of a Werder Bremen side which has moved up to second in the Bundesliga on the back of a three-month unbeaten record.

"We now have the opportunity to give him a chance," explained Low.

"He has played consistently well this season and taken a step forward."

Kiessling last played for Germany in February, but with seven goals in the Bundesliga this season, Low could no longer ignore the clamour for the 25-year-old to return, particularly since Cacau misses out through injury.

Low's squad will meet in Bonn on Tuesday to prepare for the clash with Chile in Cologne's Mungersdorfer Stadion on Saturday.

Four days later, they host the Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen's Arena AufSchalke.

Germany squad: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen); Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke); Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Christian Gentner (Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Marko Marin, Mesut Ozil (both Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg); Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose, Thomas Muller (all Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen)

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