Called Up and Sent Down

May 18th, 2008 | by: Ian Rose |

Sometimes, you have to take the good with the bad. The following players (so far) have been both called up to their national squads for Euro 2008, and relegated with their club. The most recognizable name by far is Sergio Garcia from Zaragoza, who will almost certainly be looking for greener pastures than the Segunda. If there were a few more defenders and one less keeper, we could put together a relegated Euro starting XI, but even if the second keeper could play fullback and we could manage it into a 2-4-4, it would just get murdered.

Jaromír Blažek – Goalkeeper – Czech Republic and Nuremberg
Tomáš Galásek – Midfielder – Czech Republic and Nuremberg
Marek Matějovský – Midfielder – Czech Republic and Reading
Jan Koller – Forward – Czech Republic and Nuremberg
Daniel Gygax – Midfielder – Switzerland and Metz
Vedran Runje – Goalkeeper – Croatia and Lens
Dario Knežević – Defender – Croatia and Livorno
Igor Budan – Forward – Croatia and Parma
Ivan Saenko – Forward – Russia and Nuremberg
Sergio García – Forward – Spain and Real Zaragoza
Sebastian Larsson – Midfielder – Sweden and Birmingham City

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Comments

By j | May 18th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

who the hell is sergio garcia…Igor Budan is the biggest name

Posted from Canada

By Ian Rose | May 18th, 2008 at 9:19 pm

I guess it all depends on what leagues you follow … Garcia’s pretty big news for someone his age in Spain, but the fact that Budan has actually had an international career does put him a rung above.

By Anna | May 19th, 2008 at 4:11 am

Is it just me or are half of these players from the FC Nuremberg?

Does kind of prove the people right who said that this club should not have gone down.

Posted from Germany

By Ian Rose | May 19th, 2008 at 9:27 am

Anna – definitely. It’s pretty amazing that a team with so many internationals could be relegated. It’s interesting too to me that there’s such a Czech connection with Nuremberg – 3 Czech internationals at one German club.

By outonhisowen | May 19th, 2008 at 10:31 am

I actually tink Jan Koller is the biggest name, and for those in England, Seb Larsson I suppose.

Actually the team wouldnt do too bad, with Koller and Galasek established Czech stars, even if definitely past it now, the relegation just proves it, and also the energetic up-and-coming Swede Larsson who was just unfortunate to be the star in the underperforming Brum team, Gygax, Matejovsky and Sergio Garcia would prove decent bench players for their respective sides I suppose.

They could not do worse than Saudi Arabia in the WC 2002 i guess.