Gladbach's Kramer slips in revised Germany World Cup squad
BERLIN (Reuters) - Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Christoph Kramer slipped into a revised German 27-player World Cup squad on Wednesday for a training camp in Italy next week, keeping his hopes alive of making final 23-man squad for the tournament.
Coach Joachim Loew dropped Hamburg SV defender Marcell Jansen as well as Schalke 04 teenagers Leon Goretzka and Max Meyer, who were called in the provisional 30-member squad, and replaced Augsburg's Andre Hahn with the tall 23-year-old versatile Kramer.
"This has nothing to do with Hahn's performances," Loew said. "It has to do with the position in the central midfield where we had several players with injuries or were absent for some time."
"So we want to have a further option with us at the training camp so as to be prepared for any scenario."
He also stuck with his choice for a second striker in Kevin Volland, who made his debut on Tuesday in a goalless draw against Poland, to partner veteran 35-year-old Miroslav Klose at the tournament starting next month.
Loew will further trim his squad to a final 23 by June 2, following a 10-day stay in Italy from May 21.
Germany, drawn against Ghana, Portugal and United States in Group G, will play friendly internationals against Cameroon on June 1 and Armenia on June 6 before leaving for South America.
Revised squad:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Schalke 04), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schuerrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim)
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Mitch Phillips)
