Linz lined up for national team comeback
Roland Linz is to make a comeback in the Austrian national team after almost two years, it has emerged.Coach Dietmar Constantini called up the Austria Vienna star for the friendly against Switzerland set to take place at Klagenfurts Hypo Group Arena on 11 August. The 28-year-old striker most recently performed for Austria in a 2-2 draw against Italy in Nice, France, on 20 August 2008.Linz was one of the most successful strikers of top-flight football in Portugal where he played for Boavista and Braga before doomed spells in Switzerland (Grashoppers) and Turkey (Gaziantepspor).The former Sturm Graz star returned to vice champions Austria Vienna half a year ago. He already played for the club between 2001 and 2003. He is currently acting as stand-in captain at his club as Slovenian midfielder Milenko Acimovic is sidelined due to an injury.With a further five players from Austria Vienna, the team of Karl Daxbacher make the strongest representation among the 23-member squad nominated for the test match against the Euro2008 co-hosts.Former Middlesbrough captain Emanuel Pogatetz, now with German team Hannover 96, has also received a call-up by Constantini. The coach however surprisingly failed to nominate any Rapid Vienna players.Wacker Innsbruck star Marcel Schreter is unlikely to debut against Switzerland as the striker will only be on standby, Constantini said. Schreter helped the promoted team to a good start in the season with four goals in two matches.Erwin Hoffer, currently on loan from SSC Napoli to 1. FC Kaiserslautern, will be part of the team while his former Rapid striking force partner Stefan Maierhofer was not considered by Constantini. Maierhofer failed to make an impact in his first season in the Premier League, and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy announced recently he was up for sale. The 202-centimetre-tall striker is rumoured to be joining German second league side MSV Duisburg on loan before the summer transfer window shuts on 31 August.Bayern Munich ace David Alaba and ex-Inter star Marko Arnautovic now with German DFB Cup finalists Werder Bremen are not part of the squad, which will gather shortly to get fit for the match against Switzerland, either.