Hamburg- Goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand said Friday he was "shocked" to be dropped from the Germany squad for next month's European Championships. Hildebrand said the news had come "out of the blue" after a season in which he had established himself at Spanish side Valencia.
Coach Joachim Loew Friday nominated uncapped 23-year-old Ren Adler of Bayer Leverkusen, leaving out 29-year-old Timo Hildebrand, who was regarded as the understudy to Jens Lehmann.
Hanover's Robert Enke, who unlike Hildebrand was not part of the 2006 World Cup squad and was regarded as number three, is meanwhile retained.
"I am surprised, shocked and also irritated," Hildebrand said on his internet homepage.
The decision, relayed to him by goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke, came "out of the blue without any previous indication," he said.
"I am convinced my game has developed further in the past year. I cannot understand or comprehend this. It hurts like an open wound."
Hildebrand said his form was good and he had been hoping to challenge for the position as first choice, with Lehmann's international career nearing an end.
Loew said the decision to leave out Hildebrand had been particularly difficult, but he would not be drawn on whether it was the end of the former Stuttgart keepers' international career.
"Of course, Timo Hildebrand in particular is deeply disappointed. What this means for his further career we will have to leave open."
Koepke said the coaching staff had looked at the goalkeeping candidates "from all sides."
It had been decided to choose Adler "in view of his excellent performances over the past year in the Bundesliga" and because they wanted to take a younger keeper with an eye to the future.
However he did not reveal what had swayed the decision against Hildebrand but said the coaching staff were "absolutely convinced of this constellation."
Enke meanwhile said he was delighted to be in the squad.
"I feel sorry for Timo Hildebrand. I would have been pleased to see him participate and he certainly also deserved to go," he said.
