Hitzlsperger answers Germany horn

Last updated : 28 November 2005 By Pancho Villa

Jürgen Klinsmann has ignored the left-sided midfielder’s recent fall from favour at Villa Park as he looks to bring through a number of youngsters in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in Germany in two years.

The 22-year-old former Under-21 international made his senior bow as a second-half substitute for Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s Bernd Schneider in front of a crowd of almost 120,000 fans in Tehran last month as Germany beat hosts Iran 2-0.

Hitzlsperger has been unable to retain a place in the Villa starting eleven this season and has recently found himself warming the bench as David O'Leary favours Peter Whittingham.