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Austria get head start on EURO training
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Josef Hickersberger's first consignment of players
have arrived at Lindabrunn (¿Getty Images)
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Austria became the first team to start their UEFA EURO 2008T
preparations as Josef Hickersberger welcomed his home-based players to
their headquarters on Thursday.
Lindabrunn base
The co-hosts have set up their training centre at the Sportschule Lindabrunn,
32km south of Vienna, and last night the coach greeted the first batch
of players to arrive - those who had been playing in the Austrian Bundesliga
were the first to test out the facilities. The rump squad will take part
in a practice match against local side SV Spittal in Lindabrunn on Saturday.
Training camp
On Sunday, Hickersberger and his party will head to Sardinia, Italy, for
a training camp to last until Friday 16 May, at which point the players
will be given a final break before the whole squad gathers for another
training camp between 19 and 24 May in Lindabrunn. They will then travel
to Graz for pre-tournament friendly games against Nigeria (27 May) and
Malta (30 May).
OFB support
Hickersberger will announce his definitive 23-man squad for the finals
on 28 May, with eight players being removed from the current provisional
selection. The Austrian Football Association has been at pains to allow
players extra time to relax before the tournament begins. The league season
ended on 26 April, while the Austrian Cup was cancelled for all but amateur
teams.
Euro2008.uefa.com,
9 May 2008
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