Austrian supremo Josef Hickersberger is delaying the announcement for his preference as first-choice goalkeeper after former mainstay in the number one jersey Helge Payer pulled out through illness and now misses the next sixth months while he recuperates. The delay, according to the coach, is so his players can focus their minds on the difficult tasks ahead of them.

Austria begin their campaign with a Group B match in Vienna against the Croats in an early evening kick-off on Sunday, but Hickersberger is refusing to publically acknowledge his preference for either  Jürgen Macho or Alex Manninger even though he has admitted that he already knows who he is going to play.

Hickersberger has not been too happy of late, complaining that his team has not been as focused as he believes they should have been during the past few days, especially with what is laying ahead of them in the coming days. He even admitted that some of the squad were late for training during the week but is now demanding that they buck up their ideas and turn their thoughts to the opening game in Euro 2008. He has been quoted as saying that Austria need to concentrate 110% against Croatia, who are a technically gifted side as well as being strong, and if they don’t then he fears the worst.