After an exhausting season in the English Premier League with Middlesbrough, there were severe doubts over Emanuel Pogatetz availability for Austria in the Euro 2008 finals, but the defensive lynchpin says that after recharging his batteries briefly, he is now chomping at the bit and ready to go.

Due to a dismissal in Austria's final 2006 World Cup qualifier, he was given a two-match suspension and coupled with Austria’s failure in progressing to the finals, Pogatetz found himself in the position of not having any more competitive matches to play in until the beginning of the Euro 2008 finals. This also meant he would have been a spectator for the first two Group B games but due to a recent change in the rules, he was allowed to serve the suspension in friendly games, meaning he was recalled to the squad that lost 3-0 to Germany on February 6^th in Vienna.

Pogatetz, nicknamed ‘Mad Dog’ by his team mates, will probably form the axis of a four-man defence alongside Sebastian Prödl, György Garics and Martin Stranzl, in the team that will face Poland, Croatia and Germany in a difficult group.

‘Mad Dog’ admits he didn’t have much left in his closet towards the end of the season but with a few days rest he says he feels motivated and fresh, and insists he will be ready to play in ‘100%’ of Austria’s games in the Euro 2008 finals.