Wilson welcomes Hughes arrival

Wilson welcomes Hughes arrival

Published May. 31, 2013 3:15 p.m. ET

Munich and Berlin have put forward bids to host games at Euro 2020, the German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed.

Munich's Allianz Arena and the Olympiastadion in the capital are both potential venues for the Europe-wide event in seven years' time, and the DFB will now examine their dossiers before deciding which of the two to recommend to UEFA as Germany's candidate city.

Germany is to apply for both packages available for games, the first of which includes three group games and a semi-final and the second involving both semi-finals and the final.

"With these two cities, we have two very strong candidates," said DFB general secretary Helmut Sandrock.

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"Both have proven in the past they are excellent venues for big football events.

"The DFB will now examine very closely which of the two venues we will put forward to UEFA."

Munich's Allianz Arena staged the final of the Champions League last year while the Olympiastadion will hold UEFA's showpiece club event in 2015.

Both stadiums were venues during the 2006 World Cup with Munich hosting the opening match and Berlin staging the final, which was won by Italy.

The 20-year-old turned down a new deal with the Shrimps and has instead agreed a two-year contract at Broadhall Way.

Burrow played 35 times for League Two Morecambe last season, scoring one goal.

He is Boro boss Graham Westley's fifth signing of the summer, joining Luke Jones, Oumare Tounkara, Sam Wedgbury and Simon Heslop.

The Republic of Ireland international has spent the last few days trying to shake off the niggling hamstring problem which prevented him from playing his part in Wednesday night's 1-1 friendly draw with England, and is hoping to return in Sunday's friendly against Georgia to prove his fitness ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifying clash with the Faroe Islands.

However, while Wilson has been going through his paces in London and now in Malahide, the Potters have replaced the departed Tony Pulis with Hughes, leaving him and his club-mates with a new man to impress.

He said: "It doesn't bother me in the least. That's football, isn't it? People come and go.

"I wish Tony all the best. He did a terrific job when he was there, but obviously we have got the new manager now and I think everyone will be trying to impress him.

"I haven't met Mark yet, but in the past, he's done a great job wherever he's been and I'm looking forward to working with him."

Hughes' reputation took something of a hammering after his ill-fated spell at QPR, which came to an end in November last year with the club in a tailspin which even renowned escapologist Harry Redknapp could not stop.

But Wilson is confident the Welshman's track record before his arrival at Loftus Road is a better indicator of his talents.

He said: "He's done a terrific job wherever he has been. At QPR, he could have been given a bit more time down there.

"But he's a guy likes to play football and that's what I like to do anyway, so I am looking forward to it."

In the meantime, Wilson will concentrate on the task of persuading international boss Giovanni Trapattoni he is fit and ready to play his part against the Faroes.

The 74-year-old Italian is simply not prepared to take any risks with a man who has established himself as his first-choice left-back, but he will need to get some game-time under his belt against the Georgians to allay any lingering fears.

Wilson said: "I have been struggling with my hamstring now for going on a month and a half. I have been playing and missing training and playing again.

"It's getting better. I have been doing work on it all week with the physios and it's starting to get better now.

"That's the second day of training now, so hopefully I have got tomorrow and who knows, maybe there's a shout for Georgia?

"The manager has been terrific since I have been here. He's just said to me, 'Look, get your hamstring right. Obviously, we know you want to play in these games'.

"But luckily enough, he's put his confidence in me to try to get my leg right for it (the Faroes game) because at the end of the day, it's the important game because we need three points."

Whether he plays or not against the Faroes, Wilson will not be on the plane heading for New York and the friendly against Spain on June 11 the following day.

He said: "I have got a metal plate in my leg from when I broke it and I am booked in to get it taken out, so I will not be in New York, unfortunately."

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