Euro 2008 hosts Austria omitted Wigan defender Paul Scharner but recalled 38-year-old attacking midfielder Ivica Vastic in a provisional 31-man squad for the finals in June.

Scharner - who can also play in midfield - walked out on the national team in 2006 after publicly criticising Josef Hickersberger's tactics and training methods but has since sought to patch things up with the coach.

But his hopes of a Euro 2008 recall were effectively ended, however, when he was left out the selection which will be whittled down to a final 23-man squad on May 28.

Versatile Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz was included in the squad.

Croatian-born Vastic, who has scored 13 goals in 31 league matches for Linz this season, last played for Austria in a friendly 2-2 draw with Scotland in August 2005, under Hickersberger's predecessor Hans Krankl.

Hickersberger said Vastic would be a useful addition to the team if captain and playmaker Andreas Ivanschitz were to suffer an injury.

"As team coach you have to think about all the possibilities," the coach said. "In such a case we would need an experienced player with vision.

"I have built up a young team and I will continue that approach but we have the European Championships coming up and have to be ready for everything."

Rapid Vienna players Uemit Korkmaz and Stefan Maierhofer have been called up for the first time after impressive performances during their club's successful Austrian league title campaign.

If he makes the final cut, Vastic is likely to be the oldest outfield player selected for Euro 2008, which Austria are co-hosting with Switzerland.

Vastic earned his first cap for Austria in 1996, shortly after receiving Austrian nationality and went on to play at the 1998 World Cup, scoring the 90th-minute equaliser in his side's group stage 1-1 draw with Chile.

Austria squad:

Christian Gratzei (Sturm Graz), Alexander Manninger (AC Siena), Juergen Macho (AEK Athens), Helge Payer (Rapid Vienna); Andreas Dober (Rapid Vienna), Gyorgy Garics (Napoli), Ronald Gercaliu (Austria Vienna), Martin Hiden (Kaernten), Andreas Ibertsberger (Hoffenheim), Markus Katzer (Rapid Vienna), Juergen Patocka (Rapid Vienna), Emanuel Pogatetz (Middlesbrough), Sebastian Proedl (Sturm Graz), Franz Schiemer (Austria Vienna), Martin Stranzl (Spartak Moscow); Rene Aufhauser (Salzburg), Christian Fuchs (Mattersburg), Martin Harnik (Werder Bremen), Andreas Ivanschitz (Panathinaikos), Umit Korkmaz (Rapid Vienna), Christoph Leitgeb (Salzburg), Juergen Saeumel (Sturm Graz), Joachim Standfest (Austria Vienna), Ivica Vastic (Linz), Markus Weissenberger (Eintracht Frankfurt); Erwin Hoffer (Rapid Vienna), Marc Janko (Salzburg), Roman Kienast (Ham-Kam), Sanel Kuljic (Austria Vienna), Roland Linz (Braga), Stefan Maierhofer (Rapid Vienna)

Reuters