Canada announces roster for Greece friendly

Canada has announced an 18-player roster for the upcoming Men’s International Friendly match in Larissa, Greece. Coach Hart and his team will meet this coming week to face former European champion Greece at the A.E.L FC Arena. The match will be played Wednesday 9 February, the first date of the 2011 season on the FIFA international schedule.



The Canada-Greece match will feature the debut of the new Canada Umbro kit. The Canadian match will be broadcast on Wednesday 9 February at 10.00 ET / 07.00 PT (17.00 local kick off in Larissa, Greece). Fans will also be able to follow the match live on www.twitter.com/CanadaSoccerEN.



Coach Hart’s selection features one debut: goalkeeper Milan Borjan. The 23-year old goalkeeper of Hamilton, ON plays professional soccer for FK Rad in Serbia. Borjan and Edmonton’s Lars Hirschfeld (32 appearances for Canada) are the two goalkeepers selected for this camp. Hirschfeld plays his professional soccer for Vålerenga Fotball in Norway.



Two other players have yet to make their first appearance for Canada, although they have both taken part in previous men’s national camps. Midfielder Tosaint Ricketts took part in his first camp in 2009 in Larnaka, Cyprus. Defender David Edgar, meanwhile, has taken part in several camps dating back to 2007. Both Ricketts and Edgar are 23 years old.



Borjan, Ricketts, Edgar, Jaime Peters, Simeon Jackson and Will Johnson are all 1987-born players. Five of those six players (all but Borjan) represented Canada at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007. One other player in the camp is younger: 20-year older defender Adam Straith.



As for experience, Hirschfeld, Dwayne De Rosario, Kevin McKenna and Rob Friend are all amongst the senior players in the camp. De Rosario is the leader with 55 appearances, while 27-year old midfielder Atiba Hutchinson is second with 50 appearances. Hutchinson, the 2010 Canadian Player of the Year, scored a goal and an assist in Canada’s last international friendly match on 8 October 2010 (a 2:2 draw with Ukraine).



Fifteen of Canada’s 18 players play professional soccer in Europe. De Rosario (Toronto FC), Johnson (Real Salt Lake) and Dejan Jakovic (D.C. United) play in Major League Soccer. De Rosario is a two-time national champion in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.



As for extended coverage before the Canada-Greece kickoff on 9 February, Canadian supporters can tune-in early at 09.30 ET / 06.30 PT on Sportsnet ONE. The Sportsnet team will feature a special 30-minute season preview show prior to the start of the match. Also of note, the match will be replayed on Sportsnet Ontario (20.00 ET), Sportsnet West (23.30 MT) and Sportsnet Pacific (23.30 PT).





CANADA

1- GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball

2- D- Jaime Peters | ENG / Ipswich Town FC

3- M- Marcel de Jong | GER / FC Augsburg

4- D- Dejan Jakovic | USA / DC United

5- D- Kevin McKenna | GER / FC Köln

6- M- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / SV Wehen Wiesbaden

7- M- Pedro Pacheco | POR / CD Santa Clara

8- M- Will Johnson | USA / Real Salt Lake

9- F- Rob Friend | GER / Hertha BSC

10- F- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Norwich City FC

11- D- David Edgar | ENG / Burnley FC

12- D- Adam Straith | GER / FC Energie Cottbus

13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | NED / PSV Eindhoven

14- M- Dwayne De Rosario | CAN / Toronto FC

15- M- Josh Simpson | TUR / Vestel Manisaspor

16- M- Tosaint Ricketts | FC Politehnica Timiþoara

17- F- Olivier Occean | GER / Kickers Offenbach

22- GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Rad



Borjan, Milan | 1987 | Hamilton, ON, CAN |

de Jong, Marcel | 1986 | Toronto, ON, CAN |

De Rosario, Dwayne | 1978 | Scarborough, ON, CAN |

Edgar, David | 1987 | Kitchener, ON, CAN |

Friend, Rob | 1981 | Kelowna, BC, CAN |

Hirschfeld, Lars | 1978 | Edmonton, AB, CAN |

Hutchinson, Atiba | 1983 | Brampton, ON, CAN |

Jackson, Simeon | 1987 | Mississauga, ON, CAN |

Jakovic, Dejan | 1985 | Etobicoke, ON, CAN |

Johnson, Will | 1987 | Toronto, ON, CAN|

Ledgerwood, Nik | 1985 | Lethbridge, AB, CAN |

McKenna, Kevin | 1980 | Calgary, AB, CAN |

Occean, Olivier | 1981 | Brossard, QC, CAN |

Pacheco, Pedro | 1984 | Toronto, ON, CAN |

Peters, Jaime | 1987 | Pickering, ON, CAN |

Ricketts, Tosaint | 1987 | Edmonton, AB, CAN |

Simpson, Josh | 1983 | Victoria, BC, CAN |

Straith, Adam | 1990 | Victoria, BC, CAN | Bays United SC



Head of Delegation / Chef de délegation : George Athanasiou

Head Coach / Entraîneur-chef : Stephen Hart

Assistant Coach / Entraîneur adjoint : Tony Fonseca

Goalkeer Coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Paul Dolan

Video Coordinator / Vidéaste : Victor Mendes

Team Manager / Gérant d’équipe : Morgan Quarry

Equipment Manager / Gérant de l’équipement : Burns Jennings

Doctor / Docteur : Dr. John Philpott

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Ted Tilbury

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Dave Foley