Yallop Announces Squad for Luxembourg

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Senior National Team Head Coach, Frank Yallop, has announced his 16-man roster for the upcoming November 16th international friendly against Luxembourg. The match will be played at the Stade Alphonse Theis in Hesperange, Luxembourg and will be broadcast live at 2pm ET on all of the Rogers Sportsnet channels.



Yallop has recalled several players who featured in Canada’s 2-1 loss to Spain on September 3rd in Santander, Spain.



“This match against Luxembourg will give us an excellent opportunity to take a look at a few players who have been doing very well with their clubs recently,” said Canadian Head Coach Frank Yallop.



Sandro Grande, who netted Canada’s only goal in Santander, will be returning along with several others who have been ever-present in Yallop’s squad of late – Energie Cottbus defender Kevin McKenna; Tromso midfielder Patrice Bernier; Millwall-based winger Josh Simpson along with highly sought-after Atiba Hutchinson of Helsingborg and Major League Soccer MVP candidate Dwayne de Rosario.



FC Boden goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos was rewarded for his performance in Spain with a recall. This time Stamatopoulos will be joined by Bernier’s Tromso teammate Lars Hirschfeld who has been instrumental in the Norwegian club’s march into the group stage of the UEFA Cup.



The Luxembourg match will also provide Yallop the opportunity to see a handful of players that have been in and out of Canada’s lineup over the past year. Haugesund defender Chris Pozniak, FC Kuban’s Ante Jazic, Daniel Imhof of VfL Bochum, Leicester City’s Iain Hume and veteran midfielder Jim Brennan of Norwich City have all been included in Canada’s squad of 16.



The friendly will also be a chance for Ive ‘Johnny’ Sulentic, Will Johnson, and Stephen Ademolu to impress Yallop.



For Sulentic, the recall is the first since he made his debut for Canada on January 18, 2004 in a 1-0 victory over Barbados. The invite is also the first since his move from the Vancouver Whitecaps to FC St. Pauli for the 2005/6 season.



Ademolu, who last donned a Canadian jersey during Olympic qualifying in February 2004, earns his first call-up to the senior squad after an impressive season with Norway’s Tromso.



Chicago Fire striker and youth team standout, Will Johnson, has also been included in Yallop’s squad. The 18-year-old played in all three of Canada’s matches at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in Holland this past summer and has been tipped by many to shine when Canada hosts the biennial event in the summer of 2007.



Several players were unavailable for selection – Olivier Occean, Ali Gerba, and Marco Reda are all carrying injuries while Molde FK striker Rob Friend, fresh off his side’s 4-2 victory over Lillestrom in the Norwegian Cup Final (thus guaranteeing a spot in next year’s UEFA Cup) will remain with his club as they prepare for their two-legged series (November 13 and 19) against Moss FK for the right to stay in the Norwegian Premier Division.



Fulham striker Tomasz Radzinski, Deportivo La Coruña midfielder Julian de Guzman, and Tottenham Hotspur defender Paul Stalteri will all remain with their clubs during the international break. Several USL-based players who have featured in the Canadian team of late will also be absent.



“Unfortunately for the USL-based guys, the friendly comes at a time when they have been off for close to two months,” said Yallop. “But at the same time, it allows us to perhaps add to the depth of the squad which would certainly be beneficial down the road.”



The squad will arrive in Luxembourg on Sunday after the weekend fixtures and will train twice before the match on November 16.



Roster for Luxembourg Friendly