Dejan Jakovic (red jersey) was one of 28 players invited to participate in a Canada training camp that starts on January 12, 2017, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Canada Soccer)
OTTAWA --Canada has called in 28 players for the first training camp of 2017 as it prepares to visit Bermuda for an international friendly on January 22, Canada Soccer announced Tuesday.
The squad, which will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from January 12-18, is comprised entirely of players either from clubs in out-of-season North American leagues or those currently unattached.
"We want to give our players an early advantage heading into their pre-seasons, but also give our staff an opportunity to observe, evaluate, and educate a larger group of players," said Canada interim head coach Michael Findlay. "This project also provides an internal competition within the larger group as only 18 will be selected for travel to the match."
Findlay extended invitations to national team veterans such as midfielders Marcel de Jong (30-years-old/49 caps/3 goals), Will Johnson (29/41/4); defender Dejan Jakovic (31/33/0) and forward Tosaint Ricketts (29/54/14), while also giving Molham Babouli, Marco Carducci, Jay Chapman, Raheem Edwards, and Ben McKendry a chance to earn their first caps.
Unavailable through injury are Vancouver Whitecaps defender David Edgar and Orlando City SC forward Cyle Larin.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS: Marco Carducci (no club), Callum Irving (Ottawa Fury FC), Sean Melvin (Vancouver Whitecaps 2)
DEFENDERS: Nana Attakora (San Francisco Deltas/USA), Jamar Dixon (Ottawa Fury FC), Dejan Jakovic (no club), Nik Ledgerwood (FC Edmonton), Wandrille Lefevre (Impact de Montreal), Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC), Karl W. Ouimette (no club)
MIDFIELDERS: Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas/USA), Kyle Bekker (no club), Marco Bustos (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Jay Chapman (Toronto FC), Marcel de Jong (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Ben Fisk (FC Edmonton), Carl Haworth (Ottawa Fury FC), Will Johnson (Orlando City SC/USA), Ben McKendry (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Adam Straith (no club), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Maxim Tissot (no club)
FORWARDS: Molham Babouli (Toronto FC), Raheem Edwards (Toronto FC II), Jordan Hamilton (Toronto FC), Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Impact de Montreal), Tosaint Ricketts (Toronto FC)
