WYC Player Pool and Possible Roster

[RedandWhite]

Can someone give me a list of Canada's eligible players for WYC 2007. And you can also discuss the possible final roster.

Thanks agian.

[Captain Canuck]

There's probably a listing up on the CSA website for a full list of the player pool, but I doubt anyone can provide an exhaustive list as this point. Key eligible players for 2007 that were on the 2005 team that played in the finals in Holland include Will Johnson (Chicago Fire), David Edgar (Newcastle), Andrea Lombardo (Atalanta), Asmir Begovic (On loan to RAAL Belgium from Portsmouth), and Jaime Peters (Ipswich Town). Jonathan De Guzman of Feynoord, brother of Julian, is also eligible for this tourney, but it remains to be seen whether he will, as he's stated he wants to focus on solidifying his club career before playing internationally.

[jpg75]

Don't forget Jacon Lensky MF (Celtic), Manny Gomez MF (River Plate) and Steven Vitoria D (Porto)...even Franco Lalli F (was in Italy) is eligible i think...is Julian Uccello an '87 or '86?

[Captain Canuck]

I think Uccello & Lalli are both born in 86.

[hobbes]

This is just total, idle random speculation, but I've been keeping a running list trying to follow who some of these guys are and see how many players we wind up looking at, who comes out of nowhere, etc.

It looks like a long list, but I'm sure someone not on the list will get called for the Manchester camp. I can't believe how many 89s we called for the Kiwi series, but why not widen the group?

Not sure of DOB on all of these guys and positions aren't 100 per cent either since I probably haven't even seen half of these guys play. Anyone have an age or position on Gavin McCallum?

Goalkeepers
Asmir Begovic (87) — Portsmouth (England)/RAAL (Belgium)
Adam Catley (87) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Michael Tillati (87) — Penn St. (NCAA)
Zach Kalthoff (88) — Southampton (England)
David Monsalve (88) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Lorenzo Borella (88) — U20 Developmental/Que
Andrew Kowan (89) — U20 Developmental/BC

Defenders
David Edgar (87) — Newcastle (England)
Stephen Lumley (87) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Kyle Bartkus (87) — Wisconsin-Green Bay (NCAA)
Masumi Turnbull (87) — Kentucky (NCAA)
Steven Vitoria (87?) — FC Porto (Portugal)
Erik DiLorenzo (87?) — Albany (NCAA)
Kurt Ruhe-Lischke (87?) — Albany (NCAA)
Joseph Awuakye (88) —
Curtis Ridley (88) — U20 Developmental/Alta
Harman Braich (88) — U20 Developmental/Alta
Martin John (88) — Maine (NCAA)
Bruno Napoleao (88) — Trinity Western
Nana Attakora-Gyan (89) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Kennedy Owusu-Ansah (89) —
Alex Suprenant (89) —
Kent O'Conner — 1860 Munich (Germany)
Liam Smith (89) — U20 Developmental/BC

Midfielders
Jaime Peters (87) — Ipswich (England)
Jonathan DeGuzman (87) — Feyenoord (Netherlands)
Manny Gomez (87) — River Plate (Argentina)
Kerr McLeod (87) — Fairfield (NCAA)
Hector Contreras (87) — U20 Developmental/Que
Vince Petrasso (87) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Tosant Ricketts (87) — Wisconsin-Green Bay (NCAA) [Santiago Morning]
Joey Loreth (87) — Oregon State (NCAA)
Olivier Babineau (87) — Boston Bulldogs
Stefan Leslie (87) — Vancouver Whitecaps Reserves
Ibrahim Baldeh (87) — U20 Developmental/Que.
Kevin Murphy (87) — U20 Developmental/Sask
Taylor McNamara (87?) — Albany (NCAA) —
Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault (88) — U20 Developmental/Que
Jacob Lensky (88) — Celtic (Scotland)
Robert Kerek (88) — SC Frieburg (Germany)
Carlo Seminara (88) — Salernitana Sport (Italy)
Kyle Oliveira (88) — U17 WC team
Pierre-Rudolp Mayard (88) — U17 WC team
Josue Jaramillo (88) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Alex Marrello (88) — U20 Developmental/BC
Marinko Maras (89) —
Michael Pereira (89) — FC Porto (Portugal)
Gabriel Gala (89) — U20 Developmental/Ont
Rob Geizen (89) — U20 Developmental/BC

Forwards
Will Johnson (87) — Chicago (US)
Andrea Lombardo (87) — Atalanta (Italy)
Mike D'Agostino (87) — Kentucky (NCAA)
Alex Elliott (87) — Portland (NCAA)
Massimo Di Ioia (87) — U20 Developmental/Que
Jason Devonish (87) — Queen's College (T&T)
David Browning (87) — Cornell (NCAA) [K Lierse SK (Belgium)] SingaporeU16
Daniel Revivo (87?) — Winthrop (NCAA)
Kevin Courcelle (88) — Royal Excelsior Mouscron (Belgium)
Shane Lammie (88) —
Keegan Ayre (88) — U20 Developmental/BC
Johnson Akuoku (88) —
A.J. Gray (88) — U17 WC team
Amuri Kapongo (88) — U20 Developmental/Alta
Christian Nunez (88) — U20 Developmental/Que
Mario Panizzon (88) — U20 Developmental/Alta
Derek Gaudet (89) — Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Gavin Russell (88) — Shelbourne (Ireland)
Marcus Haber (89) — U17 WC team
Jorge Angel-Mira (89) — U20 Developmental/BC
Gavin McCallum — Yeovil Town (English League One)

I'm hoping they call in some of the other Euro kids like Stephon Alingue, Amir Haroon or Fabian Knezevic so we can get an idea of who they are and if they're on the radar. Say what you will about the CSA, but there's not too many unturned stones in this U20 group. They've already looked at a lot of kids through the developmental team and Dale hasn't even really started putting his stamp on the group yet.

cheers,
hobbes

[Joe MacCarthy]

Missing Robert Giacomi who will likely battle it out with Begovic. Also the Edmonton Juventas U16 trio of Saiko, Seon, and Gill have all been given the looksee by European clubs and although young might get a shot.

TWU/Calgary Foothills U18 Justin Farenik also might get a shot.

Derek Gaudet is playing with Halifax Dunbrack U18; I don't know if his Boca days are over or not.

[hobbes]

Thanks, I didn't even realize Giacomi wasn't in the list. And yeah Saiko definitely belongs there. I spoke to him at the Canada Games and he said the Boro deal wasn't definite, but was close, so he may still be going. He can't join their acaedmy until he's 16 so I don't know if he's had his birthday yet or not.

What else can you tell me about Seon and Gill?

Yeah Gaudet was only there for a specific time (I can't remember if they invited him over for eight weeks or a year, there's an article online about it somewhere). He actually didn't blow me away in person, but maybe my expectations were too high, he was two years younger than a lot of the competition.

I've seen Farenik a few times. We're too deep at forward (which I think is his best position) for him to figure I think. But what do I know?

cheers,
hobbes

[Joe MacCarthy]

Christian Seon had a trial with St. Johnstone. Jaswinder Gill had a youth scholarship offer with Charlton Athletic which I think was not taken up.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2005/09/04/1201964-sun.html
http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2005/09/05/story7509515t0.shtm

Here's the pitch
Saiko, Gill have been approached by English Premier teams
By SCOTT ZERR -- Edmonton Sun
04/25/2005

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2005/04/24/1010970-sun.html

When most local lads hit 16, their primary focus is on landing themselves the ultimate symbol of teenage freedom. But Shaun Saiko and Jaswinder Gill have a much larger ambition in mind than mastering the skills it takes to acquire a driver's licence.

Each has been offered a scholarship to the academy programs of English Premier teams - Saiko with Middlesbrough and Gill with Charlton Athletic.

The Edmonton Juventus products must both make up their minds after turning 16 whether or not to make the huge move in the middle of their high school tenures.

THERE'S A BIT OF NERVES

"I want to do it, but there's a bit of nerves," said Saiko, who spent last weekend in Ottawa with the Canadian under-17 team in a two-game series against Scotland. "It's going to be hard to leave all my family and go to another place that I don't really know about. But it would be good to play with all the better players.

''There's not much opportunity here with no pro league and with all the better players overseas, it's kind of my only option."

The scholarships are for two years plus an option year and when the players hit 18, they are either signed by the senior side or released.

The 15-year-old midfielder first garnered the attention of the Middlesbrough staff when his Edmonton squad went to England last summer under the guidance of Len Vickery, the University of Alberta Golden Bears coach.

Gill put an initial offer from Charlton on hold so he could fulfil his obligations to the national U-17s, who face the U.S. today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and then go up against Guatemala twice next week. He expects there to be some watchful Charlton eyes when he plays between the pipes during Canada's contests.

KEEP WORKING HARD

"I just have to keep working hard in practice all the time," said Gill. "I'll talk things over with them when I come back and if (the offer) is still there, I'll make up my mind."

About the same time that Gill is making up his mind on the scholarship, another Edmonton product will be facing a major decision of his own. Asmir Begovic has done his time in the academy and youth programs and it'll soon be time to step up to the next challenge. The 18-year-old 'keeper is in line for a multi-year contract offer from Portsmouth that would initially land him about 450 pounds per week ($950 Cdn). More important than the money is the chance to move up with the Premier side.

"I've been training with the reserves and with the first team more. I've been getting better and getting more opportunities," said Begovic from Germany, where he is in camp with the Canadian under-20 squad.

FACING CHINA

The Canucks began a three-game exhibition series yesterday with the first of two tests against China.

"My first season here was pretty difficult, having to play at a high level all the time. I had to stay focused and that's become easier now."

But before that deal gets done, the six-foot-five stopper would love to play a key role in helping Canada's climb in the youth ranks.

Begovic posted two shutouts in CONCACAF qualifying back in January and will be in the mix along with Glasgow Rangers' Robert Giacomi and college standout Joshua Wagenaar when the World Youth Championship begins June 12 in the Netherlands.

"I'd like to get as much experience as I can with the under-20 team and my club, and eventually get to the first team and the Canadian national team," said Begovic, one of a handful of current youth team members who are eligible to play at the worlds again in 2007 when Canada plays host.

"I was the backup for qualifying but I want to be playing as much as possible. I'll be disappointed if I'm not playing, but if not, then I'll deal with it."

Canada's U-20 coach Dale Mitchell will put all three of his 'keepers through the paces along with another of Edmonton's blossoming talents, defender Simon Kassaye.

It hasn't been smooth sailing for Kassaye for the past year as he remains without a club team following the collapse of his hometown Aviators.

"If he were to be without a team for a while, in the long run, it would hurt him so it would be in his best interest to get into a good college program or into a pro situation," said Mitchell.

Mitchell has come away impressed by the young players who are coming up in the Canadian ranks, many of whom will be part of the national team program for years and garnering attention from several teams overseas.

SEEING THE RESULTS NOW

"There's no question with our developmental program we are starting to see the results at the under-20 level," said Mitchell.

"The under-17s have an important qualifier next month and it would be great if they were to be successful and get to the championship."

And in addition to Gill, Edmonton's soccer community will be well-represented when the juniors play Haiti, Honduras and Mexico in the last of the CONCACAF qualifiers for a spot at the U-17 worlds in Peru come September.

Joining Gill will be Curtis Ridley, Harman Raich and Mario Panizzon, along with coach Sean Fleming, who is in charge of the Canadian Soccer Association prairie training centre.

[jpg75]

I think Uccello & Lalli are both born in 86.
Sorry!! In fact, Lalli is an '85...

Also, Amir Haroon and Roberto Giacomi are both '86's.... :(