Romania’s head coach Victor Piturka has named ten overseas-players in his squad for the upcoming friendly international against Trinidad and Tobago at the National Arena in Bucharest on June 4th.
Piturka has included newly signed West Ham United defender Razvan Rat who joined the English club from Shakhtar Donetsk a few weeks ago. VFB Stuttgart midfielder Alexandru Maxim, West Bromwich Albion defender Gabriel Tamas, AS Roma goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont, midfielder Adrian Stoian of Italian Seria A club Chievo Verona, Right winger Gabriel Andrei Torje, currently on loan with La Liga club Granada from Udinese and FC Schalke striker Andrei Marica are some of the names Piturka has also selected for the friendly. Veteran striker Adrian Mutu has been left out.
Romania are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in a 2014 World Cup qualifier and will be using the friendly as preparations for their next qualifier against Hungary in September.
Romania, which has appeared in seven World Cups, were drawn into the FIFA World Cup qualifying round with Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Estonia and Andorra. They made an impressive start with a 2-0 away win in Estonia followed by a 4-0 win at home against Andorra and another away 1-0 win over Turkey. But they are currently in desperate search of points to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
Several of this country’s European and Asian-based players will join the rest of the squad in London on May 31st en route to Bucharest. The contingent out of T&T which includes some of the US-based players will leave Port of Spain this coming Thursday.
Co-T&T head coach Hutson Charles believes the game will benefit his team’s build up to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July which kicks off against El Salvador at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on July 8th.
“These are two games that I think will be beneficial to our preparations in terms of us getting the chance to get the players together and see them in actual training and playing conditions ahead of the Gold Cup in July,” Charles told TTFF Media.
“The English boys have completed their seasons, so of course it’s important that they remain in tune with the program and some of our other European players like Ataullah Guerra, young Shahdon Winchester, Robert Primus and Radanfah Abu Bakr are still in season with their clubs as well as the players in Asia and the US-based players like Kevin Molino and Keon Daniel,” he added.
“Romania and Estonia will no doubt be coming at us. They are at home and they will want to play impressive football and go for the win but we of course also have our task to prepare for and this is all part of getting the team ready for the Gold Cup. We will be more than happy to have two very good challenges while we are out there on European soil,” Charles ended.
The T&T squad includes Middlesbrough’s Justin Hoyte, Notts County midfielder Andre Boucaud, Port Vale’s Chris Birchall, Vancouver Whitecaps defender Carlyle Mitchell, Thailand-based defender Seon Power, Vietnam-based midfielder Hughtun Hector, Turkish-based forward Darryl Roberts, US-based midfielders Keon Daniel and Kevin Molino, Kazakhstan-based defenders Robert Primus and Radanfah Abu Bakr and Finnish-based midfielder Ataullah Guerra.
They will be joined by a strong line up of home-based players such as Caledonia AIA forward Jamal Gay, goalkeepers Jan-Michael Williams and Marvin Phillip, Defence Force’s Kevon Carter, W Connection duo Daneil Cyrus and Joevin Jones, North East Stars forward Cornell Glen and Caledonia AIA midfielder Densill Theobald.