The camp, held mainly for North-American based players, will allow Frank Yallop, the national team’s new head coach, to take a closer look at certain players.
Nash and Pizzolitto have been invited by the national World Cup team in the past, but it will be a first for goalkeeper Sutton and defender Gervais.
"It’s always an honour to be recognized for your work, as well as a player. You always want to play at the highest level possible," said Gervais (photo), who was proclaimed the A-League’s Defender of the Year at the end of the 2003 season. "This means the team’s success last season did not go unnoticed. The fact that we have four players going to camp is proof of that."
Players will also take part in a friendly match against Barbados, January 18 in Bridgetown.
OLYMPIC TEAM
Meanwhile, Impact players Adam Braz, David Fronimadis and Andrew Olivieri are at the Canadian Olympic team’s camp, presently underway in Fort Lauderdale. The under-23 squad, which is trying to earn a spot at the 2004 Games in Athens, will play in the final round of Olympic qualifying, February 2 to 12 in Mexico.
"For young players, playing at the international level is always a great experience," says Impact head coach Nick DeSantis. "But I’m also pleased to see that players who have shown their talent in the A-League are being recognized for it."
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SOURCE:
bcomm
INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
