Music: {allcanada} HART EXPECTS DE ROSARIO TO PLAY FOR CANADA IN GOLD CUP

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

{allcanada} HART EXPECTS DE ROSARIO TO PLAY FOR CANADA IN GOLD CUP

TORONTO -- Canadian soccer coach Stephen Hart says there has never been an issue with Dwayne De Rosario playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.

And he's puzzled by comments from New York Bulls coach Hans Backe to the contrary.

"I've been talking to Dwayne all along, the coach made a statement, I don't know why he made it and if we were to select Dwayne, we expect him to be there for the tournament. It's as simple as that," Hart said on a conference call Tuesday.

Backe had told the New York Post he thought the veteran Canadian midfielder had turned down the national team invite. De Rosario then contradicted his coach, quoted on the Major League Soccer website as saying he "100 per cent" wanted to play for Canada.

The Canadians open the Gold Cup tournament June 7 at Ford Field in Detroit versus a United States team that is 0-3 this year. The U.S. is ranked No. 1 in CONCACAF and 22nd in the world, while Canada is seventh in CONCACAF and 75th in the world.

The timing of the tournament causes problems for numerous franchises, who lose players to national team duty.

"I don't think the Red Bulls will object, they will not be happy, nobody is going to be happy that they're going to be losing potentially quite a few players for this tournament," Hart said. "But it is the official tournament of the confederation and if selected, Dwayne will be there."

The 32-year-old De Rosario has won 56 caps for Canada but has only played three times since the end of the last World Cup qualifying campaign in October 2008.

Hart said his list of 30 potential players for the Gold Cup includes three from Toronto FC -- presumably midfielder Julian de Guzman and defenders Adrian Cann and Nana Attakora.

The Canadians will gear up for the Gold Cup with a friendly against Ecuador on June 1 in Toronto. They'll have a couple of days training before that friendly, Hart said, and a few more days before facing the U.S. in Detroit.

It's not the ideal preparation, said the coach, but not unexpected either.

"As a coach, you always want to have more time," Hart said. "It's going to be a little difficult for us as I think it would be for everybody because so many of the leagues are finishing late this year and the players need a little bit of a break before they go directly into camp."

"But it's something we knew about before we even started this."

Hart said he's been thrilled to see striker Simeon Jackson thriving with Norwich City the last few weeks. Jackson scored nine goals over an eight-game span to propel the Canaries to the Premier League, and his late-season burst is perfect timing for the Canadian squad.

"We've always felt that Simeon needed the opportunity to play," Hart said. "He was not playing as consistently as he would like and especially for players who play in the striking position, they need to get into the rhythm of the game. But in the last few weeks he's done tremendously well, so of course I'm delighted."

Following their game against the Americans, they face Guadeloupe in Tampa on June 11 and Panama in Kansas City on June 14.

Hart hopes to see a big contingent of Canadian fans cross to border to take in the opening game.

"It's a unique opportunity to be playing just in Detroit, and always to play the United States has been a special game for us," he said. "We would love to see as many Canadian fans there as possible."

NOTES -- Hart hinted Greg Sutton's recent concussion might have taken him out of the running for a spot on the squad. The goalkeeper suffered a concussion a little over a month ago and hasn't made a start for the New York Red Bulls since. . . Toronto FC midfielder Julian de Guzman has been named the club's first Esquire community player of the month in 2011.