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Mid-Day Ticker: Norwich releases Whitbread, Canada unveils roster & more

Whitbread (Getty)

 

Zak Whitbread's career has hit a most unwelcome bump in the road.

The American centerback was released by Norwich City on Thursday after another injury-plagued campaign. Whitbread, 28, made 21 appearances for Norwich as the club finished midtable in its first season back in the Premier League. Whitbread's contract was up with the Canaries, but the club failed to bring him back for the upcoming season.

Whitbread has been limited to just 43 starts since joining the side from Millwall in 2010. At different points this past season, Whitbread was plagued by knee, hamstring and calf injuries.

Striker Aaron Wilbraham also was released by Norwich on Thursday, leading manager Paul Lambert to say, "Both lads have been brilliant for the club. It was a difficult decision to make."

Here are some more stories to keep your Thursday rolling:

CANADA UNVEILS ROSTER

The next stage of Canada's long World Cup qualifying road begins next month, and coach Stephen Hart now knows the players his team will go into battle with.

Canada unveiled a 22-man roster that will take on the United States in a June 3 friendly at BMO Field in Toronto before opening the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with a June 8 match at Cuba and June 12 game back in Toronto against Honduras.

Here is the full squad:

    GOALKEEPERS: Lars HirschfeldMilan BorjanKenny Stamatopoulos

    DEFENDERS: Nik LedgerwoodMike KlukowskiKevin McKennaAndre HainaultDavid EdgarAshtone     MorganAnte Jazic

    MIDFIELDERS: Julian de GuzmanWill JohnsonJosh SimpsonAtiba HutchinsonPedro     PachecoSamuel PietteIssey Nakajima-Farran

    FORWARDS: Simeon JacksonIain HumeTosaint RickettsDwayne De RosarioOlivier Occean

HAMBURG SIGNS GOALKEEEPER ADLER

Hamburg has bolstered its roster with German international goalkeeper Rene Adler, signing the 27-year-old to a five-year deal. After missing the entire past season for Bayer Leverkusen while recovering from knee surgery, Adler said he thinks he "will come out of this last year stronger than ever."

"It was a tough time and I had to come through lots of low moments during rehabilitation, but it has all paid off in the end," he added. "I now feel top fit and am ready."

WILSHERE TO HAVE MINOR KNEE SURGERY

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, already ruled out for Euro 2012, may miss out on the Olympics as well.

The 20-year-old, who missed the entire 2011-12 campaign for Arsenal while recovering from an ankle injury, will undergo minor knee surgery that could put his selection to Great Britain's Olympic squad in doubt.

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Are you disappointed to see Whitbread released? What do you think of Canada's roster? Is Adler a good signing for Hamburg?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Less about FIFA rules than US citizenship laws. US law is much stricter than many countries (and the FIFA standards).

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  2. one reason is if he had value his original team could re-sign him so they could move him for something instead of nothing, which happens plenty. However, that has not happened. Hopefully he lands somewhere beneficial, but his injury history is a big red flag

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  3. Whitbread’s contract was up this summer, why would anyone buy a player whose contract expires before their next game?

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  4. Bradley deserves all the praise he gets and more, what a class act. I never wanted him gone from the USMNT. Too bad the combination of Chandler snubbing the cap-tying callup and Bedoya injuring Cherundolo in the GC final cost him his job.

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  5. Hunh? Whitbread is “all that” on these boards? He seems perpetually forgotten amongst US fans on “these” and other boards.

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  6. Hoilett’s dad says he isn’t eligible for the US. He’s probably got a US citizen grandparent, but that’s not particularly useful for getting a passport (like it is in other countries).

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  7. Maybe Whitbread just isn’t all that outside of these boards? When a club lets a player go on a free, that can only mean that NOBODY would offer anything for him. His value to MLS has just dropped since he may end up with few other choices

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  8. well that’s interesting. JK should at least see what the deal is, if he hasn’t already. how does he even qualify to play for the USA?

    also, his situation with canada is very similar to chandler and the USA. granted, hoilett has yet to accept a senior call up.

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  9. agudelo could really grow at chivas as a player, this could be his team now and for another 2 years, he also has JPA for season (injury plagued though). looks like a good move to me. The Red Bulls also sure up their problems at leftback and get a great one in Heath Pearce(MLS Standards) he also has played centerback as well.

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  10. Holy crap today could go down as one of the biggest MLS days for trade offers!Heath Pearce for Juan Agudelo, adn Califf for Lahoud. Chivas USA makes instant upgrades to their squad if this actually happens.

    Agudelo will finally get steady frirst team minutes which he needs.

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  11. There are some MLS teams that could use Whitbread. No idea what kind of coin he was earning, but the Galaxy should probably pick up the phone along with a number of other squads.

    Also, how old is Kevin McKenna? I feel like that guys been playing for Canada for 15 years…

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  12. Off topic but the ESPN article on Bob Bradley is really fantastic.

    Excerpt: “At first, most people were like, ‘We don’t want no damn American,'” Abdel says. “They thought Bob was all about fitness. His teams won because they were in the best shape. But now they’ve gotten to see the man and know the man. And they love him. Now, he’s a rock star. He’s bigger than Obama.”

    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=Bob-Bradley

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  13. Maybe Whitebread being picked up on a free will be a good thing. Hopefully he can play platoon duty for a year, get healthy and land on a solid club that is playing in several competitions.

    I’m not saying Manchester City but I am saying a Europa League squad would be nice.

    Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise?

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  14. i wonder if Junior Hoilett or Blackburn Rovers was called in for Canada. talk about a Timmy Chandler-like situation, he is from Canada with Jamaica roots (qualifies for either) but apparently has held out to get better and wait and see if USA or England call (don’t know if he qualifies for either of these)…

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  15. Whitbread’s had enough solid performances over the last year that somebody’s going to pick him up soon injuries aside.

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  16. Hopefully Whitbred can take the entire offseason to rest and get 100% healthy. If he could stay on the pitch, he seems to have the skills to be a solid starter for a number of mid table teams in Euorope.

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