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 Hirschfeld, Milan Borjan, Kenny Stamatopoulos
DEFENDERS: Nik Ledgerwood, Mike Klukowski, Kevin McKenna, Andre Hainault, David Edgar, Ashtone Morgan, Ante Jazic
MIDFIELDERS: Julian de Guzman, Will Johnson, Josh Simpson, Atiba Hutchinson, Pedro Pacheco, Samuel Piette, Issey Nakajima-Farran
FORWARDS: Simeon Jackson, Iain Hume, Tosaint Ricketts, Dwayne De Rosario, Olivier 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?
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