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Preliminary List for November 19th Ghana Friendly in Accra

November 6th, 2008 | By: Rami | 38 Comments »

Instead of letting a few days elapse before replacing the Benin fixture after the Squirrels chose to play Egypt instead, the FTF has moved quickly to set up a useful friendly versus the Blackstars of Ghana. This is a positive development given that it is an away fixture to be played in Accra. Hard to think of a better way to prepare for Nigieria than matching up against their fierce West African rivals on their home turf.

We’ve talked at length about our injury problems so I won’t go through the laundry list again. Instead, let’s focus on the flipside of these absences: If there was ever a time to bleed young talent, this is it, and sure enough, Coelho looks like he’s going to take full advantage. If you find yourself scratching your head at the absences of Etoile and CSS players, don’t dwell on it too much because it’s simply a matter of timing. The final of the CAF Confederations cup is on the 20th of November, the day after our friendly. The FTF decided they wouldn’t call up any players from both teams except for Mohammed Ali Nafkha who will be missing the final due to suspension.

Goalkeepers: Hamdi Kasraoui (Esperance), Nadim Thabet (Jendouba Sport), Bassem Sekhiri (US Monastir)

Defenders: Anis Boussaidi (Red Bull Salzburg), Bilel Ifa (Club Africain), Seif Ghezal (Young Boys), Yamen Ben Zekri (Bastia), Yassine Mikari, (Grasshopper Zurich) Radhi Jaidi (Birmingham City), Khaled Souissi (Club Africain), Abdelmonaam Derbali (Club Africain), Jamel Saihi (Montpellier), Seifeddine Chammari (Esperance), Mohammed Ben Mansour (Esperance), Khaled Zairi (Stade Tunisien)

Midfielders: Jawhar Mnari (Nurnberg), Majdi Traoui (Red Bull Salzburg), Houssine Ragued (Mons), Hamed Namouchi (Lorient), Wissem Ben Yahia (Club Africain), Chaouki Ben Saada (OG Nice), Tijani Belaid (Slavia Prague), Oussema Darragi (Esperance), Mohammed Ali Nafkha (Etoile), Khaled Korbi (Stade Tunisien), Anis Boujelbene (Al Ahly)

Strikers: Francileudo Dos Santos (Sochaux), Hichem Essifi (US Monastir), Issam Jemaa (Lens), Ali Zitouni (Antalyaspor), Sami Allagui (Gruther Furth), Hamza Messaadi (Club Africain)

For the most part, the list screams young, inexperienced, experimental, and talented. It’s hard to make an accurate judgment regarding Coelho’s intentions since this is just the preliminary list and has yet to be trimmed to the final 23. Some have questioned this method but I’m all for it. It allows the pre selected players to gain a better understanding of where they stand vis a vis the NT. Even if seven of them aren’t traveling to Ghana, just being on the list will fill them with hope that they can make the squad one day and this determination will shine through in their performances for their clubs. Once Coelho submits his verdict, we’ll evaluate the list and possible lineups in greater detail.

Some storylines to follow:

- Returning: Hamdi Kasraoui, Khaled Souissi, Hamed Namouchi, Dos Santos, Ali Zitouni, Radhi Jaidi, Jawhar Mnari, Majdi Traoui, Mohammed Ali Nafkha

- Fresh Faces: Nadim Thabet, Bassem Sekhiri, Jamel Saihi, Khaled Zairi, Abdelmonem Derbali, Bilel Ifa, Khaled Korbi, Sami Allagui, Hamza Messaadi

- Excluded: Saber Ben Frej and Alaeddine Yahia

Play coach: Which seven players would you drop before matchday?

Tags: Bilel Ifa, Club Sportif Sfaxien, Etoile Sportive du Sahel, Ghana Blackstars, Group H, Hamza Messadi, Humberto Coleho, Mohammed Ali Nafkha, Sami Allagui, Tunisia Football

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 38 comments.

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By Abdullah | November 7th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

Wow that’s great news man, i really hope he can make his comeback without injuring himself cause we’re gonna need him.

Posted from Netherlands

By Achraf | November 7th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

That is very good news, Rami, to see Chikhaoui come back from the terrible injury. And if he does play tomorrow, he will be playing against and defended by Yassine Mikari. I would like to look at that matchup. Here is a site where it posts all live games online. http://myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=football . And does anyone know the status of Amine Chermiti

By Rachid | November 7th, 2008 at 5:36 pm

Fahd, life in the US is pretty much normal. In fact, it’s great to live and work in this country, and especially in Chicago! Once in a while, you may hear something you don’t like, but it’s been quite rare. You may have seen that during the election in one of John McCain’s rallies, there was a “white trash” woman who shouted “Obama is an Arab!” McCain told her “No, he’s a decent man” as if being an Arab means the same thing as being indecent!!! But, that’s the Rebublican crowd and they generally tend to be assholes. Other than that, there are no issues whatsoever. The US has changed dramatically with the election of Obama. Good riddance to Bush!!!

Posted from United States

By Achraf | November 7th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

oh yea, and Rami, are you going to the November 7 party in DC tomorrow on saturday?

By Rami | November 8th, 2008 at 10:46 am

Achraf, I’m not in DC this weekend so I won’t be attending that party. I hadn’t even heard of it to be completely honest. Where is it? At the embassy? Oh, and as for Chermiti, he’s back to training but probably out another two weeks.

Rachid, being in Chicago on election night must have been quite something. I walked down to the white house here in DC when he won and the scenes of jubilation were on another level.

Posted from United States

By Achraf | November 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

We might soon be seeing Hamza Baghouli be playing for the Tunisia NT after coming back from 6 month suspension and scoring 2 goals in his first game back. I also beliebve that CAB might sell him to a bigger tunisian club since thats what the owner of CAB always does.

Posted from United States

By Yassine | November 8th, 2008 at 7:32 pm

Great News everyone: Yassine Chikhaoui is back!!!!!!!!
He played 46 minutes Saturday with the U21 FC Zurich team but won’t play the Zurich derby tomorrow
Check out the photos at the FCZ’s official site. You’ll feel unusually good.
Chi5a ya m3allem

By skander | November 9th, 2008 at 5:42 am

hello guys,

I’m just wondering but Namouchi played 47′ minutes with lorient yesterday, is he fine now?

Posted from Sweden

By Achraf | November 9th, 2008 at 9:45 am

I guess Namouchi is fine since Coelho called him up for the Ghana game.

By Yassine | November 9th, 2008 at 3:35 pm

Belaid and Santos scored too!

By Abdullah | November 9th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

The bundesliga site reports that karim haggui’s surgery went very well.

Posted from Netherlands

By Rachid | November 9th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

Rami, your thoughts on the CA-EST derby? Two geart games in Tunisia this weekend; enjoyed both of them! What’s the story with Esperance getting penalty kicks almost regularly in every game? It smells a bit fishy!

By Houssem | November 10th, 2008 at 8:37 am

Great derby indeed, and the penalty for EST was fully legitimate. Best result for ESS and CSS as well !

Posted from Germany

By Rami | November 10th, 2008 at 9:06 am

Definitely a fun derby. The result is bittersweet for me since I would have rather seen us play badly and collect three points. On the other hand, this performance could be the launching pad to help revitalize our title defense. Especially happy for Tchala who will receive a huge confidence boost now that he’s opened his account with us. I’m secretely wishing the Darragi was on our team (the secret is out now I guess). That guy is quite something. Tough for Ifa to take the blame for the two goals though since he’s been one of the few bright spots this season.

Yassine, those pictures do look very good. Inshallah Chikhaoui continues to regain his fitness and starts logging in some minutes in the axpo league. Rabbi m3ah.

Posted from United States

By Skander | November 10th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

In all newspapers and articals they says that Santos got injured the last match and it was alvaro santos who scored and not francileudo santos. santos was substituted in the 9′ minute two weeks ago

Posted from Sweden

By Skander | November 10th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

YES IT’S CONFIRMED it was ALVARo santos that scored against Le Mans

Posted from Sweden

By Skander | November 10th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

OHO, some sources says it was Francileudo and other says it was Alvaro? :O Lol, i’m debating with my self, in frenchleague.com it says Francileudo scored, in L’equipe they say Alvaro scored and in eurosport too and in soccernet.com there’s santos again :S.

Posted from Sweden

By Marwen | November 10th, 2008 at 5:00 pm

Its our Santos that scored, here is the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2NEpg4o7DY

By Abdullah | November 11th, 2008 at 11:18 am

Jemaa is playing vs Santos today! Lens-Sochaux.

Posted from Netherlands

By Abdullah | November 11th, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Alaeddine Yahia scored for lens today against sochaux.

Posted from Netherlands

By Bassem | November 12th, 2008 at 4:54 am

Defender Karim Haggui underwent a successful groin operation in Munich this week. “We’re hoping that he’ll be fit for the last two games before the winter break,” reports Bayer 04 coach Bruno Labbadia.

At the same time, Labbadia hopes to have Benedikt Fernandez back within the next two weeks. The reserve keeper was rested from training and matches for last 14 days due to recurrent injury problems. “Even with our busy fixture schedule over the last week, we’ve taken the time to sort things out,” explains Bruno Labbadia.

Who can give more information about Aimen Chermiti and Yassin? We need to have them back before the friendly against the Netherlands this upcoming February.

At the moment our striker list: No one is capable to produce the same power and precision as the 2 strikers above mentioned.

Posted from Netherlands

By Yassine | November 12th, 2008 at 7:41 am

You’re right Bassem Chermiti and Chikhaoui are our best players. Chikhaoui is slowly regaining his form and hopefully he’ll make his league return next weekend. Chermiti will be fully fit 2 weeks from now

By Abdullah | November 12th, 2008 at 10:53 am

Why do ppl keep reffering to Chikhaoui as a striker, Chermiti is a striker, santos is a striker, ben dhifallah is a striker but none of them except for chermiti are able to cause a threat to a solid dutch defense.

Posted from Netherlands

By Achraf | November 12th, 2008 at 11:25 am

Abdullah, You can add Allagui to your list of strikers who seems to score in every game. Can’t wait to see him in the red and white.

Posted from United States

By Abdullah | November 12th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

Im not so sure about allagui either, i mean he is topscorer of his league(bundesliga 2 btw), but i get a bit of a santos feeling about him.
I mean he might do good in the bundesliga 2 but against top defenders he might not be a constant scorer, and chermiti is also still young so i think that’s the main reason coelho called up ali zitouni.

Posted from Netherlands

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