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Romania turn to youth

Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu has announced his squad for the two-week trip to Cyprus in early February.

Exiles return
Iordanescu today added 15 foreign-based players to the 16-man party he had announced last week for the training camp and mini-tournament next month. AFC Ajax goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont and midfielders Alin Stoica from Club Brugge KV and Grasshopper-Club's Mihai Tararache all return after lengthy absences. But Sporting Clube de Portugal striker Marius Niculae and FC Dynamo Kyiv midfield player Florin Cernat are out injured.

Popescu doubt
Also sidelined is FC Rapid Bucuresti goalkeeper Emilian Dolha, named in Iordanescu's original squad but now replaced by Eduard Stancioiu of CF Sportul Studentesc. Meanwhile, Gheorghe Popescu's participation depends on whether he completes a proposed move to German Bundesliga club Hannover 96.

Danish date
Although the aim of the two-week training camp, which begins on 1 February, is to prepare players for UEFA EURO 2004™ matches in the spring, it will also include two games in the Cyprus tournament. Romania are to play Slovakia on 12 February before facing either Cyprus or Russia 24 hours later. Their next opponent after that will be Group 2 qualifying rivals Denmark, who visit Romania on 29 March.

Young boys
Only three of the home-based players are over the age of 23 - Bogdan Vintila, Adrian Iencsi and Flavius Stoican. Meanwhile, Iordanescu will give a first taste of international football to six players in Gabriel Tamas, Stefan Grigorie, Cristian Dancia, Ciprian Tanasa, Florin Bratu and Daniel Oprita.

City slickers
The squad is dominated by the big four Bucharest clubs, with Divizia A leaders Rapid having six players in the pool, second-placed FC Dinamo Bucurest four, and FC Steaua Bucuresti and FC National Bucuresti two apiece.

Romania squad
Lobont, Stelea, Vintila, Stancioiu, Stoican, Tamas, Iencsi, Rat, Radoi, Dancia, Contra, Filipescu, Chivu, Sanmartean, Soava, Vlad Munteanu, Grigorie, Ovidiu Petre, Codrea, Stoica, Ghoiane, Dorinel Munteanu, Tararache, Mutu, Bratu, Oprita, Tanasa, Pancu, Adrian Ilie, Ganea, Moldovan.

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