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RSSFacing defensive crisis, Stoilov calls up experienced reinforcements
Stanimir Stoilov, the manager of the Bulgarian national side, has recalled several experienced internationals for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Cyprus at the end of the month.
Today he announced the list of 13 Bulgarian players who play abroad and called up several older players to shore up the defensive line.
On the list was Maccabi Tel Aviv's Igor Tomasic (10 caps), Hapoel Tel Aviv's Elin Topuzakov (29) and Sanfrecce Hiroshima's Ilian Stoyanov (33).
Stoilov knows the trio very well from the time he managed Levski Sofia, but a big downside is that each of them is 32 years old and none are known for their pace.
Then again, Stoilov hardly has any obvious answer to the likes of Aiden McGeady or even Stephen Hunt, the most likely of Giovanni Trapattoni's picks on the wings.
The rest of the team will become clear on March 23, when Stoilov will announce which players from the domestic league will join the national side.
Levski's Zhivko Milanov and Litex's Stanislav Manolev, who started the friendly against Switzerland last month, are both expected to receive another call-up.
Topuzakov and Stoyanov had been frozen out of the national squad under previous manager Plamen Markov, but returned for the Switzerland friendly, acquitting themselves well enough.
As a back-up, Stoilov will have Tomasic, the naturalised Croatian, who had ended his international career in September 2008 after the 2-2 draw with Montenegro.
He has now been persuaded to come out of retirement after injuries have left Stoilov's team short of defensive cover.
The notable absentee in the list of players announced today is Manchester City's Martin Petrov, whose return to fitness from an injury suffered last year while on international duty appears to have progressed slower than Stoilov would have liked.
Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov and Aston Villa's Stilian Petrov, arguably Bulgaria's other two big stars, will only be dropped if injured and since both are healthy, they too have been called up.
Valeri Bojinov, the Manchester City striker who looks to have recovered from yet another serious injury and featured as a late substitute in two recent matches, will join them on the short flight to Dublin.
From Germany, Stoilov called defender Stanislav Angelov and striker Dimitar Rangelov, both at Energie Cottbus, as well as Hannover midfielder Chavdar Yankov, who returns to the national side after an injury.
The list is rounded off by a trio of attacking midfielders - Dimitar Telkiyski from Hapoel Tel Aviv, Blagoi Georgiev from Terek Grozny and Velizar Dimitrov from Metalurh Donetsk, as well as goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov from Bursaspor.
