Lothar Matthaus has pulled out a few surprises after naming in his first squad as new head coach of Bulgaria.
New coach names 18 overseas-based players
Lothar Matthaus has pulled out a few surprises after naming in his first squad as new head coach of Bulgaria.
The former Germany World Cup-winning captain named 18 overseas-based players ahead of his first match in charge against Wales on October 8th.
The Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff is an important match for the former Bayern Munich star after a poor start to the qualifying campaign, with back-to-back defeats by England and Montenegro in their opening two matches.
Matthaus, who took over earlier this week, has recalled trio Valentin Iliev, Dimitar Makriev and Ivan Stoyanov, who quit the national team in May after clashing with former coach Stanimir Stoilov.
The 1991 Fifa World Player of the Year is without PSV Eindhoven full-back Stanislav Manolev and Leicester City central defender Alexander Tunchev through injury.
The former Hungary coach will also try to persuade Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov to come out of international retirement.
Matthaus will add two or three home-based players to the squad next week.
Squad (overseas players only):
Goalkeepers: Nikolay Mihaylov (Twente Enschede), Vladislav Stoyanov (Sherif Tiraspol).
Defenders: Zhivko Milanov (Vaslui), Valentin Iliev (Universitatea Kraiova), Ivan Ivanov (Alania Vladikavkaz).
Midfielders: Stilian Petrov (Aston Villa), Stanislav Angelov (Steaua), Chavdar Yankov (Rostov), Georgi Peev (Amkar Perm), Blagoy Georgiev (Terek Groznyi), Nikolay Dimitrov (Kasimpasa), Ivan Stoyanov (Alania Vladikavkaz).
Strikers: Valeri Bojinov (Parma), Martin Petrov (Bolton Wanderers), Dimitar Rangelov (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Ivelin Popov (Gaziantepspor), Valeri Domovchiyski (Hertha Berlin), Dimitar Makriev (Ashdod).
