Angelovski shakes up squad for upcoming friendlies

Angelovski during a nt training; photo: FFMEventually the much needed changes occurred as Igor Angelovski summoned new and U21 players for the upcoming friendlies against Azerbaijan and Iran.

Macedonia with a half-new team will start a new era in the national team. Several U21 national team players were called up for the two upcoming friendly games, last before the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. These changes would have been made sooner, but the great results of the U21 national team in the EURO qualifications turned the things around as the U21 NT was given the priority over the needed players. Also summoned are new players like 22-year-old attacking midfielder Dejan Peshevski who plays in Slovakia and Swiss born 18-year-old Nikola Gjorgjev, also attacking midfielder.

Players like Adis Jahovikj, Nikola Gligorov, Ostoja Stjepanovikj, Jovan Kostovski, Mite Cikarski, Armend Alimi, Martin Bogatinov and Goran Siljanovski from the previous squad back in March did not got a call. Also Agim Ibraimi is absent because he is not even training with his team after the incident he had with the board director. First choice keeper David Mitov Nilsson is out with a broken leg, while UEFA confirmed the 4-years suspension for Arijan Ademi.

“I am sorry for Agim Ibraimi and the situation that he is in. For over a month now he is not training with the team. We spoke during my visit of Slovenia and I can confirm that he is still in my plans, but I hope that he will find a new team and will start playing again. The same stands for Nilsson and Ademi, we need them, but we can not go against certain things. I wish them all the best in the future.” – said Angelovski.

Probably the fans will have one remark to coach Angelovski, for not calling up Ezgjan Alioski of Lugano who currently plays is great form in Switzerland.

Macedonia will start gathering on the 23rd, then will travel to Austria where in the small town of Schwadorf will face Azerbaijan on the 29th. After the game the team will head back to Skopje where will play against Iran on the 2nd of June.

Aleksovski, Velkovski, Zajkov, Bejtulai, Nikolov, Bardhi, Babunski and Radeski will all join the national team after the U21 qualifier against Ukraine on the 27th.

Here is the current squad list:

Stole Dimitrievski – Granada Spain
Igor Aleksovski – Makedonija GjP Macedonia

Leonard Zhuta – Rijeka Croatia
Kire Ristevski – Vasas Hungary
Stefan Ristovski – Rijeka Croatia
Vanche Shikov – Austria Austria
Darko Velkovski – Vardar Macedonia
Gjoko Zajkov – Charleroi Belgium
Egzon Bejtulai – Shkendija Macedonia

Dejan Peshevski – Podbrezová Slovakia
Enis Bardhi – Újpest Hungary
Boban Nikolov – Vardar Macedonia
Bojan Najdenov – Rabotnichki Macedonia
Marjan Radeski – Shkendija Macedonia
David Babunski – Crvena zvezda Serbia
Nikola Gjorgjev – Grasshoppers Switzerland
Ferhan Hasani – Shkendija Macedonia

Goran Pandev – Genoa Italy
Ivan Trichkovski – AEK Cyprus
Aleksandar Trajkovski – Palermo Italy
Ilija Nestorovski – Inter Zaprešić Croatia

These two friendlies will be the last test before the Russian World Cup qualifiers that start in September when Macedonia will visit Albania in the opening round on the 5th.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *