As expected, after being examined by FFM doctor Viktor Kamiloski, Goran Popov will be allowed to leave the national team and return to Kyiv where he will continue his recovery on the serious knee injury.

Manager John Toshack wanted all 24 players called up for the Albania friendly to show up for the start of preparations.  The players in attendance were examined by the doctor and because of the serious injury, Goran Popov was allowed to leave and return to his club team Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine where he will continue the recovery on his injury and decide whether he will opt for an operation on his knee. 

The only other player in doubt for the Albania friendly is Ivan Trickovski.  His injury forced him to miss the last league game for his club APOEL.  Doctor Viktor Kamiloski looked at Trickovski and decided that he will stay with the national team until Saturday when he will be reexamined and then the doctor will decide whether Trickovski will be able to play in the Albania friendly on 15 November.

The other players who were nursing minor injuries such as Goran Pandev, Nikolce Noveski, Tome Pacovski, Velice Sumulikoski, and Ilco Naumoski are apparently healthy, according to FFM’s website, and should be available for the Albania friendly.

The national team will conduct six trainings over the next five days in Ohrid, beginning tomorrow at 15:30 CET.  Then, in the afternoon of 14 November, the team will travel to Prilep where the friendly against Albania will take place the following day at 13:00 CET.