This newsitem has been supplied by PSV.nl
PSV head coach Ronald Koeman will welcome only a depleted squad on the training pitch the next ten days, as a great many players will be away on international duty. Five players have already gone away on international duty today and more players will jet off to some faraway destinations later this week.
Jason Culina, Edison Méndez and Carlos Salcido will make the longest trips. Australia, with Culina, meet Argentina in a friendly on 11 September, while Méndez and Salcido have been called up to the Ecuadorian and Mexican squad respectively. Ecuador face El Salvador on 12 September and Mexico first take on Panama on 9 September before they play host to Brazil three days later.
Several Euro 2008 qualifying games have been scheduled in Europe. Two Euro 2008 qualifiers, against Bulgaria in the Amsterdam ArenA on Saturday 8 September and away against Albania on 12 Wednesday 12 September await Ibrahim Afellay.
Serbia, with striker Danko Lazovic, will meet Finland, with Mika Väyrynen, next Saturday and another qualifying game, against Portugal, follows on Wednesday 12th, when Finland entertain Poland, coached by Leo Beenhakker. Timmy Simons faces a less hectic schedule, but the PSV captain will travel with his Belgium team mates to Kazakhstan to play a Euro 2008 qualifying game in the former Soviet Republic.
Netherlands Under-21 coach Foppe de Haan has named Ismail Aissati in his squad for the Euro 2009 qualifying games against Norway Under-21. The midfielder will report for duty on Wednesday. Dirk Marcellis is on the standby list. Género Zeefuik has received a call-up to the Holland Under-19 squad for friendlies against Germany on 7 September and against Switzerland four days later.
Manuel da Costa, the Portuguese PSV defender who was born in France, will be called into action on 7 September when Portugal Under-21 take on the Irish Republic and on 11 September when they face Montenegro.
Ronald Koeman will not have a full squad at his disposal before Thursday 13 September, when PSV start preparations at De Herdgang training centre for the domestic league game against Vitesse at the Philips Stadium on Saturday 15 September.
