TORONTO - Canadian soccer coach Stephen Hart has announced a strong roster for exhibition games against Peru and Honduras.

Just how much he is able to use that talent Sept. 4 against 39th-ranked Peru in Toronto and Sept. 7 against No. 46 Honduras in Montreal will depend on Hart's negotiations with his players' clubs.

For example, Hart has selected captain Dwayne De Rosario, star midfielder Julian De Guzman and steady defender Nana Attakora from Toronto FC, which has games in Dallas on the 4th and Chicago the 8th and is struggling to secure a playoff berth.

Hart elected not to further weaken Toronto's defence, leaving Adrian Cann out of his squad.

"We still have some things to work out with the club," Hart told a conference call Thursday. "And more than likely we will see how we can help each other on this."

"Other European clubs have asked for the same sort of concessions on their players," he added wryly. "These things have to be considered."

FIFA has cleared Sept. 3-7 for international matches, but MLS is proceeding as usual and European clubs will no doubt want their players back in time to be ready for weekend matches that follow the international dates.

The Canadian roster ranges in experience from captain Paul Stalteri, whose 81 caps are two away from tying Randy Samuel's national record, to midfielder Gianluca Zavarise, who has spent all of six minutes on the pitch for the senior team.

Hart has other experience in goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld, defender-forward Kevin McKenna, midfielders Atiba Hutchinson, Patrice Bernier and Josh Simpson and forwards Rob Friend and Iain Hume.

"I like what is coming together here," Hart said of his squad.

New talent includes 19-year-old defender Adam Straith and goalkeeper Haidar Al-Shabani.

Hart introduced Straith, Al-Shabani and Zavarise on Canada's South American tour in May while Attakora debuted against Jamaica in January.

Canada is riding a seven-game winless streak since defeating El Salvador 1-0 in July 2009 at the Gold Cup. The team is 0-5-2 since then, has been outscored 14-3 and has dropped to No. 101 in the FIFA rankings.

Hart tried to bring top prospects David (Junior) Hoilett and Teal Bunbury on board for this camp, but both players said they wanted to focus on securing their club position.

Hart said Hoilett, a 20-year-old forward with England's Blackburn Rovers, told him he wasn't ready yet to commit to Canada. While Canadian-born, he is also eligible to play for Jamaica.

Bunbury, the son of former Canadian international Alex Bunbury, is a 20-year-old rookie forward with the Kansas City Wizards. He is also eligible to represent the U.S.

Hart said he opted not to select defender David Edgar, who is signed to England's Burnley.

"It's going to have to be a situation where I meet with him and we have some discussion," Hart said. "He has not answered calls (to play) when called upon."

Hart said experienced defender Mike Klukowski wanted to play but had a family issue and also had just joined a new club, Ankaragucu, in Turkey.

Hart has summoned 43 players this year, saying the experimentation was forced upon him in the first three games of the year against Jamaica, Argentina and Venezuela because core players weren't available.

"I use that as a positive because I got to see a lot of players and I got to see them a good length of time in an international sort of arena. So I do have a good idea of the quality of the players, but I would like to see them actually playing more for their clubs, and more consistently. That way I can really get a good view of them."

Hart's roster includes 10 of the squad originally summoned for the South American tour.

  • Goalkeepers: Lars Hirschfeld, Valerenga (Norway); Haidar Al-Shaibani, Nimes Olympique (France).
  • Defenders: Nana Attakora, Toronto FC (MLS); Dejan Jakovic, D.C. United (MLS); Paul Stalteri (captain), Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany); Adam Straith, Energie Cottbus (Germany).
  • Defender-Midfelders: Marcel de Jong, FC Augsburg (Germany); Jaime Peters, Ipswich Town (England).
  • Defender-Forward: Kevin McKenna, FC Koln (Germany).
  • Midfielders: Julian de Guzman, Toronto FC (MLS); Will Johnson, Real Salt Lake (MLS); Issey Nakajima-Farran, AC Horsens (Denmark); Atiba Hutchinson, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands); Will Johnson, Real Salt Lake (MLS); Josh Simpson, Vestel Manisaspor (Turkey); Gianluca Zavarise, Iraklis FC (Greece); Patrice Bernier, FC Nordsjµlland (Denmark)
  • Midfielder-Forwards: Dwayne De Rosario, Toronto FC (MLS); Iain Hume, Barnsley (England).
  • Forwards: Rob Friend, Hertha BSC (Germany); Simeon Jackson, Norwich City (England)