FCD departs for Brazil today

FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas leaves today for Brazil, where the team will train and play four games as part of preseason training. While in Brazil, the team will primarily stay and train at Brazilian-partner Club Atletico Paranaense's Training Center and Hotel in Curitiba, Brazil. The itinerary is listed below.

The MLS Roster Compliance deadline is on Thursday, March 1. On that date, teams must be compliant to roster size, international player status, and salary budget. FCD's roster is as follows:

Senior Roster: Arturo Alvarez, Kenny Cooper, Chris Gbandi, Clarence Goodson, Shaka Hislop, Roberto Mina, Drew Moor, Richard Mulrooney, Ramon Nunez, Aaron Pitchkolan, Bobby Rhine, Carlos Ruiz, Dario Sala, Marcelo Saragosa, Adrian Serioux, Abe Thompson, David Wagenfuhr, and Alex Yi. (NOTE - Ramon Nunez and Adrian Serioux will not travel to Brazil).

Developmental Roster: Ray Burse, Andrew Daniels, Michael Dello-Russo, Sandi Gbandi, Scott Jones, Tommy Krizaonvic, Dax McCarty, Dominic Oduro, Blake Wagner, Anthony Wallace. (Abdus Ibrahim - see note below).

NOTES ON ROSTER:

Rookie midfielders Sandi Gbandi, Scott Jones, defender Andrew Daniels, and forward Tommy Krizanovic have agreed to Development Roster contracts.

Four players that were training with the team during the first two weeks of preseason have been released: D - Justin Moore, M - Sebastian Le Toux, M - Eddie Santeliz, and F - Mark Redshaw.

Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop will join the team on Friday in Brazil. He is currently in Trinidad waiting to finalize his U.S. residency status. He will travel to Miami, Florida on Thursday to obtain his green card then fly to Brazil later that night.

Midfielder Ramon Nunez will not travel to Brazil. He is waiting for the required special permission from the U.S. government to leave and re-enter the U.S. Ramon should receive his U.S. residency status within 3-4 weeks.

Andrew Daniels will join the team on Saturday in Brazil. He returned to Brown University today to work out details to continue his education while with the team.

FCD and MLS have agreed to allow 15-year old draft pick Abdus Ibrahim to honor his commitments to the U.S. U-17 team, thus he would not be eligible to play in regular season games during 2007. He would not count on the team's Development Roster, which permits FCD to still have 10 eligible players available.

ITINERARY:
Feb. 26: DFW-Sao Paolo, Brazi - 7:45 p.m.
Feb. 27: Sao Paulo to Curitiba - 11:50 a.m.
Arrive at at Club Atletico Paranaense's Training Center / Hotel - 2:00 p.m.
Training - 5:15-6:45 p.m.
Feb. 28: Training - 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and 4:15 - 6:15 p.m.
Mar. 1: Bus to Joinville, Brazil - 10:45 am.
GAME vs. Joinville Esporte Clube at Arena Joinville Stadium - 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 2: Bus to CAP Training Center - 11:30 a.m.
Training - 3:45 - 5:45 p.m.
Mar. 3: GAME vs. CAP U20's at CAP Training Center - 11:00 a.m.
Bus to Florianopolis (sight-seeing)
Mar. 4: Bus to CAP Training Center / Hotel
Mar. 5: Training - 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and 4:15 - 6:15 p.m.
Mar. 6: Training - 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
GAME vs. CAP B Team at CAP Training Center - 4:45 p.m.
Mar. 7: Training - 10:30- 11:30 a.m.
GAME vs. Club Atletico Paranaense at Kyocera Arena - 9:00 p.m. (1st leg of USA -Brazil Challenge)
Mar. 8: Training - 12:00- 1:45 p.m.
Depart Curitiba for Sao Paolo - 8:05 p.m.
Depart Sao Paolo to DFW - 10:45 p.m.
Mar. 9: Arrive at DFW - 6:05 a.m.
Mar. 10: Training at Pizza Hut Park- TBD
Mar. 11: GAME vs. Columbus Crew at Pizza Hut Park - 5:00 p.m. (Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup)