Euro U21 2009 Sweden - Is Roman in the team or Not?

Finland U21 head coach Markku Kanerva named last night 22 out 23 possible players into Euro2009 U21-tournament in Sweden this summer.

I admit, the selection process must not have been easy as there are only a few certain names, here is the almost final list.

Goalkeepers
Anssi Jaakkola, V.F. Colligiana (13.03.1987) - 8 / 0
Lukas Hradecky, Esbjerg fB (24.11.1989) - 0 / 0
Jukka Lehtovaara, TPS (15.03.1988) - 2 / 0

Defenders
Jukka Raitala, HJK (15.09.1988) - 15 / 0
Joni Aho, FC Inter (12.04.1986) - 10 / 0
Ville Jalasto, Aalesund FK (19.04.1986) - 15 / 1
Jonas Portin, FF Jaro (30.09.1986) - 17 / 0
Joona Toivio, FC Stormvogels Telstar (10.03.1988) - 2 / 0
Tuomo Turunen, FC Honka (30.08.1987) - 15 / 1
Pyry Kärkkäinen, HJK (10.11.1986) - 10 / 0

Midfielders
Tim Sparv, Halmstads BK (20.02.1987) - 15 / 4
Mehmet Hetemaj, Thrasivoulos Fylis (08.12.1987) - 15 / 2
Juha Hakola, Heracles Almelo (27.10.1987) - 8 / 0
Kasper Hämäläinen, TPS (08.08.1986) 17 / 1
Mika Ojala, FC Inter (21.06.1988) - 9 / 1
Nicholas Otaru, FC Honka (15.07.1986) - 3 / 1
Perparim Hetemaj, AEK Athens (12.12.1986) - 12 / 3
Jussi Vasara, FC Honka (14.05.1987) - 2 / 2

Strikers
Berat Sadik, DSC Arminia Bielefeld (14.09.1986) - 11 / 2
Teemu Pukki, FC Sevilla (29.03.1990) - 0 / 0
Jarno Parikka, HJK (21.07.1986) - 17 / 2
Aleksandr Kokko, FC Honka (04.06.1987) - 4 / 0

And the 23rd spot is reserved - or is it? - to Roman Eremenko from Dynamo Kiev, he is a proven Finland senior national team player, and somehow Kanerva is making this process a far more difficult than it should be. He is best of the lot, in-form and motivated and this tournament is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Finland. Kanerva, old pumpkinhead, wake up and name him now!


Edit: Fucking Hell! He chose Petri Viljanen from Haka instead! Kanerva, you are not a good manager, just lucky so far but this was a huge mistake. Enormous.

Good luck for the team though.