International: five players called up

As another international break is looming, starting next Monday, several Rennes players have already been called by their respective national teams.

Alexander Tettey has been selected by Norway for a friendly against Wales, on Saturday 12th November in Cardiff. Knocked out of the Euro 2012, the Scandinavian are starting a series of friendly games to prepare the qualification round for the 2014 World Cup.

Senegal, meanwhile, is getting ready for the next African Cup of Nations, in which it will be one of the favourites. No less than thirty players have been called by national coach Amara Traoré for two friendlies. The games will be played in Paris against opponents yet to be determined. Having missed the last national gathering because of an injury, Kader Mangane returns to the squad, and he will be joined by Cheick N’Diaye. The third Rennes goalkeeper, who is considered as the fourth choice with Senegal, will have a chance to show his worth and try to get himself a place in the 23.

Knocked out of the African Cup, Cameroon is meanwhile getting ready for the next round of qualification, under the management of a new national coach, Frenchman Denis Lavagne. The Untamed Lions will play a mini friendly tournament in Morocco (with two matches against Soudan and then Morocco) and a friendly in Algeria. Having earned more playing time lately in Rennes, Georges Mandjeck is returning to his national team. As for Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, and despite his expressed intention to play for Cameroon, he is not included in a list announced on Thursday, before he injured himself in Toulouse.

Finally Senegal U21 is getting ready for the upcoming Qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympic Games, which will be played in Morocco from 26th November to 10th December. With this objective in mind, the Senegalese team will play two friendlies against Egypt, on 11th and 14th November. Young Rennes forward Abdoulaye Sané, included on a L1 match sheet for the first time this week-end in Toulouse, is one of the players called for this double confrontation.