FEILHABER JOINS USA OLYMPIC HOPEFULS
Date : 05.03.08
Benny Feilhaber is away on Olympic Games' duty with the United States and will not be available for Derby County's matches against Chelsea and Manchester United and possibly the game at Middlesbrough.
Feilhaber is part of the Under-23 squad preparing for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.
The United States face Group A fixtures against Cuba on March 11, Panama two days later and Honduras on March 15.
Canada, Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico are in Group B and the top two in each group advance to the semi-finals on March 20, with the two winners qualifying for the Beijing Olympics in August.
Feilhaber, a £1m summer signing from Hamburg, has barely figured for Derby.
The 23-year-old's one start came in the defeat at Reading in October and he has made only four appearances as a substitute under Paul Jewell.
"Benny has had limited opportunities and so we have let him go and play some football," Jewell said.
"Midfield is an area where we are OK for numbers, with the likes of Hossam Ghaly, Robbie Savagae, Stephen Pearson and David Jones.