THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — Nick Dasovic has answered Canada’s call again.
The former Canadian international has been named coach of the Canadian under-20 men’s soccer team. Dasovic, who turns 43 on Monday, is tasked with leading the young Canadians to the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The road to Turkey starts later this month with a camp in Sunrise, Fla., for 19 players born 1993 or later.
He succeeds Valerio Gazzola, whose team failed to qualify for the 2011 U-20 World Cup earlier this year after a 3-0 loss to Mexico in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Guatemala.
Dasovic has previously served as an assistant coach with the under-20 team, working with then coach Dale Mitchell at the 2003, 2005 and 2007 World Cup tournaments.
Canada has not qualified for the U-20 championship since hosting it in 2007 when it went winless and failed to score a goal.
When Mitchell took over the senior national team, Dasovic went with him as an assistant.
He also coached the under-23 team. Under Dasovic, Canada missed out on qualifying for the Beijing Olympics when it finished tied for third at the 2008 CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
On the MLS front, Dasovic served as assistant coach, interim head coach and scout with Toronto FC.
He parted ways with Toronto this spring, spending time with his family in Vancouver and continuing to work in Europe on his UEFA pro coaching license. Most recently he spent five days working with Dinamo Zagreb.
Dasovic won 63 caps for Canada between 1992 to 2004.
The Canadian under-20 training camp roster includes Toronto FC defender Doneil Henry and midfielder Oscar Cordon as well as several members of Canada’s U-17 World Cup team including goalkeepers Chad Bush and Quillan Roberts and midfielders Bryce Alderson, Keven Aleman and Samuel Piette.
Still with Toronto FC, Dasovic scouted the Canadian teams at both the CONCACAF under-17 and under-20 qualifying tournaments earlier this year in Jamaica and Guatemala, respectively.
Ten of the 19 players invited to camp are either graduates or members of the Toronto FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps academies.
"What’s happening in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal with the academies I think is massive for the whole infrastructure and particularly the national teams at that level," said Dasovic.
"They’re in a good environment and you don’t have to worry about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it because they’ve got very good people running these organizations in all three different cities."