CANADA: Road to South Africa 2010

[GirlySports]

eeep where is it?

we're sportsnet west!

[KTown]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

eeep where is it?

we're sportsnet west!

You're telling me Sportmenton is dropping the ball again.

LOL the website is streaming it with the little west symbol on the bottom

[chris_yk]

I'm in the West region and watching it right now on Sportsnet West, the guide says it is MLB baseball but if you go to the channel it's actually the game

[KTown]

Originally Posted by chris_yk

I'm in the West region and watching it right now on Sportsnet West, the guide says it is MLB baseball but if you go to the channel it's actually the game

who's your provider, perhaps its just Shaw because I don't got it.

[chris_yk]

haha well I'm in Yellowknife so I don't know if it'll be the same but I'm using a Bell Expressvu digital box

[chris_yk]

Well that was a crap game, Canada should have fairly easily won and Jamaica's goal came purely thanks to a mistake by Pat Onstad who should not be our starter in net IMO. The Jamaicans were pathetic divers and did a lot of time wasting and as usual the Latin ref did no favours to Canada.
De Guzman and Radzinski were the best players for Canada in my eyes, and Bernier pleasantly surprised me in the first half as well. Would rather see Kevin McKenna in at centre back than Serioux, and Hirschfield in net rather than either Onstad or Sutton.
Oh well, we basically need all 3 points against Honduras in Montreal or we're done, and I'll be there for my first Canada game so hope we get 'er done!

[troutman]

CAN had to beat JAM at home. Will be very difficult to advance now.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I was under the impression that matches have to be played on grass surfaces which is why Edmonton is the stadium of choice. Is BMO stadium in TO grass? Why no play there and then nationally televise it on TSN2

Also, if its directy flights from England the routing isnt that much longer (90 minutes max) because they can take a more polar route). Coming back its longer because of currents but...

No it is field-turf. If they wanted funding from the City of Toronto, they were required to put in a field that could be used by the city in the off season, which apparently meant field-turf (they put a bubble over the stadium in the winter).

There was an article (I can't find right now) that was talking about how, with the transfer money Toronto FC was getting (one of their players was signed to a European team), they were considering using the money to convert to natural grass and then build another field-turf field to satisfy their obligations.

[calgaryrocks]

canada playing honduras tonight at home. need to beat a good honduras team and get some points. 6pm, sportsnet east (why not west?!!, id rather watch that game then baseball!!!)
Go Canada Go

[Machiavelli]

DAMMIT

Honduras just tied the game at 1

[ricoFlame]

2-1? jeezuz.

[Machiavelli]

The wheels are coming off...

[ricoFlame]

that was tough. i hate watching other CONCACAF teams when they have a lead, which is virtually all the time vs. canada. tough one for sure.

[browna]

Canadian Soccer may as well get to hard to work on a WC bid or joint bid with the USA for 2014 or 2018. The odds of landing that are about as good as them getting to South Africa now.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by browna

Canadian Soccer may as well get to hard to work on a WC bid or joint bid with the USA for 2014 or 2018. The odds of landing that are about as good as them getting to South Africa now.

2 home games..

1 game on bouncy field-turf so no one can control the ball.
1 game on a turf that's so chewed up players were tripping over divots.

This is actually a pretty skillful team (one of the best in recent Canadian history). They were unable to show off their talent on these fields.

Way to go CSA!

[KTown]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

2 home games..

1 game on bouncy field-turf so no one can control the ball.
1 game on a turf that's so chewed up players were tripping over divots.

This is actually a pretty skillful team (one of the best in recent Canadian history). They were unable to show off their talent on these fields.

Way to go CSA!

Nope that is a cop out.

Game1
They lost because of Onsted, he's a terrible keeper and I wouldn't even want him on my div 3 soccer team here in Calgary.

Game2
Both teams had to play on the pitch, yah it sucked but good teams find a way not to lose they shut the door. Canada did not. Canadian soccer is/and always has been good at choking. Good teams find a way to win, bad teams find a way to lose.

They have no one to blame but themselves, if they are to make it they are going to have to win in Mexico on Wednesday and with that said, we can kiss our qualification campaign good-bye.

Then on October 15th the return game in Edmonton against Mexico Canada will need snow and cold to have any shot there.

[cheevers]

I still don't understand having Mitchell as the coach. The u-20's were a massive dissapointment, and he has done no better as the men's coach. Watching the game last night they needed to change something after Honduras tied it up, as they were being dominated. And I've never seen a team looking less desperate to score a goal in a big game when trailing than we did in the last 10 minutes.

I've always wanted to see what Craig Forrest could do in charge, seems to be one of the few decent minds in Canadian soccer. Either him or get someone from a country that actually knows something about soccer to coach.

[chris_yk]

I flew out to Montreal for the game, it started off so friggin good and then just fell apart in the second half. Radzinski getting injured early on really hurt, especially with Hume coming on and having to play left wing when he's usually either right winger or striker. Mitchell should have changed to 4-4-2 IMO but he clearly has no idea about tactics or substitutions. Starting Gerba as lone striker might work against St Vincent and the Grenadines but he's simply not good enough to play by himself against stronger teams, especially when Rob Friend who's playing and scoring in the Bundesliga is on the bench. Also don't agree with starting Bernier, especially on the right wing.
Even worse than the performance on the pitch was the 80% (at least) Honduran supporters. I was in the middle of the Voyageurs section behind the goal and every other section was dominated by Hondurans. It was stil a great experience but Canada is so disappointing sometimes, oh well I will still be in Edmonton regardless to watch us beat Mexico!

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

2 home games..

1 game on bouncy field-turf so no one can control the ball.
1 game on a turf that's so chewed up players were tripping over divots.

This is actually a pretty skillful team (one of the best in recent Canadian history). They were unable to show off their talent on these fields.

Way to go CSA!

Both teams had to play on that crap. Frankly, it should have been an advantage to the Canadian team. Most of their players are MLS or A-League, and would play on football fields or dilapidated fields. They also practice as a team in this country with our inadequate fields. Even Honduras is probably used to a better class of field.

Regardless, the CSA is totally pathetic. The admin, the coaching, the stadia, everything. Until there's a purging and a real dedication to winning (real coaches... perhaps even a high-priced foreign coach), and new stadia nationwide (take advantage of our geography like other countries do... Calgary should be where the Canadian NT plays because of the high elevation and relatively inhospitable climate... that's what Mexico does) we should not expect anything less than getting knocked out by lesser nations in embarassing fashion.

[troutman]

80% (at least) Honduran supporters

This is why CAN will never be good at soccer. It doesn't mean much to most Canadians.