The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[CroFlames]

Can you imagine these guys in Qatar?! It's gonna be a riot.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Update!


This cycle is over except for Senegal in the African final, Cameroon and Egypt in today's semifinal.


So I ran some numbers and this is the top teams possible to make the World Cup going by the latest rankings.

Teams already qualified in bold
Pot 1
48. Qatar (hosts)
1. Belgium
2. Brazil
3. France
4. Argentina
5. England
6. Italy (over 8. Portugal, 37. Turkey and 67. N. Macedonia)
7. Spain

Pot 2
9. Denmark
10. Netherlands
11. Germany
12. Mexico
13. USA
14. Switzerland
15. Croatia
16. Uruguay

Pot 3
18. Sweden (over 28. Poland, 32. Czech, 34. Russia
19. Senegal (over 37. Egypt)
20. Wales (over 27. Ukraine, 30. Austria, 40. Scotland
21. Iran
23. Japan
24. Serbia
25. Morocco (over 64. DR Congo)
29. South Korea

Pot 4
32. Nigeria (over 52. Ghana)
33. Canada
39. Cameroon (over 43. Algeria)
30. Tunisia (over 53. Mali)
44. Ecuador
53. Saudi Arabia
- Intercontinental
- Intercontinental


European playoff teams that get in will play 2 games, already qualified Euros are done.
Concacaf 3, Comnebol 2, Asia 2, Africa 2 (except Senegal, Cameroon and Egypt who have AFCON still). So Cameroon or Egypt could jump Canada by the end of the week.

We need to cheer for Scotland, Algeria, Ghana, DR Congo, Mali and Russia.

I appreciate this though understand none of it - but am now also cheering for Scotland, Algeria, Ghana, DR Congo, Mali and Russia.

[Muta]

The Ship was absolutely packed with Canada fans last night, it was terrific. Soccer on the rise in this country is just amazing to see.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Muta

The Ship was absolutely packed with Canada fans last night, it was terrific. Soccer on the rise in this country is just amazing to see.

Hopefully it translates to more support for the CPL as well.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by agulati

Hopefully it translates to more support for the CPL as well.

Agreed, and that's what I was telling my buddy last night - hopefully this translates to even more support for the Cavs and for the CPL as well. People may be surprised to know that a couple Cavs have already been invited to the Men's national team training camps in the past. Some direct connections there from a local level!

[TheIronMaiden]

Canada soccer would be well fit to try and keep hosting CANNMT and CANNWT matches in CPL hot spots. Understandably they want to big stadium feeling. But a match in Halifax for example would be absolutely mental. Somewhat selfishly, a match at Atco Field would be packed, standing room only.

[Bill Bumface]

Cavalry should go all in on an ad campaign centred around how "Adekugbe plays here!"

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Canada soccer would be well fit to try and keep hosting CANNMT and CANNWT matches in CPL hot spots. Understandably they want to big stadium feeling. But a match in Halifax for example would be absolutely mental. Somewhat selfishly, a match at Atco Field would be packed, standing room only.

The men's team will play first where there is the best chance of win (location, travel considerations, difficulty for away support, etc), then second where they can make the most money. Realistically you have only a few legitimate options in the country to accommodate both.

The women's team doesn't have the same World Cup qualification difficulties that the men's team faces, and they will spread it around a little for friendlies. But it will be to places like Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton, etc. Again, more money is what will really drive this program forward.

Until they build 20000 seat stadiums, Halifax or Calgary are pipe dreams for both teams.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by shermanator

The men's team will play first where there is the best chance of win (location, travel considerations, difficulty for away support, etc), then second where they can make the most money. Realistically you have only a few legitimate options in the country to accommodate both.

The women's team doesn't have the same World Cup qualification difficulties that the men's team faces, and they will spread it around a little for friendlies. But it will be to places like Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton, etc. Again, more money is what will really drive this program forward.

Until they build 20000 seat stadiums, Halifax or Calgary are pipe dreams for both teams.

Atco Field will never happen. but Halifax advertises that they have room to grow. Not to mention their strong attendance within the CPL would argue that they could make their stadium bigger. But you're right, its not in the works for this world cup cycle.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Atco Field will never happen. but Halifax advertises that they have room to grow. Not to mention their strong attendance within the CPL would argue that they could make their stadium bigger. But you're right, its not in the works for this world cup cycle.

They don't have that much room to grow in Halifax, maybe a few thousand more seats. Which again, doesn't cut it at this level. That stadium is not even remotely capable of handling FIFA games. It's a bunch of temp stands and shipping containers...

If they build a new stadium, different story.

[Mathgod]

If you told me a year ago that Canada would be in the WC and Portugal would be a longshot to get in, I would have wondered what you were smoking. Yet here we are.

[PeteMoss]

Going to be a real dog fight for that 4th spot. They both have 1 winnable game and then 2 battles.

Panama - Honduras, at USA, Canada
Costa Rica - Canada, at El Salvador, USA

Those last games may be meaningless for Canada and USA so you could see them both leaving players at home.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Those last games may be meaningless for Canada and USA so you could see them both leaving players at home.

Maybe. But if we have a chance to get to pot 3, gotta go for it.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by SebC

Maybe. But if we a chance to get to pot 3, gotta go for it.

Jump into pot three, get Qatar out of pot one in the draw..... oooh baby bring it

[GirlySports]

Yes

Qatar
Switzerland
Canada
DR Congo

Better?

[Trojan97]

Here's a question for the more experienced international fans. What are the chances that some of the larger soccer nations in need of a coaching change/program shakeup start sniffing around Herdman as we experience more and more success and the legend of this team grows? His stock is never going to be higher in in the next 12-18 months I have to imagine. It's obviously not something worth worrying about now but am curious how that could potentially play out.

[kobasew19]

Good question, I wonder how much Herdman is getting compensated by Soccer Canada?

[GirlySports]

I don't think he's on anyone's radar. Not a former player, not a club coach etc....

[Brendone]

For someone who doesn’t follow soccer, what were they talking about when they mentioned fans experienced a CONCACAF match in the post game discussion? They seemed to imply that’s why there was more “antics”? There sure seemed to be a lot of diving and drama.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Brendone

For someone who doesn’t follow soccer, what were they talking about when they mentioned fans experienced a CONCACAF match in the post game discussion? They seemed to imply that’s why there was more “antics”? There sure seemed to be a lot of diving and drama.

Away games in Central America tend to have very choppy play with a lot of diving and time wasting by the opposition. Often accompanied by shady refereeing. Away crowds are very hostile (less so during this last window) with lots of stuff thrown from the stands at away teams such as bags of piss. Plus the heat and humidity can be difficult.

The goal Atiba scored was one of the most CONCACAF goals you'll ever see, and one that no one would have predicted in 100 years. Those type of goals usually go in on Canada's net, not the opposition.