The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[fleuryisgod]

Wow what a weekend. Just got back from Toronto and I'm still buzzing. Absolute killer of a weekend. Might take a while for my liver to forgive me but just wow.

[browna]

Herdman deserves all the credit, and I mean all the credit.

Him being forced to take the role to save precious PR face for the CSA after the Zambrano drama, also IMO allowed him to dictate the terms of his employment...which meant bringing the staff he wanted, and resources he knew were needed, or else...and that the interaction with the highly political CSA board would be kept to a minimum, or he walks. No other coach in the program had that autonomy to be able to ignore what was suggested to them for player selection or tactics by a higher ranking official.

No other coach had that, you listen to the ex players yesterday, and they all in one way shape or form slid in/ mentioned "support" that they didn't have when they played.

Fan support would've probably never been a problem from a fan base of Canada got into the final Hex these past 20 years, the lack of support they were alluding to was the toxic CSA being cheap with coaches, training and everything else, which WC cylcle after cycle got worse. The CSA as late as last year complained about not having TV, because years ago they alienated networks by assuming Canada soccer had to be on TV for a high fee. They cheaped out, found cheap coaches that one faction of the board or executive would be forced to listen to. Training camps, travel, all of it was as cheap as possible.

Nevermind the infighting and policitics between factions of the executive and board, and then provincial associations getting involved. The explayers basically since 1993 never had a chance with the CSA mishandling every aspect of development and high performance.

Herdman removed that large element of negativity and distraction from the day to day around the MNT as terms of his employment. He was able to recruit players, at very least soon after his tenure started, with the lure of an automatic 2026 chance to play in a World Cup. He was able to break CSA guidelines and not have Ontario Soccer directors telling him which young guys to look at, so suddenly players from outside of Ontario and Quebec get an equal look. Davies is a partial example of that.

Herdman also gets a break with Covid to restart the qualifying process fresh, and with the group of players and coaches and support staff he wanted, and his techniques tactics and motivation got this team to where it should be.

Hargreaves, not noticed by the CSA until long after he was at Bayern and who the CSA tried to guilt him into playing for Canada, and others who had a legitimate choice and opportunity, made the right choice.

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1508632871711428615

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Yoho

https://twitter.com/user/status/1508632871711428615

I wonder what's most likely? I'm thinking Ghana winning and Congo winning?

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by browna

Herdman deserves all the credit, and I mean all the credit.

Him being forced to take the role to save precious PR face for the CSA after the Zambrano drama, also IMO allowed him to dictate the terms of his employment...which meant bringing the staff he wanted, and resources he knew were needed, or else...and that the interaction with the highly political CSA board would be kept to a minimum, or he walks. No other coach in the program had that autonomy to be able to ignore what was suggested to them for player selection or tactics by a higher ranking official.

No other coach had that, you listen to the ex players yesterday, and they all in one way shape or form slid in/ mentioned "support" that they didn't have when they played.

Fan support would've probably never been a problem from a fan base of Canada got into the final Hex these past 20 years, the lack of support they were alluding to was the toxic CSA being cheap with coaches, training and everything else, which WC cylcle after cycle got worse. The CSA as late as last year complained about not having TV, because years ago they alienated networks by assuming Canada soccer had to be on TV for a high fee. They cheaped out, found cheap coaches that one faction of the board or executive would be forced to listen to. Training camps, travel, all of it was as cheap as possible.

Nevermind the infighting and policitics between factions of the executive and board, and then provincial associations getting involved. The explayers basically since 1993 never had a chance with the CSA mishandling every aspect of development and high performance.

Herdman removed that large element of negativity and distraction from the day to day around the MNT as terms of his employment. He was able to recruit players, at very least soon after his tenure started, with the lure of an automatic 2026 chance to play in a World Cup. He was able to break CSA guidelines and not have Ontario Soccer directors telling him which young guys to look at, so suddenly players from outside of Ontario and Quebec get an equal look. Davies is a partial example of that.

Herdman also gets a break with Covid to restart the qualifying process fresh, and with the group of players and coaches and support staff he wanted, and his techniques tactics and motivation got this team to where it should be.

Hargreaves, not noticed by the CSA until long after he was at Bayern and who the CSA tried to guilt him into playing for Canada, and others who had a legitimate choice and opportunity, made the right choice.

A great deal of credit goes to Herdman for turning the program around. The other catalyst was Alphonso Davies bursting on the scene. He's the guy that other guys wants to play with. "Come play with Alphonso Davies" is a more enticing recruiting pitch than in years past.

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1508838769629093889

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by browna

Herdman deserves all the credit, and I mean all the credit.

Him being forced to take the role to save precious PR face for the CSA after the Zambrano drama, also IMO allowed him to dictate the terms of his employment...which meant bringing the staff he wanted, and resources he knew were needed, or else...and that the interaction with the highly political CSA board would be kept to a minimum, or he walks. No other coach in the program had that autonomy to be able to ignore what was suggested to them for player selection or tactics by a higher ranking official.

No other coach had that, you listen to the ex players yesterday, and they all in one way shape or form slid in/ mentioned "support" that they didn't have when they played.

Fan support would've probably never been a problem from a fan base of Canada got into the final Hex these past 20 years, the lack of support they were alluding to was the toxic CSA being cheap with coaches, training and everything else, which WC cylcle after cycle got worse. The CSA as late as last year complained about not having TV, because years ago they alienated networks by assuming Canada soccer had to be on TV for a high fee. They cheaped out, found cheap coaches that one faction of the board or executive would be forced to listen to. Training camps, travel, all of it was as cheap as possible.

Nevermind the infighting and policitics between factions of the executive and board, and then provincial associations getting involved. The explayers basically since 1993 never had a chance with the CSA mishandling every aspect of development and high performance.

Herdman removed that large element of negativity and distraction from the day to day around the MNT as terms of his employment. He was able to recruit players, at very least soon after his tenure started, with the lure of an automatic 2026 chance to play in a World Cup. He was able to break CSA guidelines and not have Ontario Soccer directors telling him which young guys to look at, so suddenly players from outside of Ontario and Quebec get an equal look. Davies is a partial example of that.

Herdman also gets a break with Covid to restart the qualifying process fresh, and with the group of players and coaches and support staff he wanted, and his techniques tactics and motivation got this team to where it should be.

Hargreaves, not noticed by the CSA until long after he was at Bayern and who the CSA tried to guilt him into playing for Canada, and others who had a legitimate choice and opportunity, made the right choice.

I would love to know all the back story here. I have heard about the problems in Soccer Canada (grass roots right to the National teams) but never really know what they are.

[EldrickOnIce]

Ghana/Nigeria game has just started.
LFG Ghana

Ghana leads 1-0 16 minutes in

And apparently another scenario exists in that Egypt could lose today to Senegal, but still qualify for Qatar based on away goals scored. They might need to lose 3-2 or something like that to qualify in a loss based on away goals. They currently trail 1-0 early.

Regardless, as has been said here previously, all should be known by the end of today's qualifiers

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Ghana/Nigeria game has just started.
LFG Ghana

Ghana leads 1-0 16 minutes in

And apparently another scenario exists in that Egypt could lose today to Senegal, but still qualify for Qatar based on away goals scored. They might need to lose 3-2 or something like that to qualify in a loss based on away goals. They currently trail 1-0 early.

Regardless, as has been said here previously, all should be known by the end of today's qualifiers

1-0 Senegal now. That would put it 1-1 on aggregate with no away goal advantage so I assume that would go extra time/shootout to decide the winner.

1-1 Nigeria/Ghana - that is also the aggregate score so Ghana would advance based on away goals.

[GirlySports]

Egypt is wasting so much time the game is so slow. They should be adding 10 minutes to the first half. Good for Canada if it ends 1-0 and goes to extra time.

[EldrickOnIce]

Yeah I'm just going to wait for our pot experts here to tell me at the end of today. Scoreboard watching when I have no real idea what I am looking for is not particularly valuable, probably.

Cheers to a couple of these working out

[kobasew19]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Egypt is wasting so much time the game is so slow. They should be adding 10 minutes to the first half. Good for Canada if it ends 1-0 and goes to extra time.

Explain?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Yeah I'm just going to wait for our pot experts here to tell me at the end of today. Scoreboard watching when I have no real idea what I am looking for is not particularly valuable, probably.

Cheers to a couple of these working out

Ha.. I have no clue either.. just assuming these tweets are right.

Basically of the games going on now:
Want Ghana to advance over Nigeria
And want Egypt to lose this game but still advance


I'm pretty sure the Egypt/Senegal score as is currently - doesn't work. I believe the added time required to break the tie gets added into the 2nd game score - so Egypt can't advance without losing in that scenario. So we need an Egypt goal and a Senegal goal in the 2nd half. Is that right?

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Ha.. I have no clue either.. just assuming these tweets are right.

Basically of the games going on now:
Want Ghana to advance over Nigeria
And want Egypt to lose this game but still advance


I'm pretty sure the Egypt/Senegal score as is currently - doesn't work. I believe the added time required to break the tie gets added into the 2nd game score - so Egypt can't advance without losing in that scenario. So we need an Egypt goal and a Senegal goal in the 2nd half. Is that right?

Can’t Egypt lose 1-0 and still go thru on PK’s?

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1508876554360791049

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Can’t Egypt lose 1-0 and still go thru on PK’s?

interesting.. so an extra time goal doesn't work, but if it goes to penalty kicks its fine?

[lazypucker]

Unless Egypt scores one and Senegal scores another (regular time or extra time), that will be 2-1 for Senegal this game but Egypt advances through away goals.

Or Egypt win in penalties.

[PeteMoss]

Well Egypt/Senegal is at full-time with a 1-0 score. So extra time we go.

[Yoho]

Ghana beats Nigeria on away goals.

[Hockeyguy15]

Senegal should have scored there.