The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I'm already putting Canada in pot 3 in my analysis

With Canada in Pot 3, it's better if the US is on Pot 4 than Pot 2.

Oh ok. Yeah, absolutely - no debate there.

I hope the US ends up in pot 4 and then gets in a group with France and Germany

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1506325765134106634

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1506799675449389063

[browna]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

a huge amount of credit to Soccer Canada. I was a little unsure of Herdman, despite his incredible success coaching the Women's side, as the Men's side was just a different animal...

.

Nope, the credit 100% Herdman, full stop.

The CSA are terrible gatekeepers for soccer in this country. The highly political backstabbing and meddling behind the scenes (and sometimes in the locker room) at the CSA saw the MNT go through 7 coaches in 10 years from 2007 to 2017.

After searching for a full year and wooing Zambrano to take the job, one faction of the CSA didn’t like him not wanting to take their advice on rosters and style and he lashed out at them. Not long after had him out after lasting a year in the job, but not after more infighting.

The CSA had to save face from facing another long embarrassing coaching search where they get turned down at every turn. So they basically forced Herdman to take the job overnight. It was sudden, handled terribly (big surprise)and risked the gains Herdman had made in 7 years with the women team, a team he took over after the CSA cheated out on the WNT, assuming they were still a top team and just had to show up, but got their doors blown off in 3 games in the WC in 2011. But, the CSA did it not because Herdman was the top choice of the CSA, it was because he was already in the building and the easiest short term fix to save face for the organization from having to start all over in a search.

It will be interesting if the debacle and incompetence that the CSA is as and has been for the last 3 decades, is brought up in the months up to Qatar (barring disaster this next week) by the national press. The team itself is a feel great story but that’s thanks to the players and Herdman, in spite of the CSA, not because of it.

John Herdman is a great coach, great leader, inspiring positive caretaker of the MNT who has coached up, and had this team of players believe in him and believe what can be achieved, as he did with the women, and all that success is on him for taking a forced role and making more of it than anyone could’ve expected.

[CofR]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1506779733299810307

[GirlySports]

Korea lead a depleted Iran side 1-0 at the half on a goal by Son Heung Min, not good for Canada.

Japan beat Australia 2-0 in Sydney which qualify both Japan and Saudi Arabia to the world cup. Australia relegated to the playoffs.

[GirlySports]

Japan and Korea certain to be on Pot 3. Canada's path to Pot 3 mostly depends on Africa. Need Ghana or DR Congo to qualify. Or Egypt to qualify by not winning.

Or USA to go to the playoff
Or Turkey to qualify

We'll know more tomorrow.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

GAME DAY!

Enjoy this week. This is the week we’re going to remember for the rest of our lives. The week everything changed. Some of us have been around a long time, some a short time. Enjoy it. Every stinging loss, all the heart break over the decades, this week will make it all worth it. It’s going to happen, be it tonight, Sunday, or next Wednesday. We’re going to Qatar.

Do it for Atiba

[Muta]

I cannot wait to head over to the Ship after work; I'm so pumped for game day today!!

[browna]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

GAME DAY!

Enjoy this week. This is the week we’re going to remember for the rest of our lives. The week everything changed. Some of us have been around a long time, some a short time. Enjoy it. Every stinging loss, all the heart break over the decades, this week will make it all worth it. It’s going to happen, be it tonight, Sunday, or next Wednesday. We’re going to Qatar.

Do it for Atiba

Agreed. Which is why I wanted to get my rant over with, above, last night.

"Historic” gets thrown around as a cliche far too often in sports, but this will be a historic occasion for sport in this country when they qualify.

I started playing at 7, which is the earliest they had community soccer in Calgary in 1983. Obviously by the time 86 came around, Canada was in that first World Cup since I started playing and thus as a kid you then expected Canada to be in the World Cup everytime after that, not knowing any different. Especially as you grew older you realized Canada was a country that was overall a "have" country, and given hockey dominance etc, soccer at a high level should be the same when playing minnow countries like El Salvador, Honduras etc.

I went to play to 16 years before serious injury derailed things, going to Nationals 5 times, playing to a AMSL major league level, had some of my schooling paid for from soccer and countless lifetime friendships because of my participation...but having our county crash out of qualifying was embarassing cycle after cycle as a soccer player (who also played hockey).

1993 was the closest, heartbreak in Toronto after going up 1 to Mexico, then losing in the Intercontinental playoff. And it hasn't been close since.

And hopefully tonight is the night, where the once assumed rightful regular spot for this country in the world's tournament, comes to bear for 2022, and going forward.

Hosting the next and with an expanded tournament, I hope my 12 year who plays soccer, all my soccer buddies, and the general public in Canada, never has to ask or reconcile why Canada isn't in the World Cup again.

Ps. Thanks Covid for hitting the reset button on the previous qualifying process and making this an (almost) reality.

[shermanator]

Canada could qualify for the World Cup tonight. In the years following this team, I never thought I'd be saying that. Gonna enjoy this window!

[CroFlames]

Long shot... does anyone know of a place in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA area that might show the Canada match? Or what channel/network it's being shown in the US?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Long shot... does anyone know of a place in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA area that might show the Canada match? Or what channel/network it's being shown in the US?

Paramount+

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by CofR

https://twitter.com/user/status/1506779733299810307

Holy chills Batman.

Wore my kit to work today. Big Flames playoff games have been the only time I've done that in the past.

So excited for tonight's game. Sure hope we can seal our own fate by getting three points.

[Muta]

I hope this run of the successful Canadian soccer in the last year really gets people into the game more, and teams like Cavalry get more popular as a result of that momentum. That league (Canadian Premier League) is meant to discover the stars of tomorrow and some of the guys have already trained with the national team. Plus, Cavalry games are just a friggin' blast to go to!

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Long shot... does anyone know of a place in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA area that might show the Canada match? Or what channel/network it's being shown in the US?

Today sounds like a good day to start your Paramount+ 7 day free trial. I have watched all Canada games on P+ so far. Good neutral coverage.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Today sounds like a good day to start your Paramount+ 7 day free trial. I have watched all Canada games on P+ so far. Good neutral coverage.

I'm with another Canadian colleague so I was hoping to catch it in a bar instead of holed up in a hotel room alone LoL.

[GirlySports]

Mexico vs US is going on a the same time, i doubt you can get any bar to show Canada.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Long shot... does anyone know of a place in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA area that might show the Canada match? Or what channel/network it's being shown in the US?

Try Spanish-language channels that aren't showing the US-Mexico game for a non-streaming option.


My buddy in Colorado (who speaks Spanish) says he's been able to watch all the Canada matches on tv, without having to deal with the crap show that is streaming.

[GirlySports]

Macedonia win on Tuesday in Lisbon, Canada is in Pot 3