The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[browna]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

He was going to go to club soccer at some point to test himself in that week in, week out arena.

Thank you John. You made this country believe again.

How bad is Canada soccer that TFC is a more appealing job? They’ve scored 5 goals in the last 3 months!

Now what? Anyone hear any names out there yet? I could see them interested in Jimmy Brennan which I don’t completely hate, but that’s just me spitballing

First of all, Herdman is the best thing to happen to soccer in this country since the 80s.

By ignoring the political crap and games and lack of proper funding and attention to the game, he was able to utilize that as fuel and his motivation to get players to run through the wall for him was notred, not just WC qualifying but also for the women. He became Men's coach to save the CSA after coach after coach lasted months because of the unorganized and politically motivated CSA.
An inspirational leader for sure, and said it before, singlehandledly he prepared the MNT in the right frame of mind to qualify for the freaking World Cup (also thanks to COVID and the President on Concavaf as Canadian), which is incredible to will a group of decently talented players and a couple really good ones, over the US ans Mexico.

He will have a different challenge with club football as he has day to day issues where his does of inspiration have to be more consistent.
He will have the resources he never had at the CSA, and I expect a quick turnaround for TFC next year, if he is in fact cut out for club football, but if not, he can always find a national team somewhere, again.

As for the replacement, this could get ugly.

They brought Phil Neville for the Gold Cup out of the blue.

That's exactly who I'd see the front running CSA give the job. Someone famous enough that they can point to England national duty and Man U and and everything will be fine.

Has to be someone to do it on the cheap, or for their own personal reasons.

Has to be someone desperate enough to reclaim reputation through taking a job with a guaranteed WC appearance. This is assuming they are able to be putting up with the same CSA (and now CSB) political infighting garbage that every team and coach the last 40 years has had to deal with, for another 3 or so years.

Herdman was a master or motivation and using his/their own organizations incompetance to push the Men's team to the WC, and getting the most of the women's team prior too, becuase he could relate and had been there to see all the crap behind the scenes 10 years ago and on. The new guy won't have that credibility, so it has to be through experience.

[Matty81]

He has a lot to be proud about and clearly does a good job building team morale/spirit, changed the culture here and am grateful he had the job. That said I think with the caliber of player the NT has committed to this next cycle already and the fact that we don't need to qualify for 2026, we need someone with a bit more tactical savvy as opposed to a Ted Lasso motivational guy. He got outcoached in Qatar on the field and blundered through the mind games portion.

Concern on my end is who will we be able to afford to replace him. I think some big names would take the job but probably not for peanuts.

[Swift]

Well, Dunfield should be available now.

[CroFlames]

Wonder if they’d consider Tommy.

[shermanator]

Squad for the October friendly vs Japan has been announced. Luc de Fougerolles is a 17 year old CB playing for Fulham's reserves, worth giving a look in a friendly if he impresses given our lack of quality at that position.

https://twitter.com/CanadaSoccerEN/s...31481722990802

[M*A*S*H 4077]

always exciting to see a new face

[Party Elephant]

Hopefully Biello has the good sense to start Crepeau. Borjan can be a practice squad guy from here on out but his days as undisputed starter should be done.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Squad for the October friendly vs Japan has been announced. Luc de Fougerolles is a 17 year old CB playing for Fulham's reserves, worth giving a look in a friendly if he impresses given our lack of quality at that position.

https://twitter.com/CanadaSoccerEN/s...31481722990802

I've never seen him play, but I already trust him more than Vitoria.

[browna]

Soccer savant (just ask him or listen to his CPL color duties) Terry Dunfield finished up his time tonight in charge of TFC after Bradley was fired, with another loss.

1-14-0 as a dreadful record for Dunfield.

For some reason Herdman is keeping him and some others in the TFC staff for next year.

[shermanator]

Canada get pumped by Japan 4-1. No Eustaquio or Buchanan in the squad due to injury but Canada started a full strength squad otherwise and were completely dominated.

Japan scored 76 seconds in after some shambolic defending. David misses a penalty that would have made it 1-1. Davies with an own goal in the 42nd. Then more shambolic defending makes it 3-0 and 4-0. Hoilett with a consolation goal at the end.

Japan are a damn good team, probably one of the best in the world, but I think we are also seeing a Canada side who are no longer overachieving and a few big stars not playing to their potential. I think I'll delete the recording.

[Winsor_Pilates]

This is probably the best Japan side ever; they're so good right now.
Still a disappointing score to see but not surprising.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

No a surprising score with how good Japan is but man the goals were self inflicted.
1st goal: Davies trying to do too much and then some horrible defending from the group
2: Davies not marking anyone and then puts it off Borjan’s face. Lol
3: Johnston with a terrible giveaway and Miller too slow

Whomever the permanent manager is going to be will absolutely need to figure out the defence first. Johnston is the only one I think is an undisputed starter in that back 3. Second priority is simplifying the game for Davies so he doesn’t have to feel like he is carrying the team. Biello talked about that in his press conference last week and it will take time

[browna]

Well, 11 months ago Canada beat Japan 2-1. Both teams had pretty similar lineups outside of the two Canadian mentioned players mentioned.
Japan obviously got confidence from getting through the group stage in the WC and meanwhile Canada players are still wondering when they are going get paid from that WC from their federation.

It's early but the Herdman factor already at play. He had many of those players punching above their weight and running through the wall for him, and they all played 4 inches taller and 20% faster thanks to his motivational tactics and channeling energy the way he did, as a team unit.

Biello may be a good coach but will never be able to do that to the same extent. And when we are taking about World football, those intangibles and confidence makes a big difference. A permanent, , Internationally experienced and confidence inspiring manager and staff will be needed if they are going to take further steps up.

[MillerTime GFG]

I cannot understand why Canada chose to go with 3 in the back. You should only do that when you have 3 dominant centre backs…which we do not have. Baffles me.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Canada roster dropped for the Copa Qualifier

https://canadasoccer.com/news/canmnt...ter-announced/

That midfield. Holy crap that is bad. I think Eustaquio and Ahmed are the only ones playing with any regularity and quality? No Choiniere? And then up top, no Ugbo? He’s had a decent start to life in the championship.

Need to cap Luc de Fougerolles in the back. Need to get some new bodies back there to start phasing out Vitoria from the squad and ideally Miller out of the starting lineup

Edit: I looked it up and Koné is also playing fairly regularly as a fringe starter/30 minutes off the bench guy which is good (and more than I thought). He’s a nailed on starter for Canada.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I realize we need to win these games and then there will be more time to integrate guys into the squad (and figure out the manager situation) but man, this squad is bad

[shermanator]

They called essentially their first choice squad. If that squad is bad, then that's an indictment on the current state of the national team more than anything.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Sure and I’m not really saying anything differently. I think it is an indictment on the player pool right now. But calling Choiniere in over any one of Piette, Oso, or Kaye improves the squad. Or Ugbo over Cavallini.

The starters are more or less the starters and I am quibbling over guys 17-23 on the roster but I believe we can do better and don’t need to call guys up just because they’ve been around for a while.

[Ozy_Flame]

I'm going to the game against Jamaica on the 21st, looking forward to it!

[GirlySports]

Kaye just got a red card in the MLS playoffs. Shocked, shocked!