The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[vennegoor of hesselink]

Winnipeg has a legit stadium why not there in January? Not sure if the turf is FIFA 2 star though

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

I’m glad that garbage goal wasn’t the only one. This feels better.

That goal looked fishy, like the game was fixed.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by shermanator

And Vancouver had 55000 people show up for Canada / Mexico in 2016, which is more than you can fit at BMO and Stade Saputo combined.

Good point. Can The Big O be used for soccer?

[Matty81]

As much as I'd like to see bc place the euro players are going to be lobbying for a game somewhere in the east, its already a ton of travel with 3 games a window.

For the games where weather is ok, toronto has first shot for me. Their crowd is behind the Nats lately and it's a partisan environment, they have actually earned the chance to continue to host. Cmnt games in edmonton are generally super flat atmosphere wise, the stadium is big but sucks and vancouver has plastic turf and a mild crowd so I don't think the west has a lot going for it. I like the new little stadium in cgy but not quite big enough.

East coast mls and cpl stadiums makes most sense to me with travel. The big o also attracts huge partisan crowds for the concacaf champions league games for the mls team and I could see that January game against the usmnt being a massive draw there, Toronto has a track record finally and Halifax, id consider them too, expect that would be a real fired up home crowd as well, though just guessing.

[shermanator]

Damn it felt good to watch that game.

Crazy to think that after no games for 14 months Canada will play 23 games (plus any Gold Cup knockout games) in one year. Hook it to my veins!

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Matty81

As much as I'd like to see bc place the euro players are going to be lobbying for a game somewhere in the east, its already a ton of travel with 3 games a window.

For the games where weather is ok, toronto has first shot for me. Their crowd is behind the Nats lately and it's a partisan environment, they have actually earned the chance to continue to host. Cmnt games in edmonton are generally super flat atmosphere wise, the stadium is big but sucks and vancouver has plastic turf and a mild crowd so I don't think the west has a lot going for it. I like the new little stadium in cgy but not quite big enough.

East coast mls and cpl stadiums makes most sense to me with travel. The big o also attracts huge partisan crowds for the concacaf champions league games for the mls team and I could see that January game against the usmnt being a massive draw there, Toronto has a track record finally and Halifax, id consider them too, expect that would be a real fired up home crowd as well, though just guessing.

You are right. Selfishly, I want games in BC Place or Commonwealth so I can go.

Not exactly easy (or cheap) to zip to Montreal or Toronto for a match.

[GirlySports]

Dates. September 2nd home against Honduras. I still think the November window is an opportunity to host somewhere unique since it's just one trip.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Crazy to think that after no games for 14 months Canada will play 23 games (plus any Gold Cup knockout games) in one year. Hook it to my veins!

I'm not very optimistic about our chances at top 4 in the Ocho, but getting these extra games is huge to develop the program further. Because of the ridiculous CONCACAF qualifying format, every cycle our team has been sitting out for half of it instead of playing meaningful games.

[CroFlames]

If Mexico and USA have the top two spots locked up, who are we expecting to take spot 3 and 4?

Are Jamaica and Costa Rica locks, or does Canada have a decent chance to upset them?

[shermanator]

I think Mexico and the US have to be considered as the top 2 going into the Ocho. After that, I think Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica and Canada will fight it out for third and fourth. Panama and El Salvador don't worry me that much.

I can't see Canada finishing top 4 as they have typically folded like a cheap tent in Central America, but I could see them finishing fifth ahead of Jamaica, Panama and El Salvador.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

If Mexico and USA have the top two spots locked up, who are we expecting to take spot 3 and 4?

Are Jamaica and Costa Rica locks, or does Canada have a decent chance to upset them?

Obviously I'm looking at it through red tinted glasses, but I could see Canada squeaking in, but a lot would have to go right.

The one thing that does concern me is that this makes for a pretty crowded schedule for our young and/or important players based in Europe. Transatlantic trips in the international windows, their domestic leagues and cups, plus Champions/Europa Leagues for guys like Davies, David, Borjan, and even Larin, etc.

It is a nice problem to have and it is a great reflection on the current Canadian program, but that's a lot of soccer. But they're bringing that high profile experience with them to the national team, so I'm honestly not complaining. This is how it should be.

[GirlySports]

Have we forgotten the US didn't qualify last time, losing to T&T on a 'wet field'?

Rant: CONCACAF qualifying is stupid. It's all to ensure USA and Mexico to play each other and screw the rest. The final round being 6 teams was always dumb and was only expanded to 8 because of COVID. This means that most teams, like Canada, never getto the HEX and their journey ends after 2, 4 or 6 games. How's that for development? Remember that they were initially going to have a little teams bracket with the winner to play the 4th placed HEX qualifier? Asinine.

Take Asia for example. 12 teams make it to the final round in two groups of 6, double CONCACAF. So it's all fair. You play 8 games in the prelim round to make it to the final 12 to play 10 more games. That's much more balanced and little teams really develop. Vietnam is in the final 12 this year for the first time ever.

And Japan and Korea? They have not played each other in qualifying since 1998. Because that's not what's important. This year they are in different pots for next week's draw so 50/50 chance they'll draw each other finally.

[PeteMoss]

Concacaf qualifying does cut both ways. Costa Rica for example has won 1 international game in the last 2 years because they get byes through all the earlier rounds.

Its hard to know what form any of Honduras, Jamaica and Costa Rica are in since they've barely played since Covid outside of some random friendlies. Canada's won more games in the past 2 months than these teams have played in 2 years.

Fifa rankings have Canada 7 of 8 (ahead of Panama). Elo rankings have Canada 3 of 8 (behind Mexico and US).

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Have we forgotten the US didn't qualify last time, losing to T&T on a 'wet field'?

Rant: CONCACAF qualifying is stupid. It's all to ensure USA and Mexico to play each other and screw the rest. The final round being 6 teams was always dumb and was only expanded to 8 because of COVID. This means that most teams, like Canada, never getto the HEX and their journey ends after 2, 4 or 6 games. How's that for development? Remember that they were initially going to have a little teams bracket with the winner to play the 4th placed HEX qualifier? Asinine.

Take Asia for example. 12 teams make it to the final round in two groups of 6, double CONCACAF. So it's all fair. You play 8 games in the prelim round to make it to the final 12 to play 10 more games. That's much more balanced and little teams really develop. Vietnam is in the final 12 this year for the first time ever.

And Japan and Korea? They have not played each other in qualifying since 1998. Because that's not what's important. This year they are in different pots for next week's draw so 50/50 chance they'll draw each other finally.

The problem is that a lot of these countries in CONCACAF simply don't have the money to travel. Bonaire, for example, has a population of 20,000. You can't expect them to be able to foot the bill for flights and hotels more than once every four years. I think Saint Martin has a population of about 75,000. Bizarrely, CONCACAF has 41 full members, 31 of whom are in the Caribbean Zone. Canada has been so poor for so long that they just don't have enough points in the FIFA rankings to qualify for the later stages when the big footballing nations start to play.

Qualifying for the final stage is a massive step in the right direction, and it'll be interesting to see how Canada sets up. It will almost certainly have to be extremely defensive minded to avoid getting torn apart on the counter. It will just be such a difference from how they've been playing in the qualifiers so far.

If you offered Herdman one single point out of a possible twelve in the four matches with Mexico and the USA, I think he'd snap your hand off for it right now. If Canada can't get four points out of the first three matches in September, they'll be out before things even get going.

[GirlySports]

Sure there would still be preliminary rounds for the really small countries. Like in Asia, Guam vs Bhutan. But to play 2 legged ties down to 12 teams is counterproductive. 20 or 24 would be ideal.

But you have that issue where USA and Mexico must meet.

[Matty81]

On the games I think it would be cool to see:

Sept & Oct - HON/ES/PAN- Toronto
November - MEX-CR - Halifax
January - USA - Montreal
March - JAM - Toronto

I dunno if Wanderer's ground would even be playable in November, but man would it be fun to see Mexico playing in freezing cold Halifax in sleet in front of a packed home crowd of 6.5k maritimers.

Montreal would be packed for a big event game with USA in the big O, and i feel like Quebeckers would be giving it to the States. Dunno how our team would like playing on that carpet.

I don't love the idea of the away crowds in Toronto but I think the TFC fans have been loud enough and turned out in enough numbers to have earned it and the facility is top notch.

EDIT - average daily high temp in Halifax in November is 8 and low is 2, but we all know how that can go... -10 and a blizzard isn't totally out of the realm of possibilities.

[browna]

Smart schedule. Costa Rica and Mexico in the cold. They.are going to need to hold serve at home against the top 4 teams Jam CRC USA and Mex, to have a chance, and of course make hay for the 3 other teams at home. CRC and Mexico would be two of the best ones of that top 4.
Outside of the US away fixtures, they're going into uncomfortable environments against better quality than Haiti.

That said, it's not as if our players, certainly the top ones, are currently playing in those conditions either in Europe, and no matter how often you play in the cold, it doesn't get that much easier.

[shermanator]

Preliminary rosters for the Gold Cup are out. Some interesting names on the list: Jebbison, Flores, Akinola, Singh, Elva, Arfield are all on there. Most of the starting 11 from the last few weeks are there as well. Only exclusions I can think of are Sam Adekugbe (who just announced a transfer to Turkey) and Milan Borjan.

CANADA 60-MAN LIST CURRENT CLUB
Tesho Akindele USA / Orlando City SC
Ayo Akinola CAN / Toronto FC
Scott Arfield SCO / Glasgow Rangers FC
Theo Bair CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Michael Baldisimo CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Zorhan Bassong CAN / CF Montréal
Clément Bayiha CAN / CF Montréal
Zachary Brault-Guillard CAN / CF Montréal
Charles-Andreas Brym
Tajon Buchanan USA / New England Revolution
Lucas Cavallini CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jay Chapman USA / Inter Miami CF
Mathieu Choinière CAN / CF Montréal
Theo Corbeanu ENG / Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Derek Cornelius CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Maxime Crépeau CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jonathan David FRA / Lille OSC
Alphonso Davies GER / FC Bayern München
Caniggia Elva GER / FC Ingolstadt 04
Stephen Eustáquio POR / FC Paços de Ferreira
Ricardo Ferreira
Marcelo Flores ENG / Arsenal FC
Liam Fraser USA / Columbus Crew SC
Marcus Godinho GER / FSV Zwickau
Cristián Gutiérrez CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Thomas Hasal CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Doneil Henry KOR / Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Junior Hoilett
Atiba Hutchinson TUR / Beşiktaş JK
Daniel Jebbison ENG / Sheffield United FC
Alistair Johnston USA / Nashville SC
Mark-Anthony Kaye USA / Los Angeles FC
Scott Kennedy GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
Cyle Larin TUR / Beşiktaş JK
Richie Laryea CAN / Toronto FC
Jayson Leutwiler ENG / Huddersfield Town
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty CAN / Toronto FC
Liam Millar ENG / Liverpool FC
Kamal Miller CAN / CF Montréal
Ashtone Morgan USA / Real Salt Lake FC
Jayden Nelson CAN / Toronto FC
Noble Okello CAN / Toronto FC
Jonathan Osorio CAN / Toronto FC
James Pantemis CAN / CF Montréal
Tyler Pasher USA / Houston Dynamo
Harry Paton SCO / Ross County FC
Samuel Piette CAN / CF Montréal
Ralph Priso CAN / Toronto FC
Ryan Raposo CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Tosaint Ricketts CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jacob Shaffelburg CAN / Toronto FC
Luke Singh CAN / Toronto FC
Dayne St. Clair USA / Minnesota United FC
Frank Sturing NED / FC Den Bosch
Russell Teibert CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Kris Twardek POL / Jagiellonia Białystok
Jules Anthony Vilsaint BEL / Royal Antwerp
Steven Vitória POR / Moreirense FC
Joel Waterman CAN / CF Montréal
David Wotherspoon SCO / St. Johnstone FC

[shermanator]

The away game in Mexico will be behind closed doors, as punishment for homophobic chants during Olympic qualifying. Good news for the national team, bad news for national team supporters who wanted to drink their weight in tequila in September...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1405927846338519045

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Preliminary rosters for the Gold Cup are out. Some interesting names on the list: Jebbison, Flores, Akinola, Singh, Elva, Arfield are all on there. Most of the starting 11 from the last few weeks are there as well. Only exclusions I can think of are Sam Adekugbe (who just announced a transfer to Turkey) and Milan Borjan.

CANADA 60-MAN LIST CURRENT CLUB
Tesho Akindele USA / Orlando City SC
Ayo Akinola CAN / Toronto FC
Scott Arfield SCO / Glasgow Rangers FC
Theo Bair CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Michael Baldisimo CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Zorhan Bassong CAN / CF Montréal
Clément Bayiha CAN / CF Montréal
Zachary Brault-Guillard CAN / CF Montréal
Charles-Andreas Brym
Tajon Buchanan USA / New England Revolution
Lucas Cavallini CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jay Chapman USA / Inter Miami CF
Mathieu Choinière CAN / CF Montréal
Theo Corbeanu ENG / Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Derek Cornelius CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Maxime Crépeau CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jonathan David FRA / Lille OSC
Alphonso Davies GER / FC Bayern München
Caniggia Elva GER / FC Ingolstadt 04
Stephen Eustáquio POR / FC Paços de Ferreira
Ricardo Ferreira
Marcelo Flores ENG / Arsenal FC
Liam Fraser USA / Columbus Crew SC
Marcus Godinho GER / FSV Zwickau
Cristián Gutiérrez CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Thomas Hasal CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Doneil Henry KOR / Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Junior Hoilett
Atiba Hutchinson TUR / Beşiktaş JK
Daniel Jebbison ENG / Sheffield United FC
Alistair Johnston USA / Nashville SC
Mark-Anthony Kaye USA / Los Angeles FC
Scott Kennedy GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
Cyle Larin TUR / Beşiktaş JK
Richie Laryea CAN / Toronto FC
Jayson Leutwiler ENG / Huddersfield Town
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty CAN / Toronto FC
Liam Millar ENG / Liverpool FC
Kamal Miller CAN / CF Montréal
Ashtone Morgan USA / Real Salt Lake FC
Jayden Nelson CAN / Toronto FC
Noble Okello CAN / Toronto FC
Jonathan Osorio CAN / Toronto FC
James Pantemis CAN / CF Montréal
Tyler Pasher USA / Houston Dynamo
Harry Paton SCO / Ross County FC
Samuel Piette CAN / CF Montréal
Ralph Priso CAN / Toronto FC
Ryan Raposo CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Tosaint Ricketts CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jacob Shaffelburg CAN / Toronto FC
Luke Singh CAN / Toronto FC
Dayne St. Clair USA / Minnesota United FC
Frank Sturing NED / FC Den Bosch
Russell Teibert CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Kris Twardek POL / Jagiellonia Białystok
Jules Anthony Vilsaint BEL / Royal Antwerp
Steven Vitória POR / Moreirense FC
Joel Waterman CAN / CF Montréal
David Wotherspoon SCO / St. Johnstone FC

No Zator. Hardly surprising.
Flores is interesting for sure, Winsor_Pilates insight?

And no Borjan? Wtf?! Why not?