Canada MNT ...

You may remember this post. Well I justed wanted to give my 2 cents about the Canadian MNT 

First, I don't know what happened in that game. Were they threatened to be killed? Ricketts missing two goals are not something a pro players would do, even drunk. I am sorry, I am against bashing anyone, but I have seen really bad beyong ugly players and none of the, has missed one of those.

I am sorry about a hard post, some canucks would not understand why a foreign guy who roots for their country so bad ( I was almost unproductive at work waiting and thinking about the game) can talk bad about your National Team. However, I have been doing it for years and I will live there soon and I know that If i have children, they will be canadian.  I will cut this post in 3 parts: 1)The players, 2) What suits best for Canada and 3)What to do next.

The players

I remember watching the Canada-Perú game in a friends's house. He always played PES and FIFA with Perú while I used the Maple Leaf team. That was going to be the first head to head for real. Perú neutralized Canada and there were just a few moments that were really worthy to note. However, I realised that Hart didn't know how to adapt the team. The players were average, but DeRo, JDG, De Jong, Hutch stood up. I followed the games and classified the guys into 2 groups: The ones that are really World Cup Qualifying players and the local players:

World Cup players:

Lars Hirschfeld is a great player; despite being relatively not young, he can go one more cycle, but he needs to go to MLS or at least move from the Norweigan league.

De Jong: Solid player, strong character, nice long distance shoots.

De Guzman: Very skilled player who can be kept for the next cycle to mentor the young guys

DeRosario: The best there is. Despite being old, her can go for more years; however, the team must not rely on him.

Josh Simpson: He is "the player". He can mark the difference up front.

Hutchinson: smart player, confident and a fighter

Ian Hume: The guy never gives up. I have seen him since the U20. Peruvian commentators were thrilled about him and thought he was gonna be a big time player.

Edwini Bonsu has less accuracy at scoring than Rickets, Haber is not that great either. It is simple, fo not get thrilled when someone scores, no matter they play in the Senegal 9th division. Compare them to guys like Costly, Altidore, Ruiz and if you think that in the same team the Canadian would be a starter, he is worth to be called up.

The local players:

This players are among the best the team can offer, but they are not what Canada needs or at least they have not being used properly.

Borjan: I am not totally sold on the guy, yet. He can make great saves, but do wrong in other plays. He is good, but still needs more practice to become the next Craig Forrest

Mckeena: He used to be good, but he is slow now and despite he has scored many goals, he is not a great header. 

Jackson: He is fast, but I was surprised how he is not able to get a pass and dominate the ball, he needs time and the ball can not be controlled in the first touch. He misses seconds trying to control it.

Occean: He scores goals, but he is not the forward that Canada needs. He is like Friend. He adjust to a team  that can manage the ball at send it to the box. Canada needs a Paolo Guerrero or Luis Suarez type of guy.

What suits best for Canada

The tactics were not the best. We can blame Hart for that. I never saw a team that managed the ball properly. However, we can not be that hard on him. He did his best, but his best was not good. Vilifed Holger Osieck showed the world that a rudimentary team could be able to become champion. Canada 2000 was organized and the players knew what they were supposed to do. The team was less skilled than the curent, but they were a team. Canada's Hart version was more like Maradona's Argentina. Players thrown together to do what they can. It didn't work for Argentina, it obviously didn't work for Canada. Systems like 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 are not what suits best for Canada. Holger's 3-5-2 was the key to success. It allowed the team to defend and when getting the few chances to attack Corazzin and Pesch were supported by Brennan and Clarke or Martin Nash. 

Canada should not get rid of De Guzman or De Ro, they are still key players. Who would be able to replace them? Dunfield has not upped his game, Pacheco is not ready to drive a team yet and bear a cross like both guys had to carry.  

What to do next

First things first, the new head coach has to be someone not very familiar with the program. Why? Miller, Yallop, Hart, Mitchell. All were familiar with the program but did almost nothing outside of it. Yallop had success in MLS, but come on, despite MLS players overshadow the MNT they are subpar world class players. Bringing back Holger would be bringing back Hitler, as many players "loved" the guy. Bring someone that has earned something or at least has managed a decent National Team. Don't have the money? I bet there are South American coaches that would love to get a canadian permanent resident visa. They have a different vision and more important, they would know how to beat Central american countries. Central American teams play like South americans, but less skilled. However, they are more difficult for USA, Canada and even some Euro teams. Insight from a South American coach would benefit the team on how to play against such teams and also would get a different psychology. 

I am from Peru and its team fails miserable every 4 years. Despite it is country where everybody breathes football, players are not good enough because they tend to become mediocres. They achieve just some fame or economical position and stop upping their game. Canadian situation is different. Canada is country where the players need support, so despite you are crying right now do not turn your backs. CSA won't be doing much to help youth teams, expecting that would be like the known example when you learn the First Conditional in english: "If I were millionaire, I would..." Each and everyone has to support the young kids, promote the game, advice the young players to understand the matches of the likes of Brazil, Spain. Challenging them.

Next year there is another Gold Cup. The process to 2018 starts there. A new head coach and the players of the future. 11 from 22 players must be under 20, the rest can be some survivors of this process. The team may fail and be placed last, but the young bucks are going to learn. We need a new Jason De Vos. We need a trong line of 3 in the back. We need to nationalize a 9, the government offers permanent visas, give one to a guy from England, Argentina, Brazil.

Fans are like friends, you know who are the real ones when you are falling. do not slaugther the players, they seem to be ashamed of what happened, let's just focus and what to do next. This is not a joke, but next year we will have plenty of Friendly games, so the new squad has to be tested ASAP.

and just for sarcasm, cause I prefer to laugh better to cry

Canada vs Honduras The match that defines everything

Canada plays its most important game in the last 11 years. Tuesday marks the day that history is gonna be made. I have not organized this, but it is what I feel and think at this hour of the night... 

Despite I have not been born in Canada, somehow someway I don’t remember when and why, I have supported Canadian –Football- soccer since 1998. I didn’t went to weekend trip with my friends the day Canada won the Gold Cup, because Canada is the team I supported and I practically followed Carlo Corazzin’s career, Forrest’s andother guys of that Gold Cup. I badmouthed Owen Hargreaves and felt almost raped when Radzinski dismissed the team. IN other words, regardless the fact that the team is not the most blessed technically squad, I can not avoid supporting them. Now, with all that being said, let’s go to Tuesday, October 16th. 

Current Canadian squad is the best team in years, when talking about skills; however, there is something lacking: Organized team play. Holger Osieck took a bunch of Canadian players in 1999, some came from the Lenarduzzi era, others got on board for the first time, and he made it look like a real team. I remember, a tv commentator said Canada played rudimentary, but the team work is what really made them champions. Now, in 2012, I see that the team has not a clear vision of what to do when they have possession of the ball. However, this fail is covered by the fact that the guys have a great heart. Canada always plays better as the underdog; the team will never be a goal scoring machine or will make you feel like you are watching poetry in movement. Team Canada is though, fast and can create a wall greater than the Great Wall of China if all the guys are focused. 

I feel nervous and I imagine the players may have goosebumps when they think about the match. They know it is gonna be a war. The 11 canucks will not only fight for qualifying; they will defend their pride, and the future of the soccer landscape in the country will be changed when they get the result at the always difficult San Pedro Sula. This is the best and worst situation. The guys have made a better campaign then the last 3 cycles. They have not achieved anything yet, but they know they are on the edge of doing so. The fans are flooding the stadiums and show their support. Kids and teens need to have idols, homegrown heroes. These CMNT has the pressure of achieving greatness and what a better opportunity that doing so in the place where other Canadian squads have fallen. 

Expect even more Hondurans throwing a party outside the hotel, witchcraft like the Panamenians used; maybe even the food in the hotel has something to fade their stamina. It is not gonna be easy. Fans at the stadium will insult them, boo the national anthem, spit on them. The referee will be pressured to make calls favoring the home team. So guys, keep yourself cool. The guys should follow this simple rule: “Be prepared for the worst, expect the best, do your own think and fuck what others say”. 

The first 15 minutes are the most important. The home team is gonna try to score and get the ball inside the box. Just resist the first 15 minutes. Hondurans will lose patience, start complaining and most important the home fans are gonna get discouraged. The players will feel that and that is when the team strikes back. There are countless occasions when a Canadian team made a trip to Central America and got owned. This time is different, cause this team has seen the light at the end of the tunnel and they are almost getting out now. Ball possession is the most important thing. I have seen that there is a problem with Canada. They can’t make 3 good consecutive passes and if they try, they are not accurate and the enemy gets the ball easily. Canada should go at its own pace. Hondurans will try to do everything fast, so make them cooler, get them desperate. They will freak out and even start kicking some legs. The fact that DeRo is not on the squad may be a blessing in disguise. When he is on the pitch all balls go to him so he has to come up with something, now everybody may have more freedom and needs confidence to go b themselves. Another negative besides low ball possession is that balls cross into the box are not effective. Sometimes when they send the ball because he knows he has to, but there was no real possibility of someone heading the ball.

 Check this video of the game against Colombia

 0:40, 0:59 1:01 passing ball in just one touch

   

 It is always possible, just believe and try your best 

Let’s go Lars!

   

On a side note, I have seen the increased of fan support in Canadian soil. The games against Panama and Cuba surprised foreign commentators. The good results both times have something in common, besides they team scoring goals. The support of the 12th player was there. What to do when the likes of Mexico or Guatemala go to Canada? I have a silly idea! Maybe this is not the solution, but someone can come up with something better after this. Voyeurs is the official supporters group. I ignore if they have a members list or they have made people sign up just to have an inventory. I think that 20,000 people who go to a stadium to support their country would be willing to donate 30 bucks. What to do with that? Buy 4/5 of the total tickets and then resell them to Canadian fans. So when Mexico goes to Canada they will feel the fans are not behind them. It won’t be home anymore. I think it is legal, because someone is buying the tickets and reselling them to their friends or giving them away. Anyway, just to conclude, Team Canada has to get out of San Pedo Sula with pride and joy. They got the result. I think that Canada will upset Honduras 1-0. Who scores? Ian Hume. Period 

I am moving to Canada the next year. It is gonna be my home. I am 30 years. I want to support them team in a Qualifying match. You say Let’s go Canada, Quebecois would say Allez les Rouges and I say: Vamos Canada!