Canada announces roster for September matches

[Colin Elmes]

"Thomas R.?" = Tomasz Radzinski?

Listen, I'm not trying to make a case for or against Owen Hargreaves, but it's not as if he couldn't go play for Canada if he wanted to. No club is going to stand in the way of a player of that quality's desire to suit up for his country, even if it's Canada.

I'm not in OH's inner circle or anything, but I'm sure if he told Rumminenge and Magath or whoever else was in charge at FCB at the time that he was going on INTL duty for the CMNT they would have accepted it, not necessarily fine with it, but accepted it...

Let's not sugarcoat it: Hargreaves chose England because there's a certain amount of status and worth that comes along with being an English International... like a bigger pay packet, more exposure for endorsements, etc.

He made the right choice for his career that has certainly hamstrung Canada, but then how much of a debt does he really owe the CSA and the CMNT programs? Not a lot in my estimation... he owes a lot more probably to Foothills in Calgary and the ASA.

When your employer basically tells you that its not a good move for you from the Clubs perspective what are you to do. Not sure about current but back in the day of OH I think the players were getting a $1500 appearance fee from CSA and about 3 different flights to get to where they needed to go( some of the players payed for their own ticks first class to relieve some of the travel burden).

Lets look at it this way. You are an NHL player from Great Britain. You have been called up mid season to play an international hockey game for the UK. So you are traveling eight time zones to play what I am sure your NHL GM believes is a worthless fixture. You are gone from your paying job for a week minimum in a team where you are likely just a fringe player anyways. You come back to find that your spot on the roster has been taken by an inform player who was below you when you left. Career now on the skids......

What would you do?

 

[johnnybluenose]

Was our MNT calling on him then? prior to hitting the first team at FCB? I don't remember, but probably not, thus who cares...it only would have mattered once he was "established" which IIRC happened pretty quickly at the end of the year when FCB won the Champs league... I wouldn't say that OH's career would have been 'on the skids' at that point, but I certainly hear what youre saying. Good analogy on the hockey.

 

[Dude]

I think there is the Rose Colored glasses way of things, then reality. I think reality is that the club would strongly encourage OH to Cap w/ England, as it would be in the Club's best interest.

That said, I think a player of that caliber is also entitled to a backbone. I'll be disappointed in that decision till OH can play for the Cap's and help them become a reasonable squad. Then I'll forgive.

 

[Colin Elmes]

I think there is the Rose Colored glasses way of things, then reality. I think reality is that the club would strongly encourage OH to Cap w/ England, as it would be in the Club's best interest.

That said, I think a player of that caliber is also entitled to a backbone. I'll be disappointed in that decision till OH can play for the Cap's and help them become a reasonable squad. Then I'll forgive.

You will have to wait for that until after Man City

 

[akslop]

a couple things:

1) why is Rob Friend not on the roster?

2) Jonathan de Guzman camp in talks with CSA about a possible appearance?

 

[Gurps]

a couple things:

1) why is Rob Friend not on the roster?

2) Jonathan de Guzman camp in talks with CSA about a possible appearance?

That would be awesome if Jonathan came on board....

 

[johnnybluenose]

Jonathan DeGuzman would make their midfield 100% better...

Rob Friend is well behind other options on the depth chart upfront, and Rob Friend is practically useless unless you are playing punt and hope soccer, and a midfield featuring DeRo, 2 Deguzmans and a Hutchinson means you don't have to play kick and run.

 

[akslop]

Jonathan DeGuzman would make their midfield 100% better...

Rob Friend is well behind other options on the depth chart upfront, and Rob Friend is practically useless unless you are playing punt and hope soccer, and a midfield featuring DeRo, 2 Deguzmans and a Hutchinson means you don't have to play kick and run.

Jonny

dont u need depth in order to have a depth chart?

 

[Luch]

a couple things:

1) why is Rob Friend not on the roster?

2) Jonathan de Guzman camp in talks with CSA about a possible appearance?

Speaking of Jonathan de Guzman, he is now with Villarreal...

Official: Villarreal sign Mallorca's Jonathan de Guzman - Goal.com

 

[bettermirror]

Rob Friend isn't on the roster because he's been useless for Canada for years. 2 goals in 30+ games....did you see him plodding around v. Ecuador and again in the GC?

Olivier Occean has bypassed him and my word would I take Hume or Ricketts over him in a heart beat.

Where did you hear that De Guz the younger is speaking with Canada about appearing? I suspect if he puts in a few good appearances for Villareal he'll be called-up by Holland sometime before xmas and then capped.

 

[johnnybluenose]

He won't have a fcuking sniff at Holland's MNT setup... no matter he's a winger or central midfielder..

He's behind:
Engelaar, DeJong, VanderVaart, Sneijder, Robben, Heitinga, Schaars, Maduro, Wijnaldum, de Zeuuw, Jansen, Afellay, and Brama...

nevermind VanBommel and some of the old dogs.

He hasn't got a chance with the dutch

 

[Gurps]

First game for Canada is this week.

Personally I think playing some games together before taking on some of the better teams in the region will be good for the team. Hopefully they win their group!!!!

Maybe Junior will come on board if they get deeper into qualifying. Imagine adding Junior Hoilett(sp?) and De Guzman to the lineup?

 

[akslop]

BM,

heard on footy show and from hart's mouth in an interview.. Maybe wishful thinking as He has given up his canadian passport and would need to get it back but if he is overlooked for qualifiers this time around is the writing not on the wall for him? Cnadians are forgiving and most will embrace this with open arms...

Is Mr base in jail or something?

Gurps, I agree... adding those to would put us on a level playing field with the US and we could compete with Mexico.. Not to mention the trickle down affect for soccer here

 

[fat monkey]

adding those to would put us on a level playing field with the US and we could compete with Mexico

Whoa...slow down a bit there. That's a bit of an overstatement.

Those two players will make us better, but it will only be guaranteed win night against the likes of Maritius and Equatorial Guinea. The US and Mexico will continue to play at a higher level and Canada will always struggle to get back to the World Cup.

 

[akslop]

Whoa...slow down a bit there. That's a bit of an overstatement.

Those two players will make us better, but it will only be guaranteed win night against the likes of Maritius and Equatorial Guinea. The US and Mexico will continue to play at a higher level and Canada will always struggle to get back to the World Cup.

You give the USA to much credit.... My opinion is they are over rated and on the decline....I never said anything about a guaranteed win.

Go have another Banana !

 

[bettermirror]

Akslop - that'd be huge if we got JDG2 back....I agree I don't think he'll get into the Dutch set-up BUT playing on a CL-level team will assist him in that dream. He also twittered the other day about how he wants to be in the Dutch team. I sent him a twitter saying the Canadian team could use him!

Hoilett is also wanted by the Jamaicans apparently? I suspect he is olding out for an England call-up but barring a huge upturn in his technical game he has no chance at England.