Author Topic: Oh, Canada . . . . Thou land of hope for all who toil!  (Read 611 times)

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Offline paralambano

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Kerry -

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I think it's going to be hard to drum up lots of enthusiasm for the 2022 World Cup this early.   Now if the games are presented as worth something not so far in the future,  it might be easier to sell.
 

Well, why not win a Gold Cup first? Why not increase the team's ranking? All of it is tied together. Match-by-match.  The goal is to get back to the World Cup for Canada after 36 years. Herdman knows Canadians have heard of the WC. He's playing off of any good-will for soccer there is here provided by the 2018 Tournament.

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Promoting these might work in the here and now for those of us with short attention spans.
 

Or for those who get all excited by the World Cup and haven't a clue about anything else in the sport. Canadian Soccer has to show how the Gold Cup and League of Nations matches matter for the World Cup to many, many here who don't know about these things. Instead of lamenting our absences at the World Cup, the sporting media here ought to be promoting knowledge about the CONCACAF structure and how internationals matter for Qatar. It benefits them too because it means more eyes on their product and of course, sponsorships.


Ol' knee-highs para .   .  .   .

Offline paralambano

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Kerry -

You see how some other non-Canadian places are, well, let's say interested in the future.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/cybrown/2018/06/13/how-will-the-usmnt-lineup-when-the-world-cup-returns-to-america/#6a4fb7bb28ea


Ol' dill-weed para.  .  .  .  .

Offline Kerry

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Kerry -

You see how some other non-Canadian places are, well, let's say interested in the future.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/cybrown/2018/06/13/how-will-the-usmnt-lineup-when-the-world-cup-returns-to-america/#6a4fb7bb28ea


Ol' dill-weed para.  .  .  .  .

American soccer fans are rightfully excited about the World Cup coming stateside.

They are?  It's eight years away. 

I'll begin with a few caveats: First, we're looking at a prospective "Best 11" rather than full roster because picking the 11 best players eight years from is already a huge leap; picking the 23 best is impossible. Second, I have no idea who the USMNT head coach will be in eight years, much less what tactical shifts in the game will have happened in that time, so I'm using a standard 4-2-3-1 formation. Third, as I hinted at a few sentences ago, this will probably be way off. Some of these guys won't pan out like we thought, and there's probably a 12-year-old no one has ever heard of somewhere in America working to become the next Christian Pulisic right. There are far too many unknowns for this to be accurate, but it should give you an idea of the players to keep an eye on as we start the buildup to 2026.

I found this amusing. He knows he's dealing with loads of unknowns but still goes on with predictions.   

I wish he had compiled a list of 23 people.   Eight years from now, we could check the starting line-up against his list of 23.   If 9 of the starting line-up were on his list of 23, I'd say he did well.  If all 11 were, he's psychic.   

Offline paralambano

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Kerry -  ^
 
What he might have said instead is that American soccer fans are excited about having gotten the Tournament here but I can easily accept what he wrote. Respectfully, I think you're reading too much into this by your analysis. He's exemplifying the spirit and passion some have for the game, yes? Who's going to seriously hold him to his guesses? Maybe some who have it out for the game  :).

I bet he knows more about soccer than just the WC.  :). Way to go, American prognosticator  :)!


Ol' duck-and-cover para  .  .  .  .

Offline Kerry

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Kerry -  ^
 
What he might have said instead is that American soccer fans are excited about having gotten the Tournament here but I can easily accept what he wrote.
Well, I for one can't get too wound up about something we need to wait eight years for.
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Respectfully, I think you're reading too much into this by your analysis.
I agreed with him.
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He's exemplifying the spirit and passion some have for the game, yes? Who's going to seriously hold him to his guesses? Maybe some who have it out for the game  :).
It seemed to be he was focusing too much on World Cups.  It was if he was going through withdrawal since this year's competition was over.  What to do, what to do?  Oh, let's think about the 2026 one. 

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I bet he knows more about soccer than just the WC.  :). Way to go, American prognosticator  :)!
He said he guessing and most of what he had to say would probably be wrong.   So what does he know, I mean really know?   This was so speculative about something in the future, I found it amusing.  It's like trying to guess who's going to run for President in 2032 or which parties will control Congress in 2026.   I think he could write more realistic pieces by dealing with things he does know or which are more probable being in the near future.   

Of course, it was all in fun,   but  I can't take it too seriously or get too excited.   

Offline paralambano

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Kerry -

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Of course, it was all in fun 

That's the spirit!  :)

I happen to watch soccer a lot. 2026 is way, way, too far off for me. I mean I'm watching some African Confederations Cup soccer on now. Can you imagine?:)


Ol' 1.0 para .   .  .   .

Addendum: Oh, I can imagine, Patient 1.0! At least the sound of weeping and moaning coming from that stench of a room you call your "control-deck" has quieted after the World Cup something-or-other. And swallow your pills, boy.

Nurse I Ratched




Offline paralambano

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Up and up they go!

The Canadian National Men's Team voonderkind is going overseas to learn how to play proper football  ;D. I hear he'll be on Bayern's first team but how much playing time he'll get I'm not sure.

Bayern Munich has completed the transfer of Canadian midfielder Alphonso Davies from the Vancouver Whitecaps, formally announcing the move on Wednesday.

Bayern has completed a transfer that sources tell Goal is worth a guaranteed $13.5 million (€11.5m/£10m), with performance incentives that could take the deal above $21.5m. The transfer also includes a 15 percent sell-on clause, which will give the Whitecaps a percentage of any future sale of Davies by Bayern.

Davies, who turns 18 in November, will formally join Bayern when the January transfer window opens, though Bayern manager Niko Kovac suggested Davies could train with Bayern sooner depending on when the Whitecaps' season ends. FIFA rules prohibit Davies from playing for Bayern until the transfer window after his 18th birthday.  .   .   .   .   .

The transfer fee is the largest ever paid for an MLS player, surpassing the $10m (£7.5m) Villarreal paid for then New York Red Bulls forward Jozy Alidore in 2008.
:

http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/alphonso-davies-completes-135-million-move-to-bayern-munich-vancouver-whitecaps-mls-canada/9btqgmf269uzzv96u9aggnk7

Alphonso Boyle Davies (born November 2, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer and Canada men's national soccer team. He is the first player born in the 2000s to play in an MLS match. Davies will join Bundesliga club Bayern Munich in January 2019, on a contract until 2023.[2]

In June 2017, he became the youngest player to appear for the Canadian men's national team.[3] By scoring two goals in a 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against French Guiana, he became the youngest player to score for the Canadian men's national team, the youngest to score at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and first player born in the 2000s to score at a top level international tournament.[4]
:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonso_Davies

Bring some of that Bayern magic back to Canada with you, Alphonso!


para .   .   .   .

Offline paralambano

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Okay .    .   .    .    .   . for any even mildly interested .    .   .    . 

Canada defeated  French Guiana yesterday 4-1 and this poster missed it  :( 'cause I didn't even know it was on broadcast. I caught the injury-time minutes at the very end by happenstance.

Okay, my point. Yes it was only Fr .    .    .    . Canada! You see, we're not considered an actual power in soccer-world (yet) and yes we're more populous than French Guiana:



and likely richer but in years past it would not have been strange to hear that Canada lost to smaller nations in CONCACAF.

So, by the victory we qualify for the Gold Cup this June and the CONCACAF League of Nations (Group A).

Our new coach, John Herdman, who came directly from coaching the Canadian Women's National Team has guided the men to a perfect five wins and no losses record with 19 goals scored in those five matches and 1 goal conceded. Qualifying for the League of Nations gets Canada to play against top opponents like Costa Rica, Mexico, USA, Honduras, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique, Cuba, Curacao, and Bermuda.

Here's the squad Herdman had picked:

Canada National Team Roster:

Position Name Club

GK    Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade/SRB)
GK    Maxime Crepeau (Vancouver Whitecaps)*
GK    Simon Thomas    Kongsvinger (IL/NOR)
D    Samuel Adekugbe (Vålerenga Fotball/NOR)
D    Zachary Brault-Guillard (Montreal Impact)*
D    Derek Cornelius (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)*
D    David Edgar (Hartlepool United/ENG)
D    Marcus Godinho (Heart of Midlothian FC/SCO)
D    Doneil Henry (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)*
M    Scott Arfield (Glasgow Rangers FC/SCO)
M    Atiba Hutchinson (Beşiktaş JK/TUR)
M    Will Johnson (Orlando City SC)*
M    Mark-Anthony Kaye    (LAFC)*
M    Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC)*
M    Samuel Piette    (Montreal Impact)*
M    Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)*
F    Lucas Cavallini (Puebla FC/MEX)
F    Jonathan David (KAA Gent/BEL)
F    Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich/GER)
F    Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City/WAL)
F    Cyle Larin (Besiktas/TUR)
F    Liam Millar (Kilmarnock/SCO)
F    Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla (Albacete Balompie/ESP)

*MLS

Hilarious to hear a sports announcer on a popular round-up show this morning mispronounce Milan Borjan's last name as if he were Mexican. The "J" as an "h" when it's pronounced like a "y" since it's Slavic (Serbian). I suppose they've never seen him play before. The report of the score came in about halfway through the hour.


https://www.tsn.ca/canadian-men-s-soccer-squad-off-to-gold-cup-with-4-1-win-over-french-guiana-1.1278987

A small tribe marches, but maybe one day .   .    .   .    .




I'm just about blushing with pride.


para .   .   .    .

Offline paralambano

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Okay, so Canada has a Premier Soccer League now with 7 teams:

Cavalry FC (Calgary)
FC Edmonton
Forge FC (Hamilton)
HFX Wanderers (Halifax)
Pacific FC (Langford, BC)
Valour FC (Winnipeg)
York 9 FC (North York, ON)

and kick-off is today with York 9 Fc v  Forge FC.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-canadian-premier-league-1.5111274

There will be matches with Canada's three MLS teams as well. I expect FIFA not to order these three to leave MLS to join this League since there are precedents of clubs in another nation participating in another nation's league such as Cardiff and Swansea playing in the EPL. I think that CPL clubs based in MLS cities could benefit by interest in soccer already generated by MLS clubs there. The idea is to deveop home-grown talent.Too, there will be promotion and relegation and the Canadian Champion will play in CONCACAF's Champions League with an opportunity to play in the revamped Club World Cup. These clubs are independent entities, not franchises. So, a proper footballing league on paper at least.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Premier_League

I read that the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) will broadcast 20 matches this season. I'll try to catch some of them. I wish these clubs all the success in the world. Canada! Welcome to the world's game!


para  .  .  .  .

Offline Kerry

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A "premier" league without a second tier?   If they can get more clubs, they could relegate and promote, but for now the name seems a bit odd.

I  like how clubs will have limits on how many non-Canadians can be on teams and how many Canadians have to be on the starting lineups.