Canada's A-List 18 man roster?

[metroflip73]

Just out of curiousity, what players would you call up for you best XVIII?

Your road to the HEX may be difficult, so I'm just wondering who would you like to see (experience or youth/potential or a mixture) in a "All Hands On Deck" situation.

Plus, I'd like to find out so that when I attend my cousin's wedding in Mississauga, I can tell him more about his national team, even tho I live in the USA!

Good luck, eh!

[Gordon]

I'll take a stab. Asterix indicate debatable selections and the first names for each position would be my starters (4-4-2).

Keeper

Hischfeld (Tottenham)
Onstadt (San Jose)

Fullbacks
Nsaliwa (Rensberg)
DeVos (Wigan) (c)
McKenna (Hearts)
Jazic (Rapid Vienna)
Menezes (China- forget team name)*
Klukowski (La Louvriere)

Midfield

Stalteri (Werder Bremen)
DeGuzman (Hannover)
Aguiar (Benfica)
Brennan (Norwich)
Bircham (QPR)*
Imhoff (St. Gallen)

Forwards

Radzinski (Everton)
DeRosario (San Jose)
Peschisolido (Derby)
Hume (Tranmere)

[CanuckFan]

Just out of curiousity, what players would you call up for you best XVIII?

Your road to the HEX may be difficult, so I'm just wondering who would you like to see (experience or youth/potential or a mixture) in a "All Hands On Deck" situation.

Plus, I'd like to find out so that when I attend my cousin's wedding in Mississauga, I can tell him more about his national team, even tho I live in the USA!

Good luck, eh!

Here is the definitive 18 man roster according to CanuckFan.

GK - Lars Hirschfeld (Tottenham EPL)
- Pat Onstad (San Jose MLS)

DEF - Kevin McKenna (Hearts SPL)
Jason DeVos (Wigan England Div 1)
Ante Jazic (Rapid Wien Austrian BL1)
Marco Reda (Songdal Norwegian Premier)


DEF/MF - Paul Stalteri (Werder Bremen German BL1)
- Jim Brennan (Norwich England Div 1)
- Atiba Hutchison (Helsingborg Sweden Premier)
- Tam Nsaliwa (Jahn Regensburg German BL2)
- Michael Klukowski (La Louviere Belgian Premier)
- Fernando Aguiar (Benfica Portuguese Premier)

MF - Iain Hume (Tranmere England Div 2)
- Julian de Guzman (Hannover 96 German BL1)
- Daniel Imhof (St.Gallen Swiss Premier)

S - Tomasz Radzinski (Everton EPL)
- Paul Peschisolido (Derby County England Div 1).
- Dwayne De Rosario (San Jose MLS)

[metroflip73]

What about your U20 forward, Wyn Belotte or something? I remember him against the US U17s, a lot to handle.

Other than that, MERCY BUCKETS.

[Gordon]

D'oh! I can't believe I forgot Hutchinson! :o And for Bircham no less :eek: ...Geez, credibility shot, I best go find the hockey forum.... Definitely Hutchinson over Bircham.

Some names to drop as darkhorses are:

F- Olivier Occean (Odd Grenland) - coming on.
M- Patrice Bernier (Moss)
F - Rob Friend (Moss)
M/D - Jason Bent (Plymouth)
D - Gabe Gervais & Nevio Pizzolitto of the Montreal Impact - both of who Yallop has indicated some satisfaction at their perfomance in the North American camp.

[Gordon]

What about your U20 forward, Wyn Belotte or something? I remember him against the US U17s, a lot to handle.

Other than that, MERCY BUCKETS.

Wyn's progress has stalled. Had a couple of unhappy experiences in Norway (Norkopping) and Poland (Wisla) - which seemed to be mostly due to his attitude, fitness and work ethic. He makes a great initial impression in his trials but fails to deliver over the long haul. He is currently unattached, was not a big part of the U-20s, is not a big part of the U-23s and is nowhere near the senior nats.

[RobtheAggie]

D - Gabe Gervais & Nevio Pizzolitto of the Montreal Impact - both of who Yallop has indicated some satisfaction at their perfomance in the North American camp.

Wasn't Gervais a forward for Syracuse and the Rhinos? I seem to remember him getting no playing time for the Rhinos his rookie season. The only match I saw him play in was a friendly against Stade Rennes. I wonder if he and the French players talked trash about the true french.

If he has progressed far enough to be considered for the NT, congrats to him.

[metroflip73]

D'oh! I can't believe I forgot Hutchinson! :o And for Bircham no less :eek: ...Geez, credibility shot, I best go find the hockey forum.... Definitely Hutchinson over Bircham.

Some names to drop as darkhorses are:

F- Olivier Occean (Odd Grenland) - coming on.
M- Patrice Bernier (Moss)
F - Rob Friend (Moss)
M/D - Jason Bent (Plymouth)
D - Gabe Gervais & Nevio Pizzolitto of the Montreal Impact - both of who Yallop has indicated some satisfaction at their perfomance in the North American camp.

Where do Bernier and Friend play? Moss? Where's that?

Didn't know Jason Bent is playing for Plymouth. Ouch what are they, 2nd Div? Yeesh.

[Thomas A Fina]

http://www.mossfk.no/

[TopDogg]

Where do Bernier and Friend play? Moss? Where's that?

Didn't know Jason Bent is playing for Plymouth. Ouch what are they, 2nd Div? Yeesh.
Plymouth will be in the 1st Division next season. Whether Jason will join them remains to be seen.

Where is your cousin's wedding in Mississauga? (it's my hometown :D )

[TopDogg]

My 18:

GK:
Onstad (San Jose Earthquakes, MLS)
Hirschfeld (Tottenham, EPL)

D:
DeVos (Wigan, English 1st**) (c)
Jazic (Rapid Vienna, Austrian BL1)
Reda (Sogndal, Norwegian 1st)
McKenna (Hearts, SPL)

M:
Stalteri (Werder Bremen, German BL1)
Aguiar (Benfica, Portuguese 1st)
DeGuzman (Hannover 96, German BL1)
Hutchinson (Helsingborg, Swedish Allsvenskan)
Brennan (Norwich, English 1st*)
Nsaliwa (Jahn Regensberg, German BL2)
Klukowski (La Louviere, Belgian 1st)
Hume (Tranmere, English 2nd)
Imhof (FC St. Gallen, Swiss 1st)

F:
Radzinski (Everton, EPL)
Peschisolido (Derby County, English 1st)
De Rosario (San Jose Earthquakes, MLS)

Darkhorse Players:
F: Rhian Dodds (Kilmarnock, SPL)
F: Olivier Occean (Odd Grenland, Norwegian 1st)
GK: Kenny Stamatopolous (Enkopping, Sweden)
M: Marc Bircham (Queen's Park Rangers, English 2nd**)
M: Jason Bent (Plymouth, English 2nd*)
M: Martin Nash (Vancouver Whitecaps, A-League)

* - Norwich promoted to EPL for next season; Plymouth promoted to Div. 1 for next season
** - Wigan and QPR still have a shot at promotion for next season

[Captain Canuck]

There's not too much I would disagree with that has been posted thus far, but I might add Edgar Bartolomeu as a darkhorse amongst the A-league contingent. He's got his Canadian citizenship now so there's no paperwork to worry about on that front, and I don't see us being as deep on the left side of midfield (where he plays) as we are on the right (where we will have difficulty finding room for everyone, even on the bench).

[somebody]

don't forget Gretzky!

[hobbes]

I was going to agree with canuck fan or TopDogg, but basically I think it comes down to us having a pool of 20 players and realisitically we'll take 18 of those and more often than not we'll have two or more missing.

I'd rate those 20 as:
GK:
Lars Hirschfeld (Tottenham, England)
Pat Onstad (San Jose, United States)
D:
Jason DeVos (Wigan, England)
Ante Jazic (Rapid Vienna, Austria)
Kevin McKenna (Hearts, Scotland)
Marco Reda (Sogndal, Norway)
D/M:
Jason Bent (Plymouth, England)
Marc Bircham (Queen's Park Rangers, England)
Jim Brennan (Norwich, England)
Mike Klukowski (La Louviere, Belgium)
Tam Nsaliwa (Jahn Regensberg, Germany)
Paul Stalteri (Werder Bremen, Germany)
M:
Fernando Aguiar (Benfica, Portugal)
Julian DeGuzman (Hannover 96, Germany)
Atiba Hutchinson (Helsingborg, Sweden)
Daniel Imhof (FC St. Gallen, Switzerland)
F:
Dwayne De Rosario (San Jose Earthquakes, United States)
Iain Hume (Tranmere, England)
Paul Peschisolido (Derby County, England)
Tomasz Radzinski (Everton, England)

I think Bent and Bircham have outside chances at starting on the right (either at right mid or right back) for this team, nevermind making the 18. There are others who could fill in at spots if we need cover (Pizzolito, Dodds, Gervais, Nash, Menezes, Sulentic, Canizalez, Occean, Stamatopolous, Hastings, Bernier, etc), but I think the core of the qualifying group will come from this 20.

If you take Wales as an example, we don't have Bent or Stalteri and that leaves us 18 already. DeVos has a slim playoff final chance that could rule him out, same with Bircham, but I expect both will be available for Wrexham.

cheers,
hobbes

[the_baron]

My Choice;

Goals; Hirshfeld, Franks.

DF: Naswalia, Devos (C), McKenna, Brennan, Bent, Reda.

MF: Stalteri, Hutchinson, Bircham, Aguiar, DeGuzman, Kulkowski.

FD: DeRosario, Radzinski, Friend, Hume.

[freisland]

Where is Kulkowski playing at La Lou? Most of you guys are listing him in the midfield, but it looks like (simply from matchreports and line-ups) that La Louviere are playing him in the back - maybe a wingback?

Are Radzinski and Yallop getting on? At least tell me McKenna won't play forward again! Any "dual nationals" might come out of the woodwork for this go round?

On paper this should be a decent side and if we can stay disciplined against the likes of Honduras and Jamaica (home games in Whitehorse - or at least Edmonton) it could pip 4th spot. Can these guys win on the road in Central America has to be the question.

[hobbes]

Where is Kulkowski playing at La Lou? Most of you guys are listing him in the midfield, but it looks like (simply from matchreports and line-ups) that La Louviere are playing him in the back - maybe a wingback?

I'm pretty sure, he's a leftback in a 4-4-2 with La Louriviere. He was one of two twin d-mids against Libya as a sub in his only cap. Between he, Jazic and Brennan we have solid options on the left anyway. All three can play mid and leftback for us. Add the possibility of Edgar Bartolomeu at left back, Hastings has had a lot of time there, plus Maycoll Canizalez and Marty Nash at left mid (and DeGuzman certainly can play there too) and I like our left side a lot.

cheers,
hobbes

[Gordon]

Where is Kulkowski playing at La Lou? Most of you guys are listing him in the midfield, but it looks like (simply from matchreports and line-ups) that La Louviere are playing him in the back - maybe a wingback?

Are Radzinski and Yallop getting on? At least tell me McKenna won't play forward again! Any "dual nationals" might come out of the woodwork for this go round?

On paper this should be a decent side and if we can stay disciplined against the likes of Honduras and Jamaica (home games in Whitehorse - or at least Edmonton) it could pip 4th spot. Can these guys win on the road in Central America has to be the question.

No word of any discord betweeen Yallop and Radzinski. Yallop goes out of his way to give Radz his "props". Time will telll as to whether Radz will show up for the tougher games in Central Amercia, but at this pointn there are no overt signs of trouble in that regard.

I expect that Big Kev is going get some run outs as a forward. But our Centre back position is troublesome barring a return of Tony Menezes (playing in China, hasn't dressed for Canada since January 2003) or Marco Reda proving himself at the international level. Thus I expect that he will see most of his PT in the back line. The thing with Mckenna at forward is that while not as smooth or skilled with the ball at his feet as one would like, he is a challenge to play against and has caused problems for pretty much every defence he has played against. I think he can be very effective against Central American defences provided our midfield reaches its potential and can give him decent service. He has a very good strike rate at forward and Canada can't aford to turn up its nose at goals. That being said, Radzinski and DeRosario is almost certainly the first choice partnership and it has been effective for the short times it has been together. I haven't figured out the strike rate, but Captain Canuck (Correct me if I am wrong CC) quotes 5 goals in 2.5 games between the two.

I don't think there are any dual nationals on the radar except possibly Edgar Bartolomeu who has apparently gained his Canadain citizenship. He could play on the left side if we are struck with a few injuries.