let's go canada

[meteor]

i don't know about you guys but i feel good about this team. i am primed for the chance to go to germany and see canada play in the world cup. i think yallup has brought a whole new attitude. re-patrioting radzinski was a great move as he is still a world class striker. di resario i like as well, and with stalteri and de vos we are strong up the middle. hopefully hirschfeld's injury status will improve in the near future.

the one guy i'm kinda down on is peschisolido. i think it's time to give the reins to the younger players like hume and di resario. you have radzinski as the experienced guy up front..pesch has scored like 2 goals for us in 8 years. that's just not good enough.

so what do you guys think our chances are? let's just say i think they are a whole lot better than they were 4 years ago.

[Canadian_Supporter]

I also have a good feeling about this team, but as a Canadian fan, I am also a little nervous about the upcoming WCQ matches.

As for Pesch... I say he might not be able to start, but his experience will be an assest when he comes off the bench.

Our chances this year are much better then four years ago. Unfortunately, I don't know if that will be good enough.

[meteor]

oh ya i'm not saying don't include pesch on the team. i agree his experience off the bench is an asset..i just personally don't see him as a starter/75 minute a game guy anymore. i'm sure yallop will put the best combinations out there.

it's really a drag about hargreaves especially now. you woulda thought the challenge of getting his country to the world cup would be more satisfying than being a small fish in a big pond and basically playing for a foreign country. let's face it the guy is about as british as greg rusedski, but that's his choice i guess. gotta move forward without him.

yes we might not make it but i think we at least have a fighting chance this time.

[Canadian_Supporter]

I have been watching some of my old WCQ 98 tapes, and I must say that Pesch has been looking better over the past few games then he did in the final round of WCQ. Granted the two games I have watched have both been against two tough teams on the road (at Mexico, and at USA). I think Pesch can be dangerous if Yallop uses him properly.

Too bad about hargreaves, but he made his choice (not that I agree with it). Now I just hope that Jonathan De Guzman picks Canada and not the Netherlands. I heard he is one of the top young players in the Netherlands...

[MLS Detroit]

Based on what I have seen in CONCACAF over the last two years and the Canadians currently playing in MLS and the A-league, Canada has the third best team in the region. USA and Mexico, barring unforeseen disasters, will qualify. Costa Rica and Honduras, despite their talent, are constantly in turmoil and very beatable as a result. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Trinadad-Tobago are one-or-two-man teams. The key will be for Canada to bond as a team and believe in each other. If they can withstand the rigors of travel and hostile Central American environments and stay fit, they will qualify. Korea '02 and Greece '04 are two prime examples of smaller football nations rising to the challenge with supreme fitness and positive thinking. Pat Onstad was recently interviewed on MLS Wrap here in the states and he confidently stated that this is Canada's best squad since '86. Canadian success in Germany will help the stagnant effort towards rebuilding a domestic league. There is another motivation for Canadian success as well. South Africa got the Cup in 2010 and South America will get it in 2014, which makes North America a likely candidate for 2018, since Europe has had several hostings and Asia was most recent. Canada, with a successful qualification to Germany '06, will start the ball rolling at home and abroad about a hosting bid. By the way, I am real interested in seeing Canada's qualifying matches. I have dish network here in the states and I could always sneak into a bar across the river in Windsor, Ontario, but how could I obtain a television schedule?


Mike

[beachesl]

There is another motivation for Canadian success as well. South Africa got the Cup in 2010 and South America will get it in 2014, which makes North America a likely candidate for 2018, since Europe has had several hostings and Asia was most recent. Canada, with a successful qualification to Germany '06, will start the ball rolling at home and abroad about a hosting bid.

By the way, I am real interested in seeing Canada's qualifying matches. I have dish network here in the states and I could always sneak into a bar across the river in Windsor, Ontario, but how could I obtain a television schedule?


Mike

Thanks for the good will and good wishes for the Canada team, Mike, we appreciate it.

In terms of the World Cup, I can't frankly see us ever hosting the World Cup, at least not for at least 34 years or so. We are having enough trouble getting a FIFA acceptable 30,000 seat stadium in Toronto. We will be lucky to get the applied for U-20 World Cup in 2007. There are hopeful plans that a 30,000 seater SSS will be built in Vancouver in time for that as well. The minumum size for the World Cup is 40,000.

Roger's Sportsnet (basic cable in Canada) has the CSA rights to cover Canada's National teams, and will carry the home WCQ's and hopefully the
away matches as well. They are notoriusly late at announcing their schedules.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/detectionpages/setUTCookie.jsp?userType=1

[TopDogg]

In terms of the World Cup, I can't frankly see us ever hosting the World Cup, at least not for at least 34 years or so. We are having enough trouble getting a FIFA acceptable 30,000 seat stadium in Toronto. We will be lucky to get the applied for U-20 World Cup in 2007. There are hopeful plans that a 30,000 seater SSS will be built in Vancouver in time for that as well. The minumum size for the World Cup is 40,000.
The three white elephants in Toronto (SkyDome, cap. 55,000), Montreal (Olympic Stadium, cap. 70,000) and Vancouver (BC Place, cap. 60,000) could easily host WC matches (with grass installed), along with Commonwealth Stadium (cap. 60,000) in Edmonton. So thats four stadia right there.

Unfortunately, the other large stadia in Canada (McMahon, CanadInns, Frank Clair, etc) aren't large enough, and would need extensive renvoations to be up to par. Another thing working again a Canadian WC bid is the fact that the CFL season would coincide with any WC, which means there would be a conflict for scheduling dates. But that's just a minor detail.

[juice013]

We are quite a ways away from getting a World Cup here in Canada. I think there would need to be two successful WC qualifications, and a lot of money spent on stadia. Olympic would be perfect for the opening game and final, except for the fact that it's in horrible condition. I'm not sure what the minimum number of stadia required by FIFA is, but there would have to be plenty of money provided by the provincial and federal governments to get the country up to par. Qualifying for '06 and getting the U-20 tournament for '07 will go a long way to get the ball rolling.

As for qualifying, watch out for Jamaica too. I would say they easily have a better squad than the one that qualified for WC '98.

[Soccerfever]

Hi guys!Concerning Canada getting the World Cup,I'd love to but I don't see it happening any time soon...

As for Canada World Cup qualifiers,I agree that we have a strong squad this time around to reach the Hex but again,let's not take anything for granted as the other 3 teams in our group are capable of advancing to the last 6!Our big advantage is that all of our opponents are from Central America so when the match will be held here in Canada,the weather will help us as the matches will be played at the end of the summer/beginning of fall period!I just hope that our supporters will show up in a huge crowd to the stadiums in Canada of course.On the other hand,we will have a few problems as our players are not use to play together a lot apart from the training camp and the away matches will be difficult in the hostiles latino crowds...

Anybody know when the roster will be announced for the first fixture?

[beachesl]

Well, the WC2006 Comp regulations say that the 18 man roster doesn't have to be set and sent into Zurch until 7 days before a match, which would be August 11. There is no reason for Yallop to leave it until the last minute, except to see what the situation concerning injuries might be. The CSA site will probably be late announcing it as usual, CP will probably announce it first.

I expect it will be basically the same roster in the Belize series. The only difference is that Hume is suspended for the first match because of the red card against Belize. The speculation is that his spot will be taken by one of the expectantly new Milwall boys, Simpson or Serioux, both of whom had excellent play in the B team series against Milwall and Hearts.

No outstanding injuries from what I have seen so far (knock on wood). Radzinski's ankle injury supposedly sustained at Everton's Austrian camp mysteriously disappeared after his transfer to Fulham, and he was subbed on at their last exhibiton match.

[BC_Ref]

Hi guys!Concerning Canada getting the World Cup,I'd love to but I don't see it happening any time soon...

As for Canada World Cup qualifiers,I agree that we have a strong squad this time around to reach the Hex but again,let's not take anything for granted as the other 3 teams in our group are capable of advancing to the last 6!Our big advantage is that all of our opponents are from Central America so when the match will be held here in Canada,the weather will help us as the matches will be played at the end of the summer/beginning of fall period!I just hope that our supporters will show up in a huge crowd to the stadiums in Canada of course.On the other hand,we will have a few problems as our players are not use to play together a lot apart from the training camp and the away matches will be difficult in the hostiles latino crowds...

Anybody know when the roster will be announced for the first fixture?

Canada is definitely not guaranteed at making it to first in our group. The other 3 teams are decent to good - hit or miss in some cases, but are dangerous when they are on. Also, they do have a much bigger home field advantage - I can't see the early fall games held in Canada being much help. We'd need late fall games with lots of cold wind or rain (Vancouver) to really shift the tide. Maybe the 1st game or two of the Final Round might provide the necessary weather. Also, we need to get enough supporters out so we aren't outnumbered in our own country :(

I'm hoping the later fall games are cool enough that the Canadians don't suffer too much of a disadvantage. They will already be up against insane fans who want a win at any cost and tend to pelt the opponents.

Hoping to make it to the 1st game in August, but am currently double booked as it stands.

Go Canada

[Canadian_Supporter]

I'm hoping the later fall games are cool enough that the Canadians don't suffer too much of a disadvantage. They will already be up against insane fans who want a win at any cost and tend to pelt the opponents.


I read that a good number of Guatemala fans are coming up from the West Coast of the US for the game on the 18th. Although, there will be a section of loud Voyageur supporters cheering on the Canadian team. The game is only a few weeks away... I can't wait! :D

[BannockBoy]

As I recall, we tend to get points in central america. We usually do well down there by getting draws. There is one huge advantage for us in that the higher quality central american teams tend to be unreliable in getting points against eachother. I am not saying we will win our group, but we do have a good chance.

[Soccerfever]

Also, we need to get enough supporters out so we aren't outnumbered in our own country :(

Well,if we can get as much supporters as we did for the U-19 Women's World Cup(if I remeber corrctly) in 2002 at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton,that will be a sort of homefield advantage altough the venue of the match against Guatemala is Vancouver...

But quite frankly,it's the away games that I'm afraid of! :(

[beachesl]

. Also, they do have a much bigger home field advantage - I can't see the early fall games held in Canada being much help. We'd need late fall games with lots of cold wind or rain (Vancouver) to really shift the tide. Maybe the 1st game or two of the Final Round might provide the necessary weather. Also, we need to get enough supporters out so we aren't outnumbered in our own country :(

I'm hoping the later fall games are cool enough that the Canadians don't suffer too much of a disadvantage. They will already be up against insane fans who want a win at any cost and tend to pelt the opponents.


Well, I'm still hoping that at the last minute, on August 13, they will name Sudbury (Laurentian University Field) or Thunder Bay as the venue for the
Costa Rica match on October 13. Then on September 13 (they have one month to name a kickoff time), they can set a 1:00 am kickoff time a la
Barcelona FC (remember they had that match after midnight last season to protest the refusal to schedule a match) (It would also give our lads n extra day travel to head back to Europe). It's all legal. Man would that shock the Ticos! They would not get huge crowds, but there would be some hard fans showing up making some pretty incredible noise. Imagine what an event that would be for either of those communities.

Trouble is that the CSA are such wimps. And they have more or less said that it will be between Edmonton or Vancouver (maybe Vancouver since the ticket sales have been really slow in Edmonton so far). They have probably already decided which one and have to sort things out with Ticketmaster before they announce. I was speaking to someone in the loop who said that a downside with Edmonton in mid-October was "climate issues". Sheesh!

[canzano55]

The game against Belize was really interesting. The prospect of making it through the Q is actually becomming more distinct as more dedicated youth is unvieled and systematically better soccer is played. We got players who have style, class, power, and aggression to surmount a serious challenge on the opposition.

Peschisolido has got his last legs in him for one more go. He deservedly has the chance to rise to the occasion once again.

[Soccerfever]

About the goalkeeping spot....Who should guard the nets for us??And please anyone else but Pat Onstad! :cool:

[MT mojo]

The three white elephants in Toronto (SkyDome, cap. 55,000), Montreal (Olympic Stadium, cap. 70,000) and Vancouver (BC Place, cap. 60,000) could easily host WC matches (with grass installed), along with Commonwealth Stadium (cap. 60,000) in Edmonton. So thats four stadia right there.

Unfortunately, the other large stadia in Canada (McMahon, CanadInns, Frank Clair, etc) aren't large enough, and would need extensive renvoations to be up to par. Another thing working again a Canadian WC bid is the fact that the CFL season would coincide with any WC, which means there would be a conflict for scheduling dates. But that's just a minor detail.

Maybe hosting WC 2018 jointly with The States would be a little more feasible. And better for us south of the border.