Hart will only invite those who want to play and stay with Canada. TORONTO – Stephen Hart feels no pressure to select players simply to keep them in the Canadian program. Canada’s national-team head coach addressed the issue of players with multiple international options last week, saying that he will not use the CONCACAF Gold Cup or other competitions to cap-tie certain players — as in, select them so they are committed to the national team — but that those he does select will be chosen for competitive reasons only. “The decision to simply cap a player to play for Canada in terms of picking a team, I will not do,” Hart told reporters. “If the player can contribute, and we definitely think he can contribute, he will be invited.” Hart’s comments come on the heels of a string of defections by players who could have represented Canada but chose to play for other countries. The highest-profile defector is Calgary native Owen Hargreaves, the Manchester United midfielder who has donned England’s jersey 42 times over the past decade, including matches in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. Since Hargreaves’ decision to forgo his birth nation for that of his father, several other players have also spurned the Canadian program. Jonathan de Guzman, the younger brother of Toronto FC and Canada midfielder Julian de Guzman, has represented Holland at the U-21 and U-23 levels. Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic actually played for Canada at the FIFA U-20 World Cup before making himself available for Bosnia, with whom he has earned four senior caps. Jacob Lensky (Czech Republic), Teal Bunbury (USA), Daniel Fernandes and Steven Vitória (Portugal) have all pledged their soccer allegiances to other countries. With all of those defections in mind, Canadian fans have become anxious whenever a young Canuck-born players hedges against declaring for Canada at the first opportunity. When Blackburn Rovers starlet David “Junior” Hoilett spurned the chance to play for his native country, talk immediately began about the possibility of him representing Jamaica (his parents’ birth country) or even England. Hart said that he was in regular contact with Hoilett and reconfirmed his interest in the 20-year-old striker in a face-to-face meeting in England earlier this month. “He knows he’s wanted,” Hart said. “The door is open and it’s his decision.” Hart’s dealings with Hoilett are consistent with his philosophy to only bring in players that want to play for Canada. “I can only open the door, show them where they fit in the program, their importance to the program and country,” he said. “But in the end, it’s their decision.” One player who has chosen Canada over other options is 23-year-old goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who was born in the former Yugoslavia but moved to southern Ontario when he was a teenager. Borjan actually rejected interest from Serbia — where he now plays professionally for FK Rad — to represent his adopted country, although his two Canada caps have come in friendlies, leaving the door open for him to switch. However, Borjan has already established himself as a legitimate challenger to veteran Lars Hirschfeld for the number one spot and he will likely see action in the Gold Cup this summer. http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2011/04/canada-wont-cap-possible-defectors
It's a pretty straightforward concept. If Hart wants you in the lineup, he'll call you. If he doesn't, nothing precludes you from getting in touch with the CSA to look into it.
Are there any players that would possibly fit this description? I mean, players that some of you would want capped that wouldn't be good enough for the Gold Cup otherwise? That seems sort of unlikely to me. I guess maybe if you had some 16 year old phenom who had Brazilian parents or something.
Here is the current list: Jonathan de Guzman (?), Asmir Begovic (Bosnia) Jacob Lensky (Czech Republic) Teal Bunbury (USA) Daniel Fernandes and Steven Vitória (Portugal) and of course Owen Hargreaves (England) So pretty much a starting 6 and reserve keeper so far this century As I outlined here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1588292 "CSA-Cap Them Early And Often A Message to the CSA Regarding Players like Bunbury and DeGuzman: Cap them early and often and this won't happen again. If you lack the jam because you are worried about the sanctity of game at the senior level, then resign in protest so others can do the job you refuse to do. Otherwise, face another decade ranked between 60-200 with 23 year old Canadian defectors playing for England and Holland and the US. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein" I like Hart as a coach but he and the rest of his Luddite gang are the reason Canada can not rise to mediocrity. The young players, ignored when they rightly or wrongly, think they are ready, bolt to nations where they are wanted and where they can make a fortune just by being a reserve on the national team of their Father's or Mother's country. The only way to combat this is to Cap them when the lights of Calgary seem like Rome!
I wish Canada could qualify for World Cups, but somehow Canada always end up being choke artists, but yet you guys still have the talent to do well, the potential, but Canada just doesn't have good coaches and the tactics they employ, they need to change it up, because I want to see Canada back at the World Cup, their last appearance was 1986 in Mexico and haven't made the FIFA World Cup in 25 years, by 2014 it will be 28 years that Canada hasn't made a World Cup, but Canada provided if you guys can do well and actually win the Gold Cup, then you guys will qualify for the Confederations Cup and who knows maybe 2014 is not out of the realm of possibility
Bunbury has been on the same track as Agudelo, but he hurt his elbow for the last round of friendlies. Altidore has been struggling as well, but I'm pretty confident you'll see Bunbury play quite a bit for the US in the Gold Cup.
If (and this is a big if) Junior Hoilett commits to Canada, Bunbury's defection would hardly matter. Hoilett > Bunbury
I think it's a bit early to make conclusions on who is better, but regardless, I think Canada would want to have as many good players in the pool as possible.
How can it be a bit early??? Hoilett - First XI in English Premier League @ age 20 Bunbury - Not-guaranteed starter @ KC in MLS @ age 21 ??? Having Hoilett wouldn't make a difference re: Bunbury. I'd still have wanted Bunbury - and likely eventually both of them in the starting XI.
But not guaranteed to start. Not with the forwards they have when all healthy and available. But there is NO comparison to Hoilett and Bunbury - at this point. If there was, Stoke would have put in an official transfer offer for Bunbury in the last transfer window I'm sure rather than buying Kenwyne Jones. Dont' get me wrong, Bunbury is a quality player! He's just not Hoilett.
So, who's Canada's likely Starting XI for the Gold Cup? I've been looking for a predictions thread of the type popular over on the USA boards in order to better get to know our northern neighbors, eh?
No one really knows what the Canada squad will be for the GC. But here is a discussion: http://www.cansoc.org/forumdisplay.php?30-Men-s-National-Teams-amp-Players My prediction? GK-Milan Borjan FB's - Peters, Klukowski, De Jong CB's - (one of) Hainault, Jakovic, plus Edgar, McKenna MF - JDG (?), Simpson, Nakajima-Farran, Hutchinson FW - Gerba, Hume, Friend Obviously only a partial squad prediction
Gerba refused as he was new to his club. No issue there. He'll be back. Friend never scores, but might against GC opposition as we do well in that comp. Though our group is not easy. Hume has had a strong year and Hart has said openly the GC is about further building the squad and seeing what he has. Hume is not an unknown, but he has had a good year and hasn't played for Canada for a while. I believe he'll get called. I am hoping Gage gets called-in so he can be more directly compared to Edgar. I lean toward Gage in that battle.
Can we move this to the Gold Cup thread, it's no wonder people can't find anything around here with all the off thread posting. And before anyone says anything I plead guilty as charged, so let's post stuff in the right threads so we can keep on topic.
Begovic made the best decision for his career, probobly 99.9% other pros would have done the same and history shows that he is not the first or last, until such time there are rewards for playing on nats, players will chose best opportunity..it is not like here where you get selected cuz of citizenship, it is based on quality. Hargreaves, Bunbury are pefect examples that choosing another Nats means playing in bigger and more notable competitions. Hart knows this and til he has the advantage to say no I will pick a citizen first, let it ride..besides all Canucks are defectors in origin.