The U17 are starting there World Cup run today first game against Austria. I hope these youngsters can win this game very important three points.
Game ended 2-2 draw. Goals from Hamilton and Roubos on ok. Decent start next game is against Iran got to get three points there.
Unlikely to get another point. Austria was the key game and while the draw is a good result unto itself, they really needed those 3 points to advance. 2 points gives an outside chance but all very improbable.
Iran tied Argentina also which is good for Canada. I do think against Iran they got to go get all three and it is possible. Tuesday will prove if they can get it done.
Another youngster that Canada should check is Kofi Opare. He's a player to watch and would be a player to fight for a cb role.
Canada 1-1 Iran. Need a result against Argentina now. The good news is we've looked good overall in both games, although we were completely out of gas for the last 10-15 mins and had to have our goalkeeper bail us out. The Austria game was the one we needed to win. Hamilton and Boakai are some players though...
Great draw vs. Iran they are an excellent side. May amount to nothing but I'd say it's been a good tournament showing regardless of what happens.
I enjoy seeing all the progress Uzbekistan is making, they are humming at all levels. Unlucky not to be in the senior World Cup and they are easily winning youth games.
Draw again going to be tough for them to move on. TFC, VW, and MI got some young talents coming through hope to see some play for their club in the next few years.
We'll need a draw in the Iran / Austria match to be able to go through with a draw against Argentina (and even then it will depend on hwo many goals are scored in each game). If either of them win, we have to beat Argentina (a very tall order, though I never call anything impossible). If we do beat Argentina, we're through no matter what happens in the other match. Realisiticly, I'm not going to worry too much about the actual result. Just so long as Argentina walks of the pitch at the end fo the game saying "F*ck that was hard!!!"
Canada wouldn't necessarily have to beat Argentina if Iran or Austria won, a draw (for 3 points) has a decent albeit minority chance of advancing as one of the 4 best third place teams.
I don't see how that works. If either Iran or Austria win they would have more than three points, and Argentina already has more than three.
Doesn't matter since if either of them lose they would have less points than Canada and we'd still be in third place and with a chance of qualifying since the top 4 third-place teams go through. 3 points isn't at all a guarantee to be enough even if we do finish third.
No shame in going down by that score to one of the top countries in the world. Anybody actually watch it?
I couldn't... but it's good at least we know we got some young talents coming up. We all hoped for more but it will come.
It doesn't look like anyone's mentioned Will Johnson, who seems the most likely of candidates to me. He's a great holding midfielder, captained Portland to the top of the Western Conference in regular season mls this year. Also i find Teibert to be quite good. If Canada could ever get Jonathan De Guzman to play or Begovic back from Bosnia we could actually be competitive I think, though I can't see this happening. It does look like Canada will be competive in time.
If JdG the younger came calling begging to play, I'd tell him thanks but no thanks. Yes, having him on the team would be an improvement in talent and we're not exactly in position to turn good talent away, but his behaviour over the years tells me that even though talented, in sum total he's a liability. And long term, it's good to set a precedent that says to players either respect the CMNT from the start or forget ever playing for us. If you want to keep your options open for a higher ranking country, know that it comes at a price of not having Canada as a fall back plan. I don't care how low in the rankings we may be, playing for Canada is an honour, and places on the squad belong to those who knwo it from the get go.
Yeah but it really sucks to play for a unsuccessful team, personally I understand him playing for the Netherlands, he is a very good player and wants to play in the world cup. It was also a good career move for him. I'm unsure of exactly what he did other than playing for the Netherlands but he is a very good player. Remember, he gets to play with the likes of Van Persie, Robben, Hunterlarr, and more amazing players. To me Begovic is a bigger loss though he is absolutely amazing and is taking Bosnia/Hertz to the world cup, that is unfortunate for Canada. Junior Hoillet, what's the deal with him? I don't know but he is supposed to be pretty good and is pretty young i believe.
I don't necessarily blame JdG for wanting to play for the Netherlands, or any player who wants to play for a country with a better national side. If players want to make that choice fine, but understand that it comes at a price. He knew going in that his chances for a spot with the Netherlands was not 100% guaranteed. Perhaps if it was made clear to him that his choice to pursue a spot withe the Netherlands means giving up a guaranteed spot with Canada he may have decided differently. Maybe not. They have to decide: Netherlands will definitely make the WC but will I get a spot on the team, I will definitely have a spot with Canada, but will they make the WC? Let them decide what the bigger longshot is and all the power to them if they pursue the more glorious option, but no playing both sides.
I see what you're getting at, it isn't really fair for players who are committed to their one national team. But I see so many players are playing for whatever country their youth academy was in(whether thats a good thing or a bad thing I'm not saying), and it seems to benefit more the richer countries with the top level academies. My personal opinion however, as a spectator is I would like to see the top level of competition in international matches, so therefore if a player can't make the squad he chose to play for where he went to his academy, maybe after 4 or 5 years, he could play for his home country, he grew up and his family and friends live. My opinion is obviously biased however, because I want Canada to have a decent team. Canada was an absolute disgrace in the Gold Cup and I think that is the absolute worst thing possible for the future of Canadian soccer. I mean come on, no De Rosario? No Bernier? I don't know what they were thinking. All in all, I think a lot of the future of Canada's national team depends on youth coaching and managing at the senior level. my 2 cents
Anyways, on a more positive note, here's a taste of junior hoilett, hes 21 or 22 in this video , his brother plays for the u17s I believe, in all likelihood he will be playing for team canada in the future, as he does not qualify for England which is who he wants to play for. Tissot on Montreal seems pretty good, Ouimette aswell. Also, Camillo and Koffie of the vancouver whitecaps apparently say they might be playing for team Canada in the future. I know none of this is u17, but to me, U17 players are too young to determine how good they will be, remember Freddy Adu? Anyways, does anyone know if the U17 world cup will be on TV?
Karl Ouimette will get his first taste in the senior national team. Of course the TFC players got called in also. Has K.Aleman played for his team in Spain?