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    It's a call he surely hoped he wouldn't have to make -- at least, not so soon.
    But a day after his decision to resign as head coach of the men's national team in the wake of The Game That Shall Not Be Named, Stephen Hart took time on Friday afternoon to address the country's soccer media one more time.
    He's provided his parting thoughts on Tuesday's game, its aftermath, his tenure as head coach and what the future holds for both himself and the men's national team program.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Perhaps still shell-shocked by the enormity of what had taken place Tuesday, Hart simply offered "a series of things came together" as an explanation for how it all fell apart, saying that given the constraints with which he was working, there was nothing that could have been done differently in terms of preparation or selection.
    "One player would not have made a difference," he said.
    But three or four players certainly could have, in a country with a talent pool as relatively shallow as Canada's.
    "Overall, we need more depth," he said of the Canadian program. "If you look at the USA as an example, they went into their last games with the (top) goalscorer in the MLS (Chris Wondolowski) and the (top) goalscorer in the Eredivisie (Jozy Altidore) not even in their (squad).
    "In a year, we've lost Ali Gerba, Josh Simpson, Dwayne DeRosario and Olivier Occean, and it's very hard to replace that attacking impetus. It's not one-for-one swaps here."
    Hart, though, still refused to blame the players who were present for Tuesday's result, a result that precipitated his departure.
    "I'm not going to sit here and blame players," he said.
    "Before we enter the field every game, regardless of the outcome, I want them to walk off the field with their dignity intact."
    So, Hart was asked, did the players leave with their dignity intact on Tuesday?
    "I'd prefer if you asked them that," he said.
    "Some of the players came over and were apologetic, the rest were more or less speechless, really."
    Regardless of how Tuesday's scoreline came to be, though, Hart knew that it made his resignation inevitable.
    "This freakish result was impossible for me to accept, especially after outplaying the same opponent at home," he said. "I spoke to (CSA president) Victor (Montagliani), I actually called him and explained my side of it.
    "Really and truly, I just felt that it was best that I step down."
    With 10 minutes of that announcement, Hart said he was "overwhelmed" with messages from people within the Canadian soccer community -- a community that he holds very dear.
    "I don't know," he said, when asked if his future may include a new role within the Canadian Soccer Association. "I cannot answer that; that is up to the CSA themselves.
    "I've always worked with the best interests of the game in Canada (in mind), understanding the soccer reality here. My approach has always been to do my little part, rather than talk or moan about it. ... And if asked, I will continue to do so.
    "I told them I'm willing to do anything to help, because this is something close to my heart."
    Hart said it's problematic to boil Tuesday's result down to the "psychological issue" storyline that many have repeated in the last few days, saying that instead the team must deal with "such a wide spectrum of things" including each individual player's club situation, confidence at the time, adaptability and so on.
    And, of course -- as he was told by fellow former Canada head coach Tony Waiters -- "you're going to need a lot of luck."
    "On the day, it was not to be. I'm sorry for that."
    As for what his legacy would be, Hart was characteristically reluctant to speculate.
    "That's for (others) to decide," he said. "It's always going to be about that last game, so..."
    Still, Hart seemed hopeful that he wouldn't ultimately be defined by that one "freakish result."
    "One game in international soccer is probably not going to erase everything that you've tried to do. But at the end of the day, it's a very bitter pill to swallow, as you can well imagine."
    Specifically, he reminded reporters that upon his arrival, he worked hard to convince a number of players to return to the national team, feeling that "it was important for that experience, for that depth, to help mold what would be our future."
    When it comes to the current crop, he said it would be up to each player to decide "if they soldier on with the national team" under whoever his replacement ends up being. Those decisions will, of course, depend heavily upon the identity and priorities of the new head coach, whomever that ends up being.
    While the initial reactions from the team's most ardent fans have been overwhelmingly supportive, Hart no doubt will leave mixed feelings among many -- about his appointment, his performance and his overall impact on the team and the program.
    One thing, however, cannot be disputed.
    To the very end of his time in this role, Stephen Hart remained what he has been for so many years, and will surely continue to be in some capacity: A loyal and dutiful servant of the sport of soccer in Canada.
    And for that, he deserves our thanks.
    So long, Stephen, and thanks for all the soup.
    .
    Guest

    Canadian fan killed in Honduras

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    A Canadian who had attended the World Cup qualifying match between Canada and Honduras was killed Wednesday night.
    Tim Alexandre Vallee-Apostolakis, 34, was robbed and killed after leaving a bar on the island of Roatan, which is part of Honduras.
    There was no indication that the violence was related to the game.
    One man has been arrested.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Reaction to TFC price cuts

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Good start, MLSE! Here's what's left to do:
    1) Cut Paul Mariner loose.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    2) Hire an experienced division-one soccer manager who knows MLS is a tough and uniquely tricky league.
    3) Don't let Tom Anselmi know his phone number, e-mail or the location of his office.
    Then we'll really know you're getting it.
    Onward! // Ben
    Guest

    The most important hire. Again.

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It was the only possible decision.
    Stephen Hart likely would have resigned if Canada had lost 1-0 in Honduras. He might have waited a couple months and told the CSA that he’s stay on to help with the transition though.
    Hart is, first and foremost, a passionate advocate of the game in this country. He was always going to do what’s best for the program.
    After an 8-1 loss what was best was to clean house. He started the process today by falling on his sword.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    So, let’s start by thanking him for that. Hart may not have been the world’s best coach, but he gave a lot to the program and, arguably, did squeeze a bit more out of them then maybe they had. There is a lot wrong with the men’s national team, but Hart is only a minor part of it.
    I suspect there are few people in Canada more devastated by the result in Honduras than Hart. So, this is not the time to pile on.
    Instead, we need to focus on the future. What does Canada need to do to avoid an embarrassment of Tuesday from happening again? What type of coach should we be looking for?
    There are a couple things that are understood. According to the CSA they will make the hire following the naming of a technical director. They have also said that they will not be making an interim hire.
    The timeline they are working on is roughly 6-months. They will want a guy in place for next summer’s Gold Cup, the next meaningful competition the team will take part in.
    Hart was thought to make a salary in the low six-figures. So, fans are free to dream about big name hires, but they should not delude themselves to thinking that there is any chance whatsoever of a big name hire coming here.
    Also, we might want to ask American fans whether big names are all that they are cracked up to be.
    There is a lot of suggestion that FIFA pressured Canada to hire a Canadian as technical director. Tony Fonseca is widely thought to be the front-runner. If FIFA extends the same pressure on the head coach hire, then it’s not hard to speculate on who it might be.
    Nick Dasovic, probably. It would be seen as same old, same old by most. Hiring Dasovic would be unfair to both fans and Dasovic himself. It would just be setting him up for failure.
    Instead, the CSA should be looking for a guy that has a few characteristics. There is little reason to speculate as to who it might be because we likely don’t know him yet (and please stop before suggesting John Herdman – that isn’t happening and coaching women is much different than coaching men. What works there won’t necessarily work with the men).
    The prototype for the next coach:

    Speaks Spanish
    Has experience working or playing in Central America
    Is willing to work for $150,000* a year or less
    Preferably has managed in a professional setting
    Has managed in a setting that requires him to squeeze the most out of limited resources.

    A European would probably fail in Canada – not because they have an outdated vision of the way the game is played, or because Latin Americans are somehow more sophisticated in the game, but rather because a European would not be able to handle the working environment the Canadian manager would have to exist in.
    I would start by looking in Central America or Mexico.
    I would team him up with a couple young Canadian coaches. They could provide an understanding of the inner workings of the CSA and assist on the media relations front. It’s also important to develop Canadians and there is talent in this country that just needs the experience.
    It’s becoming cliché to suggest that this or that hire is the “most important in the history of Canadian soccer.” Every hire is important and we begin to sound like that infamous boy that was complaining about a wolf. We’ve made a lot of most important hires. Many didn’t work out.
    But, it is vital to understand that this hire is very important.
    *After publishing, it was suggested to me by a CSA insider that the CSA could be willing to go as high as $250,000, plus a housing allowance, for the right candidate.
    Guest

    Hart resigns

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Canadian Soccer Association has announced that Stephen Hart has resigned his post as Men's national team head coach.
    There is no replacement at this time.
    CSN will follow up on this news later today
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    TFC $tuns fan$ with ticket price$

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    There is an old adage that says that we must give credit where credit is due. Only the biggest cynic – or someone going out of their way to find fault in everything – could possibly deny MLSE a little credit today.
    Last month CSN called for TFC to roll back its season ticket and single game prices to 2007 levels. Symbolically it seemed the right thing to do. They keep asking fans to start over; they should start over too.
    Stunningly, they did.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Actually, they went further than we suggested. See, we even gave them some wiggle room. Acknowledging that the 2007 prices were set with some degree of loss leader thinking in mind, we suggested a pricing structure that was in line with 2008 prices. We went on to suggest that there should be some sort of benefit to long time fans – if you started in 2007 then you should get a bigger break than someone that started more recently.
    That may have been a touch too complicated to implement – many fans have split their account since 2007 and even though they have been there since the start their account number reflects a newer subscriber. Also, is there a significant difference between a fan that got tickets when they were available, and when they could afford to do so, in the early days, but has since become a season ticket holder? I know of a few fans that meet who criteria, including one who I consider to be the team’s biggest and best fan.
    It probably wasn’t fair to suggest that I deserved a bigger discount than she does simply because I was on BigSoccer in 2006.
    So, I have no complaints about the pricing. In case you can’t view the screenshot that Jason deVos posted this morning, the prices are below:

    Yellow – Was $361, now $190 – Single game was $19, now $10 – 47.4% saving
    Light grey – Was $399, now $220 – Single game was $21, now $12 – 44.8% saving
    Light blue – Was $513, now $551 – Single game was $29, now $27 – 6.8% saving
    Medium grey – Was $646, now $475 – Single game was $34, now $25 – 26.4% saving
    Dark grey – Was $950, now $760 – Single game was $50, now $40 – 20% saving
    Dark blue – Was $1045, now $874 – Single game was $55, now $46 – 16.3% saving
    Club – Was $1292, now $1007 – Single game was $68, now $53 – 22% saving

    The single game reduction is roughly the same percentage as the season ticket price is. The two sections that received the least reduction are in the north stand, which was not in place in 2007.
    Of note is the price of the supporter’s section. The biggest percentage saving is in the sections that pay the least. It’s likely that you will see the crowd at BMO Field even more tilted towards the corners next year.
    That’s not to dismiss the importance of an about 20% savings in the more expensive seats. By and large ticket holders in those sections will care more about the gesture of this move than the actual savings.
    This move does not solve all of TFC’s issues. There will still be plenty of fans that will decide that they have simply had enough. We will likely see a drop in renewals. However, it seems likely that this move will be enough to stop a true bleeding. If you were on the bubble this will probably be enough to get you back in the door.
    Keeping you there will be up to the team’s performance. The other side to cheap tickets is that they are easier to waste if you don’t think it’s worth your effort to go down. Empty seats will remain a norm at the stadium until the team significantly improves.
    However, that’s a problem we have six months to contemplate. Today, we can focus on giving credit where it is due.
    Good job MLSE. Now, improve the product.
    Guest
    Jason DeVos tweeted the Toronto FC season ticket renewal information out moments ago.
    It's going to raise some eyebrows.
    Actually, it's going to cause some to fall out of their chairs.
    Toronto is significantly rolling back their prices on season tickets across the board.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    CSN will have reaction to the news later in the day.
    But what do you think? Is this reason enough for you to renew? Or does this still change nothing in your eyes?

    Michael Mccoll
    AFTN: Congratulations on the new job Gordon. You must just be itching to get over and start your new roles?</b>
    Gordon Forrest: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. It's an exciting time. Massive club as well. I've just been over for a visit and it looks superb, so I can't wait to eventually get there and get started.
    So how did the Vancouver job come about for you?
    I believe the Club had been speaking to a few people about it.
    The Club, as they do, do their research on me and speak to me and it was a really good opportunity.
    I had a few different contacts from the Club, a few different chats and then obviously it was coming across to speak to them face to face as well.
    I spoke to people from being in New Zealand, to try and get things started from a distance, then I managed to fit in time to get across as well. So I managed to get across for four days and it was really good to meet a few people, have a few chats, see the players etc etc.
    It was good to get a feel for the place and good to check it out from a family point of view, as well as from work related stuff.
    I'm happy that they came to speak to me and give me the opportunity to come to Canada. It's a really nice place, really nice Club, really nice people, so I can't wait to get across.
    When are you heading over from New Zealand?
    I fly on the 2nd of November. I just have to sort out everything from this end. I've got to do so much work with my current work as well, just to tidy things up. They've been great with us here and they've been great about the whole move as well, so it's important that I leave everything here ok. My mind wouldn't be at ease if I didn't leave everything here the way it's got to be, so I need to do that. A couple of weeks here to do a handover.
    You hung up your boots at a fairly early age. Was that primarily to concentrate on the coaching side of the game?
    Yeah, I think it was in my late 20's. It was for a few reasons.
    I started off in full time football and got a good number of years out of that. I had that middle point of playing. I went to play in Iceland for a season, which was really good and I had a good spell across there and a game in the UEFA Cup against Anderlecht.
    It was a really good experience but when I came back it was difficult to get back into that full time environment and that's when I ended up signing for East Fife and playing part time.
    At what point in your playing career did you know that you wanted to get into the coaching side of the game?
    As I was playing at every club, I always coached at every club. Even when I was at Raith Rovers and 18 and 19, I was coaching their 12's and their 13's. I just seemed to get involved in that and do it at every club, and as I was at my clubs I was always picking up the coach education side of things. My qualifications and licences.
    It came to a point when I was playing part time that I had a problem with my knees. I've had five operations on my right knee and one on my left, just on my cartilages.
    It was at a point where you're thinking ahead of the game and what kind of route you want to take when you stop playing. I've always enjoyed coaching and always quite passionate on football development, working on the game and developing players and how that happens.
    So I went back to college to study sports development because I knew that would be the route I'd enjoy doing. I was fortunate to pick up a position with the Scottish Football Association (SFA) in football development and in those positions you're not allowed to play.
    So it was a combination of picking up that position and also my knee injuries as well, so I thought that's the way I'm going to go now and focus on the football development and the coaching side.
    Is the youth side of the game what always interested you the most?
    I enjoy it all. I just love football if I'm being perfectly honest. I grew up with a family that love football and I went straight from school into football.
    But I think something that really grabbed me is being involved in programs and initiatives. You start feeling for developing young players and how they can come through a pathway and the best environments for them and the best coaching technique and sessions, and then just seeing players progress. The main goal is that first team.
    I just like that whole feel of putting the best environments in place and dealing with the players best because young players need that. They require that, because quite often they can get the wrong things that have been put to them.
    So yeah, I've always had a real interest in that, although I enjoy working at every type of level.
    I've now completed my licences for them. My UEFA 'A' licence at the top end of the game, I've done my youth licence diploma for 12 to 18 year olds, and I've also done my children's licence diploma, which is for 5 to 12 year olds, so I'm just really keen in it all.
    That's ten years in football development I've had as well now, which means that within that there's growing the game but there's also the talent pathway and how you work with players and develop players.
    A big thing from my background is coach education as well. Mentoring and delivering courses, mentoring coaches, which is going to be part of my role within the Whitecaps as well.
    It's an interesting position and a really exciting one to be involved in.
    Have you had the chance to find out much about the Whitecaps Residency program yet?
    I managed to get quite a good insight when I was over. I joined in and took one of the groups for a session when I was across. Just a little session because we didn't have that time.
    I saw the 16's, and in the evening I went to see the 15's, the 14's and the 13's.
    I think the program there is making great strides at the minute. They started with one team and now they've got the 13's through to the 18's and it's great to see that and it's great to see the route that the Club are going down.
    That's really appealing for me and really exciting to be involved in that and be part of that as well. I know there's been quite a few players involved in the national side as well.
    It'll be good just being involved and the Club's trying to build this and continually pushing it forward and hopefully we can become the top development program in North America. It'll be good to be a part of that and share any ideas that they want us to do in other age groups as well, and the program, working with Stuart [Neely]. Anything I can be involved in outside my main roles would be good.
    For me, it's about developing those players for the first team. That's something that really appeals to me and is something I'm quite passionate about.
    There's obviously groups of players, but the main thing is developing them individually to be prepared for the first team. We know that at that grade they'll be technical and tactical but they've got to be ready that if there's a big game and they get chucked into that environment. There's a lot of different things that we can work with them on.
    Most people here will obviously not be familiar with you, so how would you describe your coaching style? How do you like your teams to play?
    If you speak to people they'll just know that I'm passionate about football. I love football. I love being in and around players, in that environment.
    I would put myself forward as a real enthusiastic coach, wanting players to be obviously focussed and switched on within their environment.
    But I also want them to really enjoy their football. For me it's about, especially for young players, that they're really enjoying their training sessions, the match side of things and then obviously you've got a serious head to things as well.
    They've got to feel comfortable with me as a coach, which hopefully I would make players feel that.
    I'm a real football orientated person in terms of passing, possession based and wanting to do the right things within football. Especially in that environment as well because they've got to learn to be comfortable in possession and be good in possession and let them try and play football the right way.
    I'd class myself as a "double goal" coach. I don't know if you've heard that before. Winning can be important, and they have to learn that, but the main thing for me is developing these young players so that they're ready for the first team.
    So teaching them the life lessons within football. What it's all about, but also encouraging them to be very positive when they play, so they'll want to go forward, they'll want to get on the ball, not afraid to make mistakes.
    I'll probably just be quite a positive coach within that sort of group of players, knowing the pressures that's on them for what they need to do for that connecting part to the first team.
    I want to play football, do things the right way, get the ball down and play.
    What's your ethos for building a successful side? Do you like a solid defence first or go with the attacking flair and wingplay?
    Obviously the results within that age group will be looked at as important. It'll be down to me to come in and see what's already there. How the team performs.
    I've got a lot of feedback just now about how things are going and we've had a few good chats.
    I think for me as a coach, it's taking them through everything, not just focussing on the defensive side. I would always put it in these moments of the game - in possession and out of possession. Then we work on the transition side of things, defending and attacking.
    I wouldn't just say a solid back four, a solid defence, it would be everything that comes within young player's learning, so right now there's a program in place and we'll focus on every part of the game, the defensive side, the attacking side.
    At that age, for me, they've got to be in there and take risks. Try things and make mistakes and learn from mistakes, when maybe the pressure isn't as on as being at that first team level.
    Sometimes when I phrase it with the players I say "play to win", and what I mean by that is not win at all costs. It's just be positive when you're playing. Take that chance, try and play a forward pass, or try and take someone on, or move the ball quickly,. So it's real positive players that want to play, want to get on the ball and then obviously work on that defensive side as well because that's an important part of the game.
    I wouldn't just focus on that and put up the shutters because we don't want to lose any goals. They're not going to progress as players. They're not going to progress as individuals to reach that first team. We'd cover everything with the players.
    So if you're looking for that overall style it would be that. Positive play, play to win and go and try things and learn from these things.
    What can young players do to help with their own development?
    I think it's important that young players have that passion for football as well and that attitude.
    It's certainly something that I'll pick up on and push as well, because I know what I like and I know what I was like, and I've seen it from young players and from younger coaches as well.
    But I think first and foremost they've got to want to play at the highest level and succeed in their game.
    Again, I've got little things, little phrases for them but it's "living above the line" and being the best that you can be in all areas as well. Outwith the footballing game, how do you look after yourself? Their physical side, their attitude out of the game, their attitude within the training environment. Extras they can do as young players. Are they focused on working on their strengths and their weaknesses? How do they do that individually? How do they do that within the training environment?
    So again, we're preparing them technically and tactically, that mental side, the physical side. That four corners approach.
    We can only do so much as a Club and as coaches but it's how they can pick up their own little things now and make themselves better by their own individual side of things. And the best players will go and do that. They'll go and do extra after training. They'll do extra beyond the means within training. They'll sort of live, eat and sleep football to try and strive to get in the first team.
    So it'll be interesting to see the players work and the individual characters and again it's recognising that and helping the ones that want to do it first and foremost, and then pushing the others to say this is what you need to do and where you need to be at as well.
    Just having that and working with players with that overall footballing mentality and footballing attitude to do that little bit extra.
    I know within football there's lots of different characters and everybody does things a little bit differently but that's a test for coaches to work with them and get the best out of them as well.
    What was the best advice you were given as a young player starting out?
    I've always been surrounded by football and quite fortunate that people have supported me within football in terms of family.
    Again I'll just go back to values that I've been taught by family and coaches I've seen and worked with.
    You can only do what you can do, but as a player it's important that you're focussed and that you're listening to the coach you're working with and the team plan.
    But I think one of the biggest things of my advice is you as an individual and just trying to strive for the best you can as an individual and do things outwith your own training environment that can make you better.
    You'll have all the information within the training but it's all these little extra things that you can do round about it.
    It's always something that's stuck with me. Can you go out and practice a little bit more? Or work on certain things? Or speak to the coach? I need to learn this, I want to think about this.
    You need a sort of out from football sometimes but just being that enthusiastic and energetic about football. That always came across to me from coaches I've worked with.
    And then again your ability can only take you where it will take you, but it's trying to add extra things to your locker or your game to make you improve faster or quicker, but better than other players around you. You're going to be competing for places within teams and you're going to be competing against players within other teams, so it's how individual players do more within themselves to get there.
    That was always the push for me. Thinking of ways of being better.
    Being a full time academy, and also being a Canadian team in primarily an American league, can be tough for some of the Residency players with travel, being away from their home a lot and, for some, being away from their families.
    As a 19 year old you went down to London for three months or so and had trials with Millwall but found the whole experience of being away from home at that age hard, especially in a big, unfamiliar city. Looking back, it must be good to have that experience to draw upon and share with the young players you're coaching?
    Yeah I had spell there with Jimmy Nicholl <i>[the Canadian born, ex Northern Ireland international]</i>. I went down with Jimmy but I was homesick after about three months there.
    This was something that's been great because it's an experience as a young player and there will be young players with the Whitecaps that will be away from their families and in that environment as well.
    So it was good to have that, that type of opportunity. It was just a big place, London town. And it was a massive club and very passionate supporters down there. It was a big difference, but a good experience.
    I was 18 or 19 and I spent three or four months in pre-season, ready to start, then I just asked the manager to go back up the road.
    You've worked under and with a number of coaches in your career so far, who are the ones that you draw inspiration from and have influenced your own coaching style?
    I've been very fortunate to be under a few different head coaches, or as we would call them managers, and assistant coaches.
    The first guy I mentioned there, Jimmy Nicholl. Just his style and his manner and his energy and enthusiasm for working with players, especially young players. He had his first team, but he always had the time for us, his young players, when I was there. And his assistant Martin Harvey.
    That was the first professional type environment that I was involved in and those two, just the way they were with players, it's always something I've picked up. The time you spend with players, as a group, as individuals, just how you are as a coach. That enthusiasm and energy, and just selling football to them. They were just great, and obviously it comes with that technical and tactical side as well, that you pick up and you learn.
    I've been under Jim Leishman as well <i>[at Livingston]</i>, who was probably one of the best at motivation. Selling games to you as a player and what the game means and how you want to progress as a player and what the big team is and what this really means. He was superb at coming up with different ways for build ups during the week to a game. On matchday, preparation, before you go out, at half time, after it. He's got a real talent for presenting and building players up.
    So that's two of my first sort of contacts and they're set in your mind and they give you some really good experiences and really good thoughts.
    Then I've played in Iceland and had a foreign coach there, so you pick things up from that person, and then you sort of develop your own style and your own thoughts and philosophy, and my side of coaching and what it's all about. And then when you're actually delivering your own coaching then you pick things up.
    I worked with Stevie Crawford [ex Scotland international] at East Fife and he was still playing, so he got me in as one of the first team coaches, which was great.
    Then I've been quite fortunate in my football development roles that I get access and opportunities to come to coaching seminars, listen to people, picking up things and get really involved in that football environment. It's total football, so you really pick things up.
    I've been to a lot of conferences and a couple of different countries now to look at different set-ups and how that works and how people deliver as individuals and how different environments work.
    I've just come back from the Olympics as well.
    Yes. How did you find that whole experience with the Football Ferns?
    It was magnificent.
    When I originally came to New Zealand my position was to manage a team, because I'm a Football Development Manager over here, but before I came across I was keen to keep the coaching going at the same time.
    It was the women's cycle over here for the World Cup and things, so they said if I would like to get involved this is what they wanted me to do.
    So I came across and said I'd do that no problem, it's good, and that sort of went down quite well and it snowballed quite quickly here and they asked me to go straight into the main national team, so I was working alongside the current Head Coach, Tony Readings, another really good coach.
    The experience of just being straight in the country and they were just starting the build up for the final year to head to the Olympics, or the final eight months. Yeah, it was really good. A really good group of players, professional players. We went on tour to the USA, Cyprus, Papua New Guinea, the Swiss Alps. I didn't actually do my normal job for a long period of time!
    Just being in London, the Olympic Village, how you prepare for players, professionalism and working with players in that intense environment. That technical and tactical side of things but preparing them mentally as well. So it was great, an absolutely brilliant experience.
    It was really exciting to be involved in.
    It was the current coach of the Canadian women's team, John Herdman, that was the man that brought you over to New Zealand wasn't it?
    It was yeah. I met John in Cyprus.
    I was working with the SFA at the Cyprus Cup. My role was mentoring the coaches through the whole competition. I had to take the Premier League coaches from the women's side of things. We were doing match analysis, some training things and I was working with that group, just trying to work and improve various coaches. John was Head Coach of the New Zealand women's team there.
    He caught up with myself, seen me in action and kept in touch with me because he was in the process of rolling out a massive plan in New Zealand, because he was also Director of Football here.
    The plan was the whole football plan and he asked me if I'd be keen to come out here. So they flew us out and I spoke to John and then the Federation I'm working for and it's good. A very exciting time, a really good opportunity and an experience for ourselves as a family as well, so we went for it.
    It was nothing really to do with Scotland or what was going on or what I was doing there, it was just one of these opportunities where you want to try and open up a little bit from being in Scotland.
    I've been fortunate enough that people have liked us to take us to different places and I'm always grateful for things like that. It's went down quite well here and they were looking at us for a couple of different positions, to see about the opportunity for me staying here, but the one in Vancouver is just a really exciting challenge.
    Auckland's a beautiful city, so is Vancouver. From the quick research I've done, looking at pictures on Google, there seems to a lot of similarities between the two.
    That was the feel I got as well. You've got the city, then when you out of the city you've got really nice areas and places where you can set up home and stay as well. It's similar in terms of feel and look as well. I'm currently just outside the city, about 30-35 minutes from Auckland.
    It's a great place New Zealand. It's been fantastic to me. The people and the areas I've been in have been great.
    But this is a great opportunity to try this out, but they are similar, yup.
    Do you know much about the city? Have you been warned about the rain?
    (laughs) They told me 'you're a Scottish guy, you'll be fine with the rain'! I spoke to Paul Ritchie a few times, who I sort of know, and he said "ugh, the rain here" and was having a little bit of a laugh about it.
    Yeah it's pouring here at the moment and has been for days.
    Oh no, I'm not going to tell my wife that (laughs). We're coming in to the summer here!
    You're adding to the Scottish coaches at the Caps. You mentioned you know Paul Ritchie a little bit, have you met Martin Rennie or Stuart Neely before?
    I'm obviously aware of Martin and the great work that he's done and I sort of know a bit about his background. I met him when I was across there. I met Stuart for the first time when I was across there.
    They're both great people and have a great vision for what the Club is trying to do.
    There's Paul and obviously I know him from his playing side of things and I've seen him around and about. I met Paul in detail for the first time when we were both on the same UEFA 'A' licence course. We got a really good connection there and so we always follow each other and keep in touch.
    It's good to see him again. I've not seen him for some time. But knowing him and Martin are there, then you're always interested in how the Club's been doing and how he's been getting on in his career and all that as well.
    It'll be good to have the opportunity to meet up with them in certain ways and then, obviously, pick up and learn on how they've taken things forward and how more experienced he is.
    ******
    The addition of Gordon Forrest to the Whitecaps coaching staff sees the Caps get even stronger in that department. Is there another Club in all of Major League Soccer that has so many UEFA 'A' licensed coaches at the helm?
    And although the name of Gordon Forrest may not be familiar to people here, it's his own experience and ideas that's landed him his new job.
    You just have to spend a few minutes with him, and read what he says above, to see how passionate he is about the game and about player development, and to know that he wants to see football played the way it should be.
    What he will bring to the Whitecaps is just what the Residency program is needing right now to help take it to the next level.
    We can't wait to see the results and if it's good for the Whitecaps, then it's going to be good for the Canadian national team too.
    Michael Mccoll
    He was recommended for those roles by current Canadian women's national team coach John Herdman.
    The pair first met at a coaching conference in Newcastle, when Herdman was the head of football development in New Zealand, and then later on duty with their respective women's teams at the Cyprus Cup.
    Forrest's coaching style and background had clearly impressed Herdman.
    After retiring early from playing the game in his late 20's, Forrest was solely focussed in getting the necessary licences to have a coaching career and quickly obtained his UEFA 'A' and SFA youth and children licences.
    He had been a SFA Youth Football Development Officer in Edinburgh and in Fife before uprooting to New Zealand.
    During that time he also joined East Fife as first team coach in the summer of 2009, working with manager Stevie Crawford, the former Scotland international. He held that position for just over a year before stepping down to concentrate solely on his other roles.
    Community involvement has always played an important part in Forrest's career so far. Early on in his role as the SFA development officer in Fife, Forrest put forward the proposal to bring together the various Children's and Youth Football Associations in the Kingdom, which was eventually presented in parliament as a good practice and a good model for trying to take football forward in Scotland.
    The aim was to get all the various Associations working more closely together and provide the best player pathway not only for Children and Youth Players, but also for Coaches, to develop in Fife.
    Forrest has been working in New Zealand since September last year and it's been a year to remember for the Scot, culminating with a trip to the Olympics this summer with New Zealand women's national team.
    But as he makes his next career move, he is not only bringing valuable coaching experience to the Whitecaps Residency program, he can also share his playing experiences with the guys.
    As a youth, Gordon played for Rosyth Recreation boys club (Martin Rennie later played for their senior team) before starting his senior career with Raith Rovers in 1993 on a Youth Training Scheme contract.
    He stayed three seasons at Starks Park, during which time they won the Scottish First Division and Scottish League Cup. He only made two substitute appearances for the Rovers but one of those was in an UEFA Cup match in the Faroes.
    When his manager Jimmy Nicholl (the Canadian born, ex Northern Ireland international) made the move to Millwall in 1996, Gordon followed him on an extended trial, but things didn't work out in London and he soon returned to Scotland, where he played for Livingston for two and a half seasons and scored five goals in 37 appearances.
    After leaving Livi at the end of the 1998/99 season, he then had a short summer season with Icelandic Premier League side Leiftur FC, where he played in a 9-1 UEFA Cup first round drubbing by Anderlecht.
    Gordon came to East Fife as a trialist during the 1999/2000 season, playing his first game against Queens Park in September in a 0-0 draw. He went on to make 27 appearances for the Fife that season, with his only goal coming in the 2-0 home win over Montrose in February.
    He was let go in the close season and joined Berwick Rangers, where he remained for five seasons, ending his senior career with 18 goals in 123 appearances for the Shielfield Park club.
    Now fully involved with the coaching side of the game, Gordon finished his playing career with Fife amateur side Burntisland Shipyard, before finally hanging up his boots to concentrate on coaching and player development.
    The Whitecaps looked at a number of people for the position of Head Coach of the U18s and PDL team before deciding on Forrest.
    With the experience, commitment and personal ethos he is bringing to Vancouver, Gordon Forrest looks like being an excellent addition to the Whitecaps coaching staff.
    The direction he will take the Residency program is just what it is needing right now, and he will have what we feel to be one of the most important positions at the Club. The future looks to be in safe and good hands.
    Welcome to Vancouver Gordon. Trust us, it's nicer than Methil!
    Michael Mccoll
    As we've said countless times before, football and music have always gone hand in hand here at AFTN, with our companion fanzine ("Ultracore") and website ("Broken Down Halo").
    One thing we always love is when the two are combined into football songs. Whether that means songs by proper bands about football, songs by themed bands about football, or songs by teams and players about themselves!
    Now, obviously, some of these are dreadful! So we thought we'd start a new section to bring some of our favourite ones that aren't to a wider audience!
    ********************
    We'll kick the feature off with a band that will undoubtedly be included several times over the coming months. Birkenhead's finest - Half Man Half Biscuit.
    Now there are so many songs we could have picked to kick off the feature, but it had to be one by them, and "The Referee's Alphabet" is one of our all-time faves.
    For those that don't know of HMHB, they are a cult, four piece band from Merseyside, England who have been around since 1984 and are still going strong. A lot of their songs are about football, mention it in passing or throw in some classic football phrases such as "Mathematically Safe".
    "The Referee's Alphabet" is the sixth track on their ninth studio album, "Cammell Laird Social Club", which was released in 2002.
    You can buy this track, or the entire album, on iTunes on the following link:
    "The Referee's Alphabet" by Half Man Half Biscuit
    Keeping with the football theme, Cammell Laird FC are a non-league football club from Birkenhead in Merseyside who currently play in the Evo-Stik League Northern Premier - First Division North.*
    We've followed their fortunes for a while (although Cammell Laird are also a company that owned the big shipyard there). And yes, there is actually a social club and one day we plan to take in a game there and have a drink in the club.
    Apart from the clever lyrics, one of the things I love about this song is the fact that it's still as relevant to football, and the modern day footballer, as it was ten years ago. And it sadly probably still we be ten years further down the line! It just captures what happens in a normal 90 minutes perfectly.
    So here's a fun video of the song, and the lyrics are printed in full underneath for you to sing along.
    Even better, leave your own suggestions for "The Referee's Alphabet" in the comments section below.
    Enjoy!


    The A is for my authority, which many players seem to question, thinking they’re somehow going to make me change my mind.
    B is for babies, which a lot of managers cry like after a decision has not gone their way.
    C is for the continual criticism I receive from the touchline. Get back in your technical area.
    D is for the dunderheads who seem to think we have a conspiracy against their particular team.
    E is for the eerie silence which echoes around the ground when I’ve booked a home team’s player and it’s obvious to everyone that he deserved it.
    F is the farce into which most games would descend if we weren’t there.
    The G is for the gnarled face of someone who’s on £90,000 a week and reckoned he should have had a throw in.
    H is for handball, which has to be intentional, and very rarely is. If only people would study the rules more.
    I is for innocence, pleaded by many a doe-eyed defender after they’ve just scythed down that tricky winger.
    J is for ju-jitsu, which I quite intend to display given a dark alley and some of the narky blerts I’ve encountered.
    K is for the kissing of the badge. How ridiculous that looks 6 months later when they’re at another club?
    L is for lip reading, at which you don’t have to be an expert to see how odious some people are.
    M is for the mistakes we sometimes make. Surely a bit of controversy is part of the game’s appeal?
    The N. The N is for the numbskull who, during the Boxing Day game, asks me what else I got for Christmas besides my whistle? "An afternoon with your wife mate".
    The O is for offside, which many forwards tell me they simply could not have been.
    The P is for the penalty shootout. Great drama and no pressure on me.
    The Q is the quiet word which I sometimes need to have with some of the more fiery participants. I usually choose the word 'pleat'.
    R is for running backwards. A difficult skill which the pundits never seem to appreciate.
    S is for the suggestion that I should have shown a card of some sort to a player who’s just been awarded a free kick
    Sorry I got all that wrong. The S again.
    OK the S.
    The S is the suggestion that I should show a card to an opponent, by a player who’s been awarded a free kick. He himself is more in danger of getting one for that.
    T is for the 21 man brawl. Which is basically an embarrassing scene of pushing and shoving.
    U is for the umpire, which I sometimes wish I’d been instead. You never hear a cricket crowd chanting "who’s the bastard in the hat?".
    The V is for vitriol, vilification, vendetta and volley of verbal abuse.
    Some good bird noises there Paul.
    W is for Walter Pidgeon, whose Mr. Gruffydd in "How Green Was My Valley" I may have started to sound like during this song. "Where was the light I thought to see in your eye?". He says that to a young Huw, played by Roddy McDowall.
    The X.
    The X represents the sarcastic kiss planted on my forehead by a swarthy Portuguese centre half whom I’ve just dismissed.
    The Y is for Yate, the kind of town that referees come from.
    And the Z.
    Well the Z could be for Zidane, Zico, Zola, Zubizarreta, Zoff. Even Zondervan. But is in fact for the zest with which we approach our work. Without this zest for the game, we wouldn’t become refs. And without refs, well - zero.
    See also Zatopek, Zeus, Zeal Monachorum.
    Had a caravan there. Static. Naturally.
    Wouldn’t it be fun. If they gave the ref a gun.
    **********
    Remember,you can buy this track, or the entire album, on iTunes on the following link (and every purchase helps AFTN): http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=8srB3CXczv8&offerid=162397&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=3664&RD_PARM1=https%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fca%252Falbum%252Fcammell-laird-social-club%252Fid354821238%253Fuo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30
    {*** If you're a fan of HMHB, then check out this excellent site for all your HMHB lyrics! ***}
    Guest

    SoccerPlus - Weekly Podcast (Oct. 17)

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    We dissect Canada's loss in Honduras with our cast of experts, long-time reporter Marc Tougas (CP), former Impact player Patrick Leduc (RDS/LaPresse), our Canadian in Brazil, former Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos and rookie journo Raphael Larocque-Cyr.
    We go south of the border to go over our neighbours' move to the Hex with Jonathan Tannenwald (Philly.com) and across the pond to Paris with Cedric Ferreira (BFM-TV, France24) to go over the main results in Europe.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to enjoy our hour-long show.
    Guest
    The last time I can remember crying over the result of a sporting event was May 29, 1993.
    I was nine years old. Wayne Gretzky had just completed his hat trick, scoring on a wraparound, in Game 7 of the conference final. The Kings were up 5-3 at Maple Leaf Gardens late in the third period and I, knowing it was all over for my beloved blue and white, stormed off to my room, slamming the door behind me.
    The Maple Leafs had come so close to reaching their first Stanley Cup final since 1967, in what would have been an epic clash with their timeless rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. Instead, the series represented a plateau for a franchise that went tumbling into the doldrums and, two decades later, has sunken into a period of unprecedented futility.
    Tuesday night was supposed to mark a turning point for the Canadian men's soccer program -- a chance to wriggle back into "the Hex" for the first time in 15 years. Instead, an inconceivable humiliation in what will now surely be the swan song for the head coach and a number of veteran players. And as the goals -- and hat tricks -- piled up for the Hondurans, it was difficult for me not to see history repeating itself.
    I couldn't help but feel that for whatever good work has been done and whatever progress has been made over the past 36 months, that this team had just tumbled off a cliff, into a hole it would take years -- if not an entire generation -- to dig out of.
    There was no bedroom to storm off to this time; instead, a quiet corner of the pub where, for the first time in 20 years, I was unable to hold back the tears.
    But then, a funny thing happened.
    My attempt to cloister myself off from fellow disconsolate Canadian soccer supporters proved unsuccessful. One stopped by to say hello and offer condolences. Then another came by to chat. And, as always happens in social settings, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd; before I knew it, my chosen location for self-loathing had become a social hub for communal loathing, fear and commiseratory imbibing.
    It's been said that sometimes all you can do is laugh to keep yourself from crying. It didn't quite work in this case, but after such an odious performance, an absolute humiliation by the team we'd so heavily emotionally invested ourselves in, there was really nothing to do but laugh -- at the team, at ourselves, at the absurdity of it all, and of what we'd just witnessed.
    When I saw a smile on the face of Jamie MacLeod -- the man who has worked harder than anyone else in this country over the past few years to build the Voyageurs and support for our national teams, and would have more reason than anyone to be utterly inconsolable -- I figured, what the hell, if he can do it, so can I.
    As the debate raged about which players would be done (voluntarily or otherwise) with the national team after the 8-1 disgrace, a similar narrative emerged among the supporters. Many spoke of having endured three, four, five cycles or more with this team. They tallied up how old they'd be in 2018 and 2022, wondering if they could psychologically afford to keep smacking the same, seemingly unhammerable nail.
    Memories were shared of trips to faraway locales in decades gone by, and even of having witnessed -- with their own two eyes -- something that seems like pure fantasy at a moment like this: Canada actually fielding a team at the men's World Cup. As scores from European qualifiers popped up on the television screen, contrasted with the rapidly ballooning scoreline in a rickety stadium in San Pedro Sula, it was near-impossible to imagine that Canada was even taking part in the same competition as those other countries.
    As it is, the march towards Brazil 2014 will carry on without us -- or, without our national team, at least.
    I'm sure most of the people in that bar last night -- the hardest of hardcore Canadian soccer supporters -- will keep close tabs on the road to Rio. Some of them, surely, have "other" national teams to which they can pledge their fealty, and more power to them if that's the case. Personally, Brazil 2014 is now nothing more to me than a novelty, a fun exhibition to be witnessed without the baggage of any emotional investment.
    Considering the way things turn out for teams in which I emotionally invest, perhaps that's a good thing.
    In the end, there will be change. Whatever his actual level of culpability for the 8-1 disaster, Stephen Hart will surely fall on his sword and be replaced as head coach. The aging veterans will either retire from international play or find their spots taken by younger competitors. Some fans will jump off of the Canadian soccer bandwagon for a while, or for a few years, or forever. Such is the reality of sport.
    But some will, inexorably, remain. Much like fans of the Maple Leafs, or the Chicago Cubs, or any other long-suffering sporting team, Canadian soccer supporters could rightly have their sanity questioned for voluntarily subjecting themselves to repeated (and predictable) bouts of emotional torture.
    Here's the thing, though. If Canada were to qualify for a World Cup -- or the (insert sports team here) were to win (applicable achievement here) -- it wouldn't be any of us out on the field of play. Not only would we not personally gain anything tangible from it, we'd need to pay exorbitant amounts of money for the privilege of watching it happen.
    In the end, it's not about that. It's not about whether a professional athlete can put an object in a certain spot at a certain time. It's about the communal experience of caring about whether that athlete did it (or didn't do it). Wherever we've come from, and wherever we go from here, we've all just been through as humbling and resolve-testing an experience as any sports fan could imagine.
    I may choose to excise the memories of Tuesday night's on-field performance, but I'm sure I'll remember being among a group of wizened Canadian supporters chanting in delirious self-hatred, at the top of their lungs, in a public place, "Eight-one, we fuckin' lost eight-one! Eight-one, we fuckin' lost eight-one!"
    When you're nine years old, you believe that the team you cheer for is doing it for the city they play in, or -- most fancifully of all -- for you personally. Eventually, those pretenses slip away, and you realize you're not cheering for the players (who come and go) or even, necessarily, for a team. You're investing yourself emotionally because of the feeling that comes with finding like-minded individuals who, for whatever reason, have made the same choice.
    We're all wondering right now whether continuing to care about a program such as this is worth it. What's the point? What's the payoff?
    No one can give you the answer to that question. It's up to you to sort it out for yourself.
    But personally, I can say that the friends and connections I've made through this usually-idiotic endeavour of supporting and promoting Canadian soccer are the payoff. Those are the sorts of relationships strengthened in trying times such as these.
    That's all that matters, at the end of the day. Seeing strangers win a game is all well and good. But being able to do it among people who care, and appreciate its significance as much as you do... well, that's why any of us bother.
    And it's why, in spite of ourselves and of all objective reality, most of us will continue to do so, when it comes to the Canadian men's national soccer team.
    Guest

    Sober Second Thoughts: Shameful

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Losing to Honduras last night would have been disappointing. Losing the way Canada did was inexcusable.
    They gave up. There really isn’t any other logical explanation. Honduras is not seven goals better than Canada. They are when the players on the pitch lack pride. Bluntly, there is ample evidence that many of the players that have represented Canada in the last couple cycles are lacking on the character front.
    Some countries have a golden generation. Canada is at the end of a selfish one. Although the current group is more talented than any other that has preceded them, they are spineless.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The evidence was there in 2008 when the senior players gave up on Dale Mitchell and put up a pathetic two points. Ten points this round looks good, but with six coming against Cuba one must keep things in perspective. In retrospect it was ludicrous to believe that had a chance to get anything from yesterday. It’s embarrassing to think that we cared.
    Before the game many talked about this being the biggest game of their career. The key word in that sentence is “their.” They wanted to get to the World Cup to fulfill their dreams, not to see Canada advance.
    They care, in a way, but they don’t care passionately. In Honduras, yesterday’s game was seen as life and death. Amongst the Canadian team it was clearly seen as something far less.
    Again, this isn’t about the loss. A two or even three goal defeat would have been understandable, if not pleasant.
    But, to lie down? To sit back and take a beating?
    Come on.
    Let’s make something clear. Yesterday was not the CSA’s fault. Sure, they have made mistakes in the past, but it wasn’t the blazers capitulating on the pitch. That mess is all on the players.
    There are a few exceptions, but for the most part there was little passion in this group. I don’t think I’m alone in hoping that the majority of that team retires from international football. I’d rather lose with kids that care than deal with what we saw yesterday.
    The Canadian national team has hurt me many times over the years. They’ve never before made me feel ashamed. They did yesterday. As they slink back to their club teams I hope they share that feeling.
    But, I’m not sure they do.
    Guest
    Anybody who spends much time watching football knows 8-1 is an outlier. An extreme outlier. This scoreline isn't about shortcomings in long-term player development. And it isn't about how in three years Stephen Hart never really got this Canadian team playing to even its limited potential. Perhaps there were clues in the insipid performance at Panama City last month, but everyone from the players to the coaches to the administrators assured us that the lesson had been learned and there would be no repeat.
    I've spent the past three days reading quotes attributed to veteran Canadian players saying this match was the biggest one they would play in their lives. And then this. It defies reasonable explanation, though you are welcome to add your voice to the comments below and try.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Injuries and suspensions to players like Dwayne de Rosario, Ante Jazic and Olivier Occean put Canada at a disadvantage, but not a seven-goal disadvantage. It seems odd Marcel de Jong wasn't playing, but again, the absence of Marcel de Jong does not explain a seven goal loss.
    Lack of physical preparation? Lack of mental preparation? That comes down to the coaching staff, but at the end of the day it's pretty simple. You get in an airplane, fly to Honduras, practice once or twice and then on the day go play a fucking football game. These are grown men who have been doing a similar routine their entire lives. The one thing this team had (sort of) going for it was its ability to hold a clean sheet, game in Panama excepted.
    Perhaps there was not a lot of collective experience in terms of coming from behind as a group. But again, all these guys play club football and all these guys have played in situations where the home team has scored quickly and all these guys didn't then suddenly forget the fundamentals of defending - the fundamentals of soccer, really - and go on to allow eight goals over the course of 90 minutes.
    Perhaps you're noticing a theme here. Lots of questions and no plausible answers.
    It's now two hours after the final whistle on a game in which the soccer team I care about most has once again crashed out of World Cup qualifying, in a way I could never have imagined. Now is clearly not the time for reasoned thinking about "what's next" for Canadian mens' soccer, but there are two streams of thought swirling inside my head to which I keep returning.
    First, support for the Canadian mens' team. It may not be reflected in attendance numbers at BMO Field or audience numbers on Sportsnet, but anecdotally at least, I've sensed a palpable desire on the part of Canadian sports fans to believe in this team. Real, recognizable journalists were talking about Canadian mens' soccer; colleagues and casual acquaintances would bring up World Cup qualifying in conversation in ways I've never previously experienced. And hell, #CanMNT spent time trending on Twitter, for what that's worth.
    Maybe that's just residual from the outpouring of support for the womens' team this past summer at the Olympics. Maybe it's due to a fanatical group of hardcore supporters using social media to amplify "the buzz," or maybe it's just media outlets cluing onto the idea that ramping up the patriotism quotient - in any sport - can lead to a rating bonanza.
    Some will say this horrifying scoreline "sets the program back" and perpetuates the idea that Canadian soccer is a joke. And they're right. But memories are short. Nobody beyond a handful of crazies will give a shit about this team at the 2013 Gold Cup (people rarely do anyway), but in four years' time, if Canadian soccer can give people a reason to believe, I'm convinced the Canadian public will do so once again.
    And on that subject, the head coach. Everyone on the Canadian soccer beat - from hobby bloggers to seasons journalists - should probably spend a few days reflected why we didn't raise more questions when the CSA named a man with no experience coaching senior mens' soccer at the club or international level as the person to lead the country into the 2014 World Cup. It sounds preposterous when you read that. One result - yes, even one result that's an 8-1 loss - can't be used to judge Stephen Hart, though it will unfortunately remain forever attached to his name as a black mark. What can be used is a consistent failure to coax better results out of a group of players who had the talent to qualify for the Hex. He is a good man and one the players consistently spoke highly of, and that of itself is something for any manager to be proud of. But going forward we need to do more as a community to hold the CSA's feet to the fire when it comes to who will be the next manager of Canada's senior mens' team.
    We only need look to the example of fellow CSN writer Ben Knight, who single-handedly dragged the CSA's reform process into a brighter spotlight and sparked the impetus for positive change. The talent pool for 2018 qualifying doesn't actually look that great (subject of a future post) but it's time for a manager with results.
    We don't need high-powered talent for temporary hire from Europe, but we could certainly use a European with experience coaching at the international level outside of Europe. Someone aware of the challenge and excited to work with it. I've long advocated for a manager with a Concacaf pedigree and perhaps a Latin American background. Not a firebrand who smokes on the sidelines and battles reporters, but someone who has won in Concacaf or Conmebol qualifying, or has won in the Concacaf Champions League, or has won in Latin American club football. Someone who has won for Christ sake. Someone who has revived a program and can point to it and say, I did this.
    As for how to fill your time between now and the end of the 2014 World Cup, you can start by brushing up on Canada's Concacaf rivals and make the effort to watch some of the football that takes place in the Hex. It's often wildly entertaining and over-the-top passionate. It's a pity that once again, you won't watch Canada be part of that. But as long as you're reasonably young, you exercise and eat your greens and live out the average live expectancy of someone born in a developed country, you will eventually see Canada in the Hex. And that's about all you can grab onto right now.
    Guest

    The darkest day

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It hurts. It hurts a lot.
    It always does, but today is worse than usual. Today a real opportunity was lost. Had Canada managed just a draw in Honduras, dreams of Brazil would have been real – they would have seemed reasonable and they would have inspired a whole bunch of people that have never been inspired by Canadian soccer in the past.
    Instead, this. Pain, tears and disappointment. The critics have their punch lines ready. Great-great-great-great grandad’s homeland’s strip has been dusted off – time to support the “real” countries again.
    The truth is hard to face. However, we must. If Canada can’t get a draw in Honduras it simply does not belong in the World Cup. An argument can be made that it might be good enough for the Hex, but the goal of this thing is to get to Brazil, not play a home and home with Mexico.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Even if Canada had advanced today it would have needed to get better. A country of this wealth in this confederation should not be touch and go to get past two Central American countries. The infrastructure needs to be better; the players need to be better.
    We’re getting there and the results this round show that – 10 points is a massive improvement from the last two cycles. By the time the next cycle comes around we should be even better.
    But, that’s four years away. Four. Years. Six if you count we're not even in Brazil yet. But today, it might as well be 50.
    Today is not the time for pep talks about how things will get better. It’s perfectly fine to be angry today. Be mad as hell that we choked once more.
    However, we need to channel that anger and make it productive. Eventually, once the pain has washed away, we need to see the growth that has occurred and get on with the business of moving forward.
    There are plenty of things that need to be addressed – is this it for Stephen Hart? Can we finally get a national league back up and running? How can we better work with the professional clubs? And much, much more.
    CSN will address some of those questions in the coming days. We will move on and start to look towards the 2013 and 2015 Gold Cup and qualifying in 2016. Moving on is what Canadian soccer fans do.
    But, today we mourn with the rest of you.
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