First off... holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit!
Now then, James Sharman of The Score delivered the most unexpected -- and significant -- blockbuster news in Canadian soccer this week (month? year?) when he got Julian de Guzman to spill the beans that his brother, Jonathan, was considering playing for the Canadian men's national team.
This, years after most Canadian fans assumed Jono -- or JDG2 -- was gone forever, choosing as he did to play for Netherlands youth squads in several international tournaments. Then, in 2009, FIFA changed its cap-tying rules -- in a cruel twist, those rules allowed a certain young goalkeeper to switch his allegiance from Canada to Bosnia. But that same rule change made it possible that JDG2 could, one day, theoretically, still play for Canada.
And while Sharman's scoop is what has the Canadian soccer world buzzing, Jonathan de Guzman actually opened the door for this news during an appearance on the Beyond The Pitch podcast on Sunday.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
When asked by one of the hosts about whether he'd ever consider playing for Canada, Jono said:
I'm actually talking to close ones about this situation. Again, I'm 24 years old, and I made my decision in 2008 about playing for Holland, and I haven't got the senior call-up. Then again, I don't have a Canadian passport, so there's not really much I can do about that. If there's a possibility of getting that passport again, then obviously I'll rethink that thought again.
One of those "close ones" would, presumably, be his brother Julian, who then passed it on to Sharman.
Now, the cynic might say that Jono is just fudging the truth, or trying to be diplomatic. But think about it: what possible reason would be have to lie about his intentions at this point? The super-cynic would say that he's just using the prospect of playing for us as a means to get back on the Dutch radar. But then, why get his brother involved? Why would Julian also lie to the Canadian fans, for whom he proudly plays?
The extra-super-duper-cynic would present the ridiculous theory that Jonathan is just manipulating his brother for his own, Netherlands-themed purposes. At this point, the cynic would be shown the location of the door and provided with a non-negotiable invitation to leave promptly.
Interestingly, the Beyond The Pitch crew ask Jono if he's talked about the matter with Villareal teammate Giuseppe Rossi, an American-born striker who chose to represent Italy in international play, and Jono says that he has. We can only guess as to the content of that discussion, but one would imagine Jono is aware of the extent to which Rossi is reviled in the land of his birth...
... which brings us to another point. A lot of Canadian fans are probably doing big-time 180s now when it comes to JDG2. Let's not kid ourselves, there was plenty of scorn heaped on Jono's decision when it was made -- and in the ensuing years -- and plenty of folks who once spewed vitriol are now bubbling with excitement about the potential reunion of the de Guzman brothers in the Canadian midfield.
Frankly, they're right to do so (be excited, that is, not be hypocrites). The younger de Guzman would almost certainly be a boost to the Canadian roster, if he played to his full ability. If he was able to actively contribute to the team, it would -- in whatever small way -- increase their chances of making it to the World Cup. And that's why you support the team, isn't it? In the hopes that they'll qualify for the finals of the world's biggest sporting tournament?
To be clear, this may all amount to nothing. Perhaps he won't get the right paperwork, perhaps he'll get injured... hell, perhaps he'll change his mind again. Absolutely nothing is guaranteed until he actually sets foot on the pitch, in a Canadian jersey, in either a World Cup qualifier or Gold Cup match. Canadian fans are preconditioned to assume that any positive development will be turned on its head or ripped away from them in some way... and maybe that's what will happen here.
But for the sake of our collective mental health, let's all just allow ourselves -- for a day or two, at least -- to think some positive thoughts about what this development, if it comes to fruition, could mean for Mission 2014.