According to the club’s official website, striker Iain Hume may lose his starting spot with Preston North End today despite scoring the opening goal for Canada in a must-win World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
Earth shattering news? Nope. But comments from Preston manager Phil Brown provide a window into the challenges facing both the CSA in getting players released for international duty and the players themselves in terms of prevailing attitudes.
(Edit, 4:33pm ET: In the end, Hume started today vs. Yeovil Town and played 76 minutes.)
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Canada is not a glamour soccer country. But if a country calls and the player wants to go, broadly speaking the club must acquiesce. Hume has played most of his club football in the lower English divisions so it’s not like he’s been socking away Premier League-like wages. He probably depends on his paycheque just as much as most of us depend on ours.
The fact he’s willing to risk his club position (his livelihood, basically) to answer the call for Canada should be applauded. Hell it’s Friday, so all Canada players should be applauded, because they are all largely in the same boat.
Of course, Hume may yet end up starting today. He's already started three of Preston's first five League One matches, coming on as a sub in another. Phil Brown's comments below don't suggest that his spot is in long-term danger, but once you drop out of a starting lineup it can be hard to get back in.
As for Brown’s comments, here’s the best bits.
"I was quite pleasantly surprised that we are one of three or four teams in League One that can boast six internationals."The downside is Iain Hume was on the other side of the world, the plus side is that the rest are all home nations so the players were not travelling as far.”
And later in the article.
"Iain came in at 9.30 this morning and it is the first time I have seen him for a couple of weeks which is unusual when you are managing a club in League One."Iain was bright eyed and ready for training after flying around the world. Fortunately the Canadian FA bumped him up to first class which is music to my ears.
"He needs a rest and recuperation as he has just played a full 90 minutes less than 48 hours ago on the other side of the world.
"It will be important that he is properly rested and rehydrated, we all know what he is capable of but we need a 100% Iain Hume on Friday night against Yeovil not 60%.
"I would dearly love to start Iain but it will be a conversation for tomorrow. We will see what happens but fingers crossed he will be ready to start against Yeovil.”
At least it looks like Hume got a first-class ticket back to England out of the deal. I wonder if all the Canadian goal scorers enjoyed that luxury?
(Edit, Sept. 12 8:57am ET: The CSA emailed me this weekend and confirmed it is standard practice to fly all players in business class to and from World Cup qualifiers.)