In deference to a request earlier today via Twitter from CSN head honcho Ben Rycroft regarding the usage of the phrase "blooding the pups", I will endeavour to find different terminology to describe the men's national team's approach to its roster for next Tuesday's friendly in Edmonton against Costa Rica.
So... draining the dogs? Carving the kittens? Plasma-depriving the pandas?
However you want to describe it, suffice to that once-again-interim head coach Colin Miller will not be helming what could in any sense be called a Canadian "A-team" on this occasion.
The 18-man roster is as follows...
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
GK- Haidar Al-Shaïbani | FRA / Nîmes Olympique
GK- Milan Borjan | TUR / Sivasspor
GK- Simon Thomas | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
D- Nana Attakora | USA / San Jose Earthquakes
D- André Hainault | SCO / Ross County FC
D- Doneil Henry | CAN / Toronto FC
D- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC
D- Adam Straith | GER / FC Saarbrücken
M- Kyle Bekker | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Stefan Cebara | SVN / Nogometni Klub Celje
M - Julian de Guzman | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | CYP / Alki Larnaca
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Pedro Pacheco | POR / CD Santa Clara
M- Samuel Piette | GER / Fortuna Düsseldorf
F- Randy Edwini-Bonsu | GER / Eintracht Braunsweig
F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Stevenage FC
F- Tosaint Ricketts | NOR / Sandnes Ulf
While some are hailing the inclusion of four members of a pretty bad Toronto FC side (none of whom are even starters) as a sign of the CanSocPocalypse, the reality is that TFC was the only MLS side willing to play ball when it came to releasing Canadian starters.
"We made an approach to DC United about three players (Dwayne DeRosario, Dejan Jakovic, Kyle Porter)," Miller told the media on Thursday. "Will (Johnson, of the Portland Timbers) wanted to come in.
"We're trying to build relationships with clubs rather than ticking them off on this occasion."
Miller noted that next week sees a host of US Open games in addition to, of course, the Voyageurs Cup final that ruled out a number of players on the rosters of the Whitecaps and Impact.
"There was no shortage of commitment from the Canadian guys but at this point we're trying to work with the clubs," Miller said.
Then again, the CanMNT having to make do with a less-than-first-choice line-up is nothing new, as former head coach Stephen Hart was quick to remind us. As for Miller, he was quick to remind the media that most of the roster had been picked by national technical director Tony Fonseca before Miller had even been appointed coach for this friendly, so much of the decision-making was out of his hands.
He did let slip, though, that if anyone currently on the roster suddenly became unavailable, he has "one or two" members of his other club, FC Edmonton, who'd be ready to fill in the gaps.
While the roster is without any members of the Eddies -- right now, anyway -- it does feature a pair of hometown boys in Edwini-Bonsu and Ricketts, both of whom Miller had praise for.
"I think it's exciting any time a player comes back to his home city to play for the national team, it's a real honour and thrill," said Miller.
Osorio, who's been one of the few bright spots for TFC this season, is surely also thrilled in earning his first call-up to the senior national team -- even if Miller admitted that he hasn't really had the chance to see the youngster play.
"Jonathan, like every player, is going to have to show me the commitment to hard work that's needed when you wear a Canadian jersey," said Miller. "I want players that are honest and hardworking and committed to trying to get us a result on Tuesday night."
The result of that match will -- in the long run -- be essentially irrelevant, given the experimental lineups being fielded by both Canada and Costa Rica. For the Canadian side, it will be another chance to see which, if any, of the youngsters being given a run-out might actually have a future with Les Rouges.
And for the fans calling for a wholesale abandonment of every player who was part of the team's last World Cup qualifying cycle -- well, it's also a chance to see exactly what that immediate future might look like.
.