Scott Arfield

[RS]

1 hour ago, SpecialK said:

It’s just upsetting because he’s one of our Top Midfielders playing really well. All because herdman can be an little ego pompous ass. Herdman knew he’s got a young family, he’s not a young man and calls them up for game vs minnows on a cow patch. Plus this brotherhood, new age coaching, happy planet world is a joke ! Players are so soft mentally! If herdman managed his players better he would be still playing for us simple as that. 

That a lot of conjecture just to get yourself back on the “I hate Herdman” train.

1 hour ago, SpecialK said:

It’s kinda selfish of herdman to think hey we need our A squad vs shop keepers. I wonder if he regrets it ? 

Yes, I wonder if Herdman regrets leading Canada to its first World Cup in 36 years.

FFS.

[Kadenge]

1 hour ago, SpecialK said:

It’s just upsetting because he’s one of our Top Midfielders playing really well. All because herdman can be an little ego pompous ass. Herdman knew he’s got a young family, he’s not a young man and calls them up for game vs minnows on a cow patch. Plus this brotherhood, new age coaching, happy planet world is a joke ! Players are so soft mentally! If herdman managed his players better he would be still playing for us simple as that. 

Didn't you say prior to WCQ that we should put up a statue of Herdman if we qualify for the WC? What Canada has lacked for the past 36 is the mental toughness to get us there. We have had quality players before...not a Davies but the 2007 GC team  was a beauty...you can laugh at the "brotherhood" or whatever  people want to call it, but it's a big reason for our success. 

[king1010]

28 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

Didn't you say prior to WCQ that we should put up a statue of Herdman if we qualify for the WC? What Canada has lacked for the past 36 is the mental toughness to get us there. We have had quality players before...not a Davies but the 2007 GC team  was a beauty...you can laugh at the "brotherhood" or whatever  people want to call it, but it's a big reason for our success. 

That 2010 world cup qualifying team shouldve gone so much further than they did

[DeRo_Is_King]

1 hour ago, Kadenge said:

Didn't you say prior to WCQ that we should put up a statue of Herdman if we qualify for the WC? What Canada has lacked for the past 36 is the mental toughness to get us there. We have had quality players before...not a Davies but the 2007 GC team  was a beauty...you can laugh at the "brotherhood" or whatever  people want to call it, but it's a big reason for our success. 

Chemistry is important, but if guys aren't in form / clearly not at a competitive level for a call-up, there is reason to make changes. Fortunately or unfortunately, I can see the WC squad being very different to qualification if we are talking about raw talent and potential. 

[Cheeta]

Never say never.

Players will be going to Qatar who weren't part of  WCQing in any meaningful way, strictly out of necessity, not because of some generosity on the manager's part.

That statement should prove true for the vast majority of the 32 teams.  Canada isn't something special in that regard.

Just saying.  Doesn't mean Scottie will be going.  Celtic 4 Rangers nil today with Arfield squandering a gift.  Just saying never say never.

And where's the fun in letting the question die? 🌝

[SpecialK]

The brotherhood is big reason for our success? Oh please ! We have David , Davies plus guys playing on good teams vs good/great teams across the board. All herdman has to do is get the tactic right and subs right. Brotherhood is the real reason, give me a break. Get off the kool-aid. Look at the GC 2019 same team basically and when herdman got it wrong we lost. So where was brotherhood there. 

[SpecialK]

I can’t believe how many of you are so stupid enough to buy into this marketing slogan brotherhood BS. Come on guys you are football fans ! Games are won by great players, playing hard, at their best and good planning and tactics! Plus game management. On paper we have top 3 best roster in CONCACAF. 

Edited September 4, 2022 by SpecialK

[Mitchryan11]

15 minutes ago, SpecialK said:

I can’t believe how many of you are so stupid enough to buy into this marketing slogan brotherhood BS. Come on guys you are football fans ! Games are won by great players, playing hard, at their best and good planning and tactics! Plus game management. On paper we have top 3 best roster in CONCACAF. 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Mitchryan11

[JamboAl]

29 minutes ago, SpecialK said:

I can’t believe how many of you are so stupid enough to buy into this marketing slogan brotherhood BS. Come on guys you are football fans ! Games are won by great players, playing hard, at their best and good planning and tactics! Plus game management. On paper we have top 3 best roster in CONCACAF. 

And how naive for you to think that great players will just work well together automatically?  We also have players who are good but not great but played extremely well in a team environment; that doesn’t happen by accident.  

[InglewoodJack]

7 hours ago, SpecialK said:

I can’t believe how many of you are so stupid enough to buy into this marketing slogan brotherhood BS. Come on guys you are football fans ! Games are won by great players, playing hard, at their best and good planning and tactics! Plus game management. On paper we have top 3 best roster in CONCACAF. 

I don’t think it’s just a marketing slogan. I mean, no, these players aren’t all buds who hang out together on the weekend and act as brothers, but you need to build a cohesive culture that gets your players to buy in. If Arfield retired because Herdman expected him to play cow patches in the Caribbean, and Herdman “swallowed his pride” and let him sit whatever matches he wanted to, why should Alphonso Davies bother travelling to play these games? He’s a super star for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Why should Jo David risk injury at a time he’s close to getting a career defining move? Why should any of our players risk injury on a shotty concacaf pitch if Herdman will just roll over and make exceptions for you if you stomp your feet? 
 

there is a similar “brotherhood” they’re trying to build with the Canada men’s basketball team. We never get our stars to play, but Nick Nurse had I think 12 NBA players sign up to form the “core” of our team for the future, and so far, that’s paid dividends (big win over Argentina a few weeks ago BTW). You now have a guy like SGA, a bonafide star, showing up to play basketball minnows. You have Jamal Murray, a guy who’s been out for 18 months showing up to practices, watching games. He’s not part of the “core” but they got Andrew wiggins to play Olympic qualifying last summer. 
 

National teams win with the best possible players, but the best way to convince your best players to commit is to give them confidence that your other best players are on the same page as them. “The Brotherhood” to me is less about, oh, you’ll offend such and such bit player if you give his spot to Scott Arfield who didn’t go through the octo, it’s more, if you let Arfield dictate which games are important enough for him to play, it’s only fair you let all of our players better than him dictate those games too. And all of a sudden, our champions league players stop showing up. You think Bayern’s medical staff loves Davies going to play in Haiti? 

[Califax]

There’s a brotherhood. It’s also massively overused when discussing success. 
 

 

[Mitchryan11]

[Mitchryan11]

Wiki makes it sound like it was John herdmans fault

Edited September 5, 2022 by Mitchryan11

[SpecialK]

It was his fault ! 

[SpecialK]

I would love too see one of our so called soccer media journalist just flat out asked herdman, there has been discussions that your handling of the Arfield situation is the cause of his retirement from Canada. Do you have any regrets about how you handled it and has there been any talks with him to come out of retirement for training camp. 
 

if this was England , France, Italy or even the US the media would be all over herdman for months. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by SpecialK

[The Real Marc]

Please. What a useless exercise. What is Herdman gonna say. "Yes, I alienated the lad with my need for commitment and management speak mumbo jumbo and would really appreciate him coming back and displacing the guys that got us to the World Cup?" or "No, he was too focused on playing for Rangers and his influence in the team was waning anyway, and to boot the lads haven't really missed him?"

There is no straight or clear answer to this ever. It's a meaningless question.

This Vees obsession with Arfield is so strange - particularly given our recent success and our depth.

But I get it, he's European...we are still in that hangover period where a guy like him choosing us is still a bit sexy.

Edited September 5, 2022 by The Real Marc

[EJsens1]

51 minutes ago, The Real Marc said:

But I get it, he's European...we are still in that hangover period where a guy like him choosing us is still a bit sexy.

I don’t really think it’s that. I think many who would like him back in the mix do so because we see how well he is still playing and could contribute. He’d be a difference maker IMO and when we see how good we are now, I believe he’d just add to that. I agree with the rest of what you said, but who knows about off field shit. Not gonna speculate.

[narduch]

2 hours ago, SpecialK said:

I would love too see one of our so called soccer media journalist just flat out asked herdman, there has been discussions that your handling of the Arfield situation is the cause of his retirement from Canada. Do you have any regrets about how you handled it and has there been any talks with him to come out of retirement for training camp. 
 

if this was England , France, Italy or even the US the media would be all over herdman for months. 

Not sure what the point of this would be.

Herdman will give a non answer answer

[Stoppage Time]

Mark Anthony Kaye is coming off an injury. He may or may not be ready for September friendlies. Arfield would be the perfect fill in for this situation. He would provide more than adequate cover for Kaye, and Herdman would see if he could add to the team in November. This is what having roster depth is all about. If there is any personal grudge or ego involved by either Arfield or Herdman, then that is when they must "take one for the team" and work together to better the squad. This is, after all, the World Cup.

[Acid-Tone]

3 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

This Vees obsession with Arfield is so strange - particularly given our recent success and our depth.

Anyone who watched that TFC -CF Montreal game last night might want a word.

There's reason to be at least slightly concerned about two players from TFC who are presumed to be locks to be on that plane to Qatar & also just happen to play in the same position as Arfield.

The concern for one is his form, just coming back from an injury, and the other is his absence.  So it's fair to question how much depth do we actually have there.  

[Bison44]

The obsession is he has shown he can still play at a high level.  Listen to the V's comments about Piette playing like shit, Kaye isnt the player he was and doesnt deserve a call....Hutch is injured/not playing, Osorio is out too.  Things seem awful thin all of a sudden.  And then its strange to keep tabs on Arfield just in case???   

I dont think he is coming back and I dont think we get a full account of the problem, until these guys do "Humey" style "f%ck it"  interviews after they are years retired. I just hope we dont have to start Kone or Fraser in the WC.   

[The Real Marc]

2 hours ago, Bison44 said:

I dont think he is coming back and I dont think we get a full account of the problem, until these guys do "Humey" style "f%ck it"  interviews after they are years retired.

Maybe the problem is that he’s just not that into us.

[kacbru]

This is all speculation, but I think Steven Gerrard gave him the ultimatum - you either focus on Rangers or you get frozen out and no opportunity for a contract extension.  Gerrard has left, Arfield has his contract extension - why not come back to the CMNT fold for the WC?

[Floortom]

Personally I dont think there's a chance in hell of him returning.

He would definitely be a welcome addition though. We are very thin in midfield.

Atiba is 39 and barely plays for his club / is very fragile.

MAK has been very mediocre for a long time.

Oso has some injury issues.

Kone and mitrovic are unproven / question marks.

People are worried about our CBs heading into Qatar im much more worried about how the midefield will stack up. 

Edited September 6, 2022 by Floortom

[ESG Shawn]

2 hours ago, Floortom said:

Personally I dont think there's a chance in hell of him returning.

He would definitely be a welcome addition though. We are very think in midfield.

Atiba is 39 and barely plays for his club / is very fragile.

MAK has been very mediocre for a long time.

Oso has some injury issues.

Kone and mitrovic are unproven / question marks.

People are worried about our CBs heading into Qatar im much more worried about how the midefield will stack up. 

No mention of Eustaquio, a man running the midfield for a Champions League side?

Eustaquio is the straw that stirs the drink for us,  Arfield or not. 

While I do rate Arfield, Eustaquio is the superior player IMO and excluding him from a discussion about our CM strength is disingenuous.