General Discussion on CMNT

[Obinna]

2 hours ago, footballfreak said:

What was the workaround during the Centenario? Doesn’t seem like anything has changed since then.

Going off memory, these are some of the players I recall participating: Courtinho, Willian, Allison, Sanchez, Vidal, Pulisic, Suarez, etc. 

Looking at the squad lists confirms my memory of this being an A tournament.

As for workarounds, I notice the CA usually runs from mid june into july, which is basically when 2024 is slated to be, but the centenario was June 3 to June 26, possibly to avoid the euro pre-season conflict? 

2024 is still a ways away. I bet they do similar to accomodate if the tournament is indeed expanded. 

[Kadenge]

In addition to our talent being front ended, the spine of our team, sans David, lacks pace and is accentuated when you play 2 mids with 2/3 CBs who are also lacking pace. May have played a part in why we lost shape and got stretched in some games. Watching Morocco today they really function as a unit on attack and when defending in numbers on both sides of the ball. Hopefully Kone will help in that regard.

[YorkRegionFan]

Missing Scott Kennedy due to injury really hurts a lot. If we were able to rotate him into one of the games, his speed would have helped. 

[Shway]

1 hour ago, Kadenge said:

In addition to our talent being front ended, the spine of our team, sans David, lacks pace and is accentuated when you play 2 mids with 2/3 CBs who are also lacking pace. May have played a part in why we lost shape and got stretched in some games. Watching Morocco today they really function as a unit on attack and when defending in numbers on both sides of the ball. Hopefully Kone will help in that regard.

But we did this exactly too….WHEN we played with 3 in the middle.

I don’t get why Herdman felt that we could go 3-4-3. Did we ever play that in qualifying.

[footballfreak]

No one asked for this, but I was bored so I decided to put together a list of the teams Canada has never played a senior men’s international against. In order of the October rankings:

18     Senegal
21     Serbia
25     Sweden
32     Nigeria
33     Russia* (played USSR)
42     Norway
46     Mali
48     Ivory Coast
53     Romania
54     Burkina Faso
55     Slovakia
58     Bosnia and Herzegovina
66     Albania
69     Montenegro
70     United Arab Emirates
71     Cape Verde
73     DR Congo
75     Oman
76     Israel
78     Georgia
81     Gabon
82     Bolivia
83     Guinea
84     Jordan
88     Zambia
89     Uganda
90     Syria
91     Benin
94     Palestine
95     Kyrgyzstan
96     Vietnam
98     Equatorial Guinea
99     Lebanon
100     Congo
101     Kenya
102     Madagascar
106     India
107     Kosovo
108     Tajikistan
111     Thailand
113     Kazakhstan
114     Mozambique
115     Namibia
116     Guinea-Bissau
117     Sierra Leone
119     Angola
121     Niger
124     Malawi
125     Zimbabwe
126     Gambia
127     Togo
128     Sudan
129     Comoros
130     Tanzania
131     Antigua and Barbuda
132     Central African Republic
133     Philippines
134     Latvia
135     Turkmenistan
136     Solomon Islands
137     Rwanda
138     Ethiopia
141     Burundi
142     Nicaragua
143     Eswatini
144     Lithuania
147     Lesotho
148     Botswana
149     Kuwait
150     Liberia
151     Andorra
153     Dominican Republic
154     Maldives
155     Yemen
156     Afghanistan
157     Chinese Taipei
158     Myanmar
159     Papua New Guinea
161     New Caledonia
162     Tahiti
163     Fiji
164     Vanuatu
165     South Sudan
171     Guyana
173     Grenada
175     Nepal
177     Cambodia
179     Montserrat
180     Mauritius
181     Chad
182     Macau
183     Mongolia
185     Bhutan
186     São Tomé and Príncipe
187     Laos
188     American Samoa
189     Cook Islands
190     Brunei
191     Samoa
192     Bangladesh
193     Djibouti
194     Pakistan
196     Liechtenstein
197     Tonga
198     Timor-Leste
199     Seychelles
200     Eritrea
202     Bahamas
203     Somalia
204     Gibraltar
205     Guam
206     Turks and Caicos Islands
207     Sri Lanka
209     British Virgin Islands
210     Anguilla
211     San Marino

Other: Guyana, Bonaire, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten

I was surprised at Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Grenada. Feels like we should have run into all of them at some point.

[Obinna]

@footballfreak

Bolivia could be an interesting opponent for a camp poutine. Would there players (basically all domestic) be available in January for a game?

They are concacaf-like in some respects, and although the lack of qualifying perhaps diminishes the need to play these kind of teams, we still have Gold Cup and Nations League, so I would argue playing such teams is still a good thing. If not Bolivia, then Nicaragua, Guyana, DR, etc. I just picked Bolivia because they are the strongest of that bunch. 

I wonder if we get more out of that then playing Iceland's B team, for example. Do we get any benefit from seeing European B teams vs. similar level teams in and around our own neck of the woods?

I kind of feel like we should save the European teams for when we have our A team together. I would love to see friendlies against teams like Denmark, Serbia, Switzerland etc. throughout this cycle...and at at least a couple against a team like France, Germany, England, etc., just to experience (once again) what the highest level teams are like to play against. 

[trc2014]

Anyone else starting to think about making the trip to Curaçao in March?

[VinceA]

 

[A_Gagne]

13 hours ago, footballfreak said:

No one asked for this, but I was bored so I decided to put together a list of the teams Canada has never played a senior men’s international against. In order of the October rankings:

18     Senegal
21     Serbia
25     Sweden
32     Nigeria
33     Russia* (played USSR)
42     Norway
46     Mali
48     Ivory Coast
53     Romania
54     Burkina Faso
55     Slovakia
58     Bosnia and Herzegovina
66     Albania
69     Montenegro
70     United Arab Emirates
71     Cape Verde
73     DR Congo
75     Oman
76     Israel
78     Georgia
81     Gabon
82     Bolivia
83     Guinea
84     Jordan
88     Zambia
89     Uganda
90     Syria
91     Benin
94     Palestine
95     Kyrgyzstan
96     Vietnam
98     Equatorial Guinea
99     Lebanon
100     Congo
101     Kenya
102     Madagascar
106     India
107     Kosovo
108     Tajikistan
111     Thailand
113     Kazakhstan
114     Mozambique
115     Namibia
116     Guinea-Bissau
117     Sierra Leone
119     Angola
121     Niger
124     Malawi
125     Zimbabwe
126     Gambia
127     Togo
128     Sudan
129     Comoros
130     Tanzania
131     Antigua and Barbuda
132     Central African Republic
133     Philippines
134     Latvia
135     Turkmenistan
136     Solomon Islands
137     Rwanda
138     Ethiopia
141     Burundi
142     Nicaragua
143     Eswatini
144     Lithuania
147     Lesotho
148     Botswana
149     Kuwait
150     Liberia
151     Andorra
153     Dominican Republic
154     Maldives
155     Yemen
156     Afghanistan
157     Chinese Taipei
158     Myanmar
159     Papua New Guinea
161     New Caledonia
162     Tahiti
163     Fiji
164     Vanuatu
165     South Sudan
171     Guyana
173     Grenada
175     Nepal
177     Cambodia
179     Montserrat
180     Mauritius
181     Chad
182     Macau
183     Mongolia
185     Bhutan
186     São Tomé and Príncipe
187     Laos
188     American Samoa
189     Cook Islands
190     Brunei
191     Samoa
192     Bangladesh
193     Djibouti
194     Pakistan
196     Liechtenstein
197     Tonga
198     Timor-Leste
199     Seychelles
200     Eritrea
202     Bahamas
203     Somalia
204     Gibraltar
205     Guam
206     Turks and Caicos Islands
207     Sri Lanka
209     British Virgin Islands
210     Anguilla
211     San Marino

Other: Guyana, Bonaire, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten

I was surprised at Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Grenada. Feels like we should have run into all of them at some point.

[InglewoodJack]

We never played DR? Really? No Grenada or Nicaragua? I would’ve assumed we’ve played every concacaf country at some point in the last century or so.

[maplebanana]

1 hour ago, InglewoodJack said:

We never played DR? Really? No Grenada or Nicaragua? I would’ve assumed we’ve played every concacaf country at some point in the last century or so.

Nicaragua for sure the most surprising one to me. I could have sworn we played them in like 2008 in like the pre-pre-pre WCQ or something. 

DR is less surprising, until I remember that I only learned within the last decade that Dominica is a totally separate country and not just the way that Dominican Republic refers to themselves in soccer.

[CanadaFan123]

1 hour ago, maplebanana said:

Nicaragua for sure the most surprising one to me. I could have sworn we played them in like 2008 in like the pre-pre-pre WCQ or something. 

DR is less surprising, until I remember that I only learned within the last decade that Dominica is a totally separate country and not just the way that Dominican Republic refers to themselves in soccer.

We did play Nicaragua in a pre gold cup scrimmage a little while back.

Guyana and Grenada we played as well but our u23 team faced them. 

[footballfreak]

1 hour ago, CanadaFan123 said:

We did play Nicaragua in a pre gold cup scrimmage a little while back.

Guyana and Grenada we played as well but our u23 team faced them. 

I wasn’t able to find the games you mentioned, but this list of unofficial CanMNT games includes a few teams not faced in official matches.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_men's_national_soccer_team_results_(unofficial_matches)

San Marino (1986), Congo Rep. (1984), Nigeria (1984)

 

[nolando]

Sweden, Norway, Romania really jump out at me. We had, and continue to have (in some cases), quality players in these kinds of countries; I'm surprised the respective associations never saw the mutual  usefulness of a match with each other.

[CanadaFan123]

12 hours ago, footballfreak said:

I wasn’t able to find the games you mentioned, but this list of unofficial CanMNT games includes a few teams not faced in official matches.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_men's_national_soccer_team_results_(unofficial_matches)

San Marino (1986), Congo Rep. (1984), Nigeria (1984)

 

Probably because it wasn’t even an unofficial game - just a scrimmage.

https://www.canadasoccer.com/news/canadas-preparations-underway-at-home-for-the-concacaf-gold-cup/

[footballfreak]

14 hours ago, nolando said:

Sweden, Norway, Romania really jump out at me. We had, and continue to have (in some cases), quality players in these kinds of countries; I'm surprised the respective associations never saw the mutual  usefulness of a match with each other.

I’m also going to add India to that list. A friendly against India in Vancouver, even if it’s just a developmental Canada side, probably sells 30,000+. We might be out of their league right now, but that hasn’t always been the case. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Edited December 8, 2022 by footballfreak

[InglewoodJack]

Just now, footballfreak said:

I’m also going to add India with that list. A friendly against India in Vancouver, even if it’s just a developmental Canada side, probably sells 30,000+. We might be out of their league right now, but that hasn’t always been the case. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Honestly, I think an India team Canada tour would sell well. Play a game at BMO, BC Place, Tim Horton's Field, I think every single game would sell out.

[Obinna]

51 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Honestly, I think an India team Canada tour would sell well. Play a game at BMO, BC Place, Tim Horton's Field, I think every single game would sell out.

Probably any major city in Canada to be honest. Edmonton and Calgary have large Indian populations, although soccer in India is not generally popular aside from small pockets of fanatics. At least that's my understanding. I am far from an expert on soccer in India (or India in general).

Edited December 8, 2022 by Obinna

[VinceA]

I think you guys are overrating the average Indian soccer fan in Canada. I've met many and barely any support local Indian football or the national team.

[maplebanana]

1 hour ago, VinceA said:

I think you guys are overrating the average Indian soccer fan in Canada. I've met many and barely any support local Indian football or the national team.

Yes, that's my experience too. Many are more likely to say 'we have a soccer team?'

I think a friendly with China would draw well, but politically could be a landmine.

[SpursFlu]

Actually back in the day India played the Whitecaps at Swangard. Some of the people from the large Indian soccer community that went were annoyed because A - they sucked and B - most have the local soccer community are Sikhs and the India team were not. A lot of the comments were like local Sikh teams shod have played them because we could beat them. So I do think India would draw like crazy because there are a lot more none Sikh Indians in Canafa now but I think there is more to it then people think

Edited December 8, 2022 by SpursFlu

[trc2014]

On 12/3/2022 at 12:55 PM, VinceA said:

I think their latest ep was one of their most critical, AGR and Peter were not happy at all with the set-up and regularly called out Herdman's shape set-up as confusing.

I think also though they don't want to be negative for the sake of being negative as many USA podcast and shows do which go overboard easily.

You have yahoos there already ripping the US and Berhalter for losing to the Van Gaal's Netherlands as if they were supposed to be making the finals.

On the latest episode they essentially undid all of that Herdman criticism.

[SthMelbRed]

2 hours ago, SpursFlu said:

Actually back in the day India played the Whitecaps at Swangard. Some of the people from the large Indian soccer community that went were annoyed because A - they sucked and B - most have the local soccer community are Sikhs and the India team were not. A lot of the comments were like local Sikh teams shod have played them because we could beat them. So I do think India would draw like crazy because there are a lot more none Sikh Indians in Canafa now but I think there is more to it then people think

Many of us in the Punjabi-Sikh community in Canada don't necessarily identify with India in any kind of patriotic sense. India is not a unified country in the way that most others might be considered. There's no common language from state to state, there are too many diverse religious groups to count, and the current neo-fascist, Hindu-nationalist BJP government treats the various minorities like shit. The vast majority of the Indo-Canadian population are Punjabi Sikhs and would be unlikely to turn up to support the Indian national football team if they played in Canada. The Indian cricket team, on the other hand, is a rare unifying force which would get them out in the thousands, I reckon.

[kacbru]

But how many ranking points would we get for beating the Indian cricket team in a soccer game?

[SoCalTransport]

2 hours ago, maplebanana said:

Yes, that's my experience too. Many are more likely to say 'we have a soccer team?'

I think a friendly with China would draw well, but politically could be a landmine.

All of my employees that are Indian are big Messi fans, a lot of them drove to Red Bull Arena to see him play.