WCQ: Third Round - Window 4 (January 27- February 2, 2022)

[Approve My Account Pls]

13 minutes ago, Approve My Account Pls said:

Wheeler's tweet doesn't sound like Mitrovic has been called in tho

May sound like a Private Investigator here, but I have changed tune on this. The fact Wheeler has quickly fielded Solholm and Flores questions while conveniently ignoring Mitrovic questions in addition to his Mitro's brother liking Wheeler's tweet about the roster has me feeling optimistic again.

[Mattd97]

35 minutes ago, EJsens1 said:

I’m surprised they are going with such a small squad.  With covid and quite a few guys on yellows, I’d have thought more guys would be involved.  I get the standby aspect but come on 

Not sure why you're surprised though, this is their thing it seems 

[Kadenge]

With the number of defenders/ wingbacks on yellows going  into this window for sure there will be suspensions. 

[Kadenge]

With 21 field players looks like Theo may miss out assuming Guti is in? 😕

[Hawkguy]

11 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

With 21 field players looks like Theo may miss out assuming Guti is in? 😕

Would be a really dumb omission unless Wolves have asked Canada to not take him. He's in-form when a lot of our players are out of season and we have two wingers hurt. If I was Theo and the above reason isn't why, I'd really be questioning why I committed to this program.

[Hawkguy]

48 minutes ago, CanadaFan123 said:

We really don't know about Hoilett. He came off with a knock but people are just speculating that he's picked up an injury that will keep him out.

Wheeler's wording makes me think that Hoilett is coming in for Davies, Kennedy is coming in for Cornelius or Henry and Gutierrez is coming in as an extra WB. Corbeanu might not be called.

He wasn't in the lineup/bench for the last Reading game. 

Peter Galindo

 

@GalindoPW

 

Reading coach Veljko Paunovic confirms Junior Hoilett is ruled out with a hamstring injury. No word on how long.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Hawkguy

[BuzzAndSting]

2 hours ago, Hawkguy said:

Damn I was really hoping for the roster to drop today. 

Waiting on the Men's Olympic Hockey roster too. 

Both are killing me!!

 

[Hawkguy]

2 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

 

Hahahaha, thanks for the joke.

Whoever made it has some research to do though lol

Edited January 21, 2022 by Hawkguy

[CanadaFan123]

Honduras is missing some key players but has a full strength frontline. Easily top 5 in CONCACAF. 

[king1010]

 

[trc2014]

Just now, king1010 said:

 

Remember in March 2021 when Herdman said he didn’t know is Adekugbe was coming to camp until the day before as he wasn’t sure if he would be allowed to travel.  Sounds like this kind of thing is happening again.

[El Hombre]

1 minute ago, trc2014 said:

Remember in March 2021 when Herdman said he didn’t know is Adekugbe was coming to camp until the day before as he wasn’t sure if he would be allowed to travel.  Sounds like this kind of thing is happening again.

Someone else posted that they should just forego the roster release completely and we have to wait until we see who comes out for the anthems against Honduras and I am totally on board for that.  Embrace the chaos.

[toontownman]

10 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

Remember in March 2021 when Herdman said he didn’t know is Adekugbe was coming to camp until the day before as he wasn’t sure if he would be allowed to travel.  Sounds like this kind of thing is happening again.

Understandable. That said, pretty much everyone else has announced their rosters without too much difficulty by the looks of things. 

[Obinna]

26 minutes ago, king1010 said:

 

The FB/WB providing cover is certainly Gutierrez. Aside from that is sounds pretty boring. Certainly sounds like Mitrovic won't be there. If he is not called AND he doesn't transfer clubs I will be very disappointed and will want answers.

I was expecting him to come provided he doesn't transfer clubs, considering the talk from people like Galindo, Nef and his father. It ultimately comes down to Herdman's timing though, and while I may not like if the timing isn't right for Herdman, at least I can understand it. This is a crucial window for us. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

59 minutes ago, Hawkguy said:

Whoever made it has some research to do though lol

I haven't followed hockey closely in years.  When I knew some of the names my spider sense was tingling.  Fred Brathwaite was almost from my day.  I didn't think we'd be playing 49 year olds, that's Gordie Howe territory:)

[Kadenge]

When you only call 24 players there's no fat to trim...but with the team  in first place have to keep the faith.  Looking at the Nov squad,  subtract Davies and add Kennedy & Guti for the 24? 

[Hawkguy]

3 hours ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I haven't followed hockey closely in years.  When I knew some of the names my spider sense was tingling.  Fred Brathwaite was almost from my day.  I didn't think we'd be playing 49 year olds, that's Gordie Howe territory:)

Nigel Dawes is also part of the Canadian trio who declared for Kazakhstan to try to get themselves into the Olympics (and failed). 

[cornerkick]

Is there a limit or disadvantage of calling up a larger squad?  I don’t get why you’d want to bring a minimal squad when there are so many unknowns in this window.  

[blueseeka]

This is just what Herdman wants. Every window, we want a large club. Herdman obvious does not. The club is in first place, Herdman deserves the benefit of the doubt.

[Joe MacCarthy]

14 minutes ago, cornerkick said:

Is there a limit or disadvantage of calling up a larger squad?  I don’t get why you’d want to bring a minimal squad when there are so many unknowns in this window.  

I would say one simplistic reason would be money, the extra plane fares/hotel rooms and meals of five more people (think of how many thousands of dollars just that is).  There was no hiding the fact that Herdman said one of the main reasons for the push to qualify for this WC is that we need the money to fund where we want to go with the youth programs, women etc.  That would be only one reason.

[cornerkick]

12 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I would say one simplistic reason would be money, the extra plane fares/hotel rooms and meals of five more people (think of how many thousands of dollars just that is).  There was no hiding the fact that Herdman said one of the main reasons for the push to qualify for this WC is that we need the money to fund where we want to go with the youth programs, women etc.  That would be only one reason.

That makes sense…and since federations like Mexico are well funded, hence the large squad. 
 

i wonder if soccer Canada has been able to secure some advance sponsorship money or commitments, given the MNT standing in the hex, and odds of qualifying…

[frattinator]

5 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

 

Okay I'm embarrassed to say that I honestly thought this was the real roster until I read it for the 4th or 5th time. It wasn't until I realized how old Freddy Brathwaite is that the penny dropped. 

[Kadenge]

48 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I would say one simplistic reason would be money, the extra plane fares/hotel rooms and meals of five more people (think of how many thousands of dollars just that is).  There was no hiding the fact that Herdman said one of the main reasons for the push to qualify for this WC is that we need the money to fund where we want to go with the youth programs, women etc.  That would be only one reason.

Gotta spend money to make money? We are real close why not spend the extra dosh to close the deal? No time to scrimp 

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, blueseeka said:

This is just what Herdman wants. Every window, we want a large club. Herdman obvious does not. The club is in first place, Herdman deserves the benefit of the doubt.

I agree and have said this before: a short roster means everyone has real expectations to play (keepers apart), no one is along for the ride. No filler. 

Lean is good too. 

[Jedi Ram]

21 hours ago, Approve My Account Pls said:

Also with Tunisia losing to Gambia, they have to play Nigeria (probably 30-35 on this updated) in the round of 16. One of those two, likely Tunisia, will drop a bit further.

During Round of 16 in African Nations Cup, Canada can be as high as 38th and low as 41st before we play on January 27th.

Tunisia can drop 1 spot below us, but Cameroon and Egypt can jump over Canada with victories.  

There are a lot of African countries bunch up around us and they get higher importance points of 40 from quarterfinals onwards, where we got 25 during WCQ.  There are potential 6 African countries with ability to climb above 1462 pts [current Canada ranking pts].