In four years’ time, when we look back at how Canada did at World Cup qualifying -- good or bad -- I think we’ll see Simeon Jackson as a leader of the side.
I had the opportunity to sit in on a teleconference with him yesterday, and it was easy to tell just how much playing for the national team means to him. This is a young man that truly knows what it’s like to bleed the red and white -- he celebrated Norwich City’s promotion with a Canadian flag wrapped around his shoulders.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
If you read my latest MLSsoccer.com piece on Jackson, as well as Lori Ewing’s recent Canadian Press article, you get a sense that Jackson really wants to personally lead Canada to new heights. Of course, he is but one player, and may not even be the best player on Canada’s roster, let alone the best player eligible to wear the maple leaf.
That said, his kind of exuberance and drive to succeed is exactly what our national team needs to reach that elusive next step. This is a guy who moved up from the dregs of England’s non-league to the cusp of the Premiership, so he knows what it takes to advance from seemingly nowhere in the world of football to the big dance.
And make no mistake, Canada is nowhere in the world of football at the moment.
Not only that, but he has the right attitude about it all. He actually said that he takes it to heart when his English teammates joke around that they weren’t aware that Canada even had a national program, and he said that it’s become a goal of his to change that poor perception of Canadian football around the world.
To that end, he says the onus is on the players -- not the CSA, or the coaches, or the system -- to make things right, through results.
“I don’t see [the perception of Canada as a poor soccer country] changing without winning a Gold Cup or qualifying for the World Cup,” he said.
He added that home support is crucial, something that has not always been assured in Canadian cities when large ex-pat crowds show up to cheer on the other country.
“It does play a part,” Jackson said. “Your home supporters can definitely make or break you.”
Again, he makes no excuses about it, and lays the responsibility on the players to raise their game and change those ex-pats into Canada supporters.
“I think it’s important to make sure that players on the team are doing our part, getting results on the field to make it attractive.”
Refreshing stuff, especially when considering how some players in the last WC cycle were a little too eager to throw everyone but themselves under the bus for their failure to advance to South Africa.
Perhaps my favourite quote of his that didn’t make my MLSsoccer.com story was the following:
"I've grown up watching Team Canada, and I always felt that if I had the opportunity I would go out there and give it my all, and hopefully try and do something great for the country. That's what my dream is, that's what my goal is, and I'm going to keep going out there and try to achieve that."
Note that he also said that he’s been working on Junior Hoilett to don the maple leaf, as well.
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UPDATE: Video of Jackson saluting Norwich fans while wrapped in a Canadian flag:
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Photo: CanadaSoccer.com