Canadians meet in private to go over ...

[George]

...galling Gold Cup loss

NEIL DAVIDSON

WALTHAM, Mass. (CP) — The Canadian soccer team returned to training Tuesday, knowing their fate at the Gold Cup rested in others' hands and that they only had themselves to blame.

It was a dour practice session preceded by a 30-minute meeting between the players and coach Holger Osieck. The one reporter and camera crew travelling with the team were told to stay at a distance for the post-mortem of the dire 2-0 loss to Cuba.

``We had to address internally some things that were not OK,'' Osieck said later. ``Hopefully that cleared the air.''

Most of the players went for a run after the meeting, held in a circle with Osieck in the middle under the shade of a huge tree. Afterwards Osieck sat on a cooler, his chin in his hand, looking tired and drawn.

But he said he was not about to step down.

``It was a game,'' he said, speaking in a low voice. ``Things didn't go too well. We know what didn't go in the right direction and we have to keep working on that to improve.

``I don't see a reason why just one game should put everything in question,'' he added.

All in all, it was a far cry from the jovial practice Sunday, following the 1-0 win over Costa Rica.

The Canadian men(1-1-0) have finished their first-round schedule and must now await the outcome of Wednesday night's match between Costa Rica (0-1-0) and Cuba (1-0-0) to see if they continue to the quarter-finals or go home.

It doesn't look good for the Canadians, currently ranked 78th in the world.

With goal differential the first tiebreaker, Canada needs Cuba to win or tie or else hope the Costa Ricans win by at least three goals. The Central Americans, ranked 18th in the world, should be able to handle the No. 63 Cubans, especially since they have not played since losing to Canada on Saturday.

While anything is possible at the CONCACAF championship — Canada won the 2000 title after winning a coin toss to survive the first round and finished third in 2003 after surviving a three-team lottery to reach the quarter-finals — Osieck and captain Jason deVos have both acknowledged the Cuba loss essentially buried Canada's chances of advancing. And on Tuesday, the players looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but at practice.

The mood of the camp was captured by the fact that Canada's photographer was told by Osieck that he didn't want the traditional team picture.

The day started on the wrong foot when the team's bus driver headed to the wrong highway onramp and had to pull a U-turn in traffic.

Canada started like zombies against Cuba, went down 1-0 after 15 minutes and then gifted the Cubans a second goal on a giveaway just seconds into the second half on a giveaway.

Osieck was so steamed during the Cuba match that he kicked a water bucket on the sidelines, drenching assistant coach Colin Miller.

There were other casualties. Paul Stalteri was icing a bruised toe in a bucket of ice at practice Tuesday when an errant shot slammed into the container.

Nick Dasovic and Jason Bent nursed blisters while Kevin McKenna also skipped the run because of a twisted ankle.

The Cuba loss exposed Canada's woeful finishing as the Canadians failed to convert any of their 10 shots on target. It marked the 17th time Canada had been shut out in Osieck's 46-game tenure.

Osieck cannot score goals himself, however, and he has limited options in the absence of injured first-choice strikers Tomasz Radzinski and Dwayne De Rosario.

At this tournament, he has used Kevin McKenna and Paul Stalteri, players who have defensive responsibilities at their clubs in Europe, in front and it has showed.

Some of the Canadian players have also shown a petulant side on the field, with Stalteri in particular constantly complaining.

The Canadian braintrust sat slumped in the hotel bar after the loss Tuesday night, hardly speaking as they nursed beers.

A Canadian team official said the Canadians would watch Wednesday's game from the stands at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

[Guest Ed]

Oxymoron sighting.

"the Canadian braintrust ...."

What the hell has the CSA done to inspire us over the last 23 years??? I feel bad for the players but this is a new low. Time for change. Top to bottom.

Tired of the CSA playing musical chairs. See Sharpe will be blowing smoke about a stadium for Toronto in a week or two. Seem to recall his number 1 priority was WC qualifying. Hello??? WTF does a venue for an MLS team have to do with WC qualifying beginning next year?

Can we hand over the running of the MNT to a private organization?

Free the banana cream 3!

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:

But he said he was not about to step down.

``It was a game,'' he said, speaking in a low voice. ``Things didn't go too well. We know what didn't go in the right direction and we have to keep working on that to improve.

``I don't see a reason why just one game should put everything in question,'' he added.

Indirectly it seems Davidson asked him point blank if he was going to step down. Is this the first time the press has asked him this question? If so we have to give great credit to Davidson, who is asking the tough questions lately and is doing a fine job representing the sentiment of many fans.

Now all he has to do is ask the CSA bosses if they are considering looking for a new coach, or at least what they might do if Holger does decide to do something else on his own accord.

[George]

"We have to re-examine the way we play football in Canada because this is just not working."

- Jason de Vos

The more I read the quote the more I ask myself what Jason was alluding to?

a) Was it a critique of Holger’s tactics? Is he tired of the coach’s emphasis on defence?

Was it a larger criticism aimed at the CSA? Perhaps he is upset that we never have sufficient preparation for tournaments and matches?

c) Or was it an even broader critique aimed at the Canadian soccer establishment regarding the lack of a national league and adequate facilities?

My guess is that it was a little from a, b and c.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

[Beckham Jr.]

I see no reason as to why Holger should consider stepping down, or the CSA should consider firing him. After watching both games in Foxboro I really don't agree with blaming Holger for this one. You could tell from the moment the boys stepped on the pitch for the pre-game warm-up they weren't as energetic as they had been for the Costa Rica game. The boys were tired. Every Voyageur down there will agree with me on that one. They gave they're all in the staggering heat against Costa Rica on Saturday, and a lot of the squad isn't anywhere near proper match fitness. There is nothing Holger can do about the energy levels of his squad. In fact, he actually used all three subs, which we all know is quite the rarity.

This was a Canadian "B" team against a much improved Cuban team, and every team in the world is suspect to bad showings. This was a bad showing for us. We just couldn't capitalize on our opportunites, which isn't surprising as we're missing our two best strikers. The only mistake Holger made in my eyes was that he left Nash on as long as he did. Nash was obviously dead tired from about the 50th minute on, and I thought Hutchison should have come in sooner.

Let's not forget the manager who led us to a well played win over Costa Rica just a few days ago. Hopefully the team will get the chance to redeem themselves against the Yanks.

C'mon you Cubans!!...or you Ticos!!...by 3

-----------

“I've found the smaller, faster players, they're not so fast when they're lying on the grass. It tends to slow them down a bit.” Mark Watson on Japan's speedy Confederations Cup team.

[Beckham Jr.]

I see no reason as to why Holger should consider stepping down, or the CSA should consider firing him. After watching both games in Foxboro I really don't agree with blaming Holger for this one. You could tell from the moment the boys stepped on the pitch for the pre-game warm-up they weren't as energetic as they had been for the Costa Rica game. The boys were tired. Every Voyageur down there will agree with me on that one. They gave they're all in the staggering heat against Costa Rica on Saturday, and a lot of the squad isn't anywhere near proper match fitness. There is nothing Holger can do about the energy levels of his squad. In fact, he actually used all three subs, which we all know is quite the rarity.

This was a Canadian "B" team against a much improved Cuban team, and every team in the world is suspect to bad showings. This was a bad showing for us. We just couldn't capitalize on our opportunites, which isn't surprising as we're missing our two best strikers. The only mistake Holger made in my eyes was that he left Nash on as long as he did. Nash was obviously dead tired from about the 50th minute on, and I thought Hutchison should have come in sooner.

Let's not forget the manager who led us to a well played win over Costa Rica just a few days ago. Hopefully the team will get the chance to redeem themselves against the Yanks.

C'mon you Cubans!!...or you Ticos!!...by 3

-----------

“I've found the smaller, faster players, they're not so fast when they're lying on the grass. It tends to slow them down a bit.” Mark Watson on Japan's speedy Confederations Cup team.

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

Indirectly it seems Davidson asked him point blank if he was going to step down. Is this the first time the press has asked him this question? If so we have to give great credit to Davidson, who is asking the tough questions lately and is doing a fine job representing the sentiment of many fans.

Now all he has to do is ask the CSA bosses if they are considering looking for a new coach, or at least what they might do if Holger does decide to do something else on his own accord.

Hear, hear!

Am certainly not ready to call for Holger's head just yet, but good on Neil to put forward the question.

"Minority of one"

[Guest Jeffery S.]

This is the moment to move if the CSA has the nerve to do it. We start WC qualifying in a few months, and if we want to go into it with optimism we need a shake-up. As is we have very little chance of making even the HEX, our Concacaf ranking is close to being right (8th or 9th). We have a good group of under 20s who will come out of the WYCup looking for a shot (as some, like Atiba and Hume already have), and the Olympic qualifiers will hone some of the under 23s who are also looking to step in.

Let's let someone else ensure a fresh start, close off an era that has seen some real success but is in severe decline and is affecting the overall mood of the solid players to boot (the CSA should listen to our captain). Now is the time to start considering options. I would make an offer to Yallop, who could finish his season and then move over. There may be a few others out there too. Funny noone has ever mentioned Forrest, but of course he has no coaching experience. But he surely would know how to work a defense and knows what it means to compete on a high level, instilling spirit.

[George]

I think Holger has done an above average job as our manager. I think that he probably deserves the opportunity to lead the boys into WCQ. That being said, I wouldn’t be sad to see him go.

From what it sounds like many of the players are put off by his coaching style.

And we just don’t have the depth to ostracize players such as Fernando, Bircham and now Paul.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

[Guest Ed]

I must admit I was in a bit of a state when I made that post. Holger has done some good things but there must be some serious problems in the dressing room for the normally positive Jason de Vos to say what he said.

And what the hell is that last bit about 'ostracize players such as Fernando, Bircham and now Stalteri'? Stalteri??? He gives us everything on the field. I've not heard anything on that front.

Free the banana cream 3!

[Cheeta]

NASA has a multi billion dollor budget yet a space shuttle falls apart during re entry. Canada well tank one occasionaly. I still don't know how we lost this match, but we did.

Don't panic.

Has everyone forgotten the last world cup?

I don't want to sound rah, rah, rah, but I know I am but on another night McKenna has a hat trick, or makes room for some midfield attacking support which nets a **** pile of goals and we're all talking about how we've re-discovered the ol' footy air game which everyone else has forgotten.

JDV was as frustrated (at least) as the rest of us from monday's result.

Don't panic.

"Minority of one"

[George]

Sorry Ed. I meant Paul Peschisolido....not Paul Stalteri.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by George

I think that he probably deserves the opportunity to lead the boys into WCQ. That being said, I wouldn’t be sad to see him go.

From what it sounds like many of the players are put off by his coaching style.

Holger may not have the opportunity to lead the boys into WCQ. I will not be surprised if the boys go on strike and refuse to play for him any longer. He will have to quit then and probably Colin Miller will carry on until after the WC.