Massive Attack Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 It appears Neil Davidson is in Florida, at the camp, so, we should be getting some regular articles from this camp. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Yallop promises fresh start, more responsibility for Canadian soccer players By NEIL DAVIDSON SUNRISE, Fla. (CP) - The Frank Yallop era at the helm of the Canadian men's soccer team kicks off on the field Tuesday but there are also changes coming off the pitch. Yallop, who officially took over the job on Jan. 1, promises a blank slate for his players. "I'm starting from scratch," the former San Jose Earthquakes coach said Monday on the eve of his first Canadian camp as head coach. "If you impress me and I like you, you've got half a chance. "I've got to do that. I can't be swayed by other people's opinions. I've got to make the judgment on these guys." The players will be given more responsibility. "When we cross the white line (to play), it's all business," Yallop said. "Off the field, they're adults. They can do what they need to do." That means relaxing the schedule. Fewer team meals at set times, for example. "They need to go and explore and go out together and express themselves . . . Not just sitting in a room with blank walls. It's boring." That will be welcome news to veterans in the squad, who chafed under former coach Holger Osieck's rigid schedule. Still, players will be accountable for their actions. Happy hour shouldn't be too happy. "I know if they've been out - on the piss, to be honest," said Yallop. "I can work that out, it's not very difficult. "Take care of yourself. You know what you need to do as a player. Because I'll see on the field if you're any good or not. If you're not playing well you're not playing. "So it's pretty simple. I give them respect and they've got to give it back to me and the staff." Yallop promises an open-door policy as coach. "Anybody can talk to me about anything," he said. Communication, at times, was an issue under Osieck. Everything is under review, even the captaincy which belonged to defender Jason deVos under Osieck. Yallop wants to speak to all his players first before making such decisions. "Maybe there won't be a change, but what I've got to do is make sure it's the right decision. He's been a good player for Canada. . . . I'll make the decision when we all get together." That will have to wait. In his first camp as coach, Yallop has elected to stick with mostly North American-based players so he can avoid taking his European-based players away from their clubs until really needed. Yallop doesn't have much time to put his stamp on the program before the first World Cup qualifying game in June. The opponent in the home-and-away series is modest, world No. 174 Belize, but there is no margin of error for the No. 87 Canadians. Plus Yallop won't have much time with his full squad. Exhibition games are tentatively planned for March and April, one in Europe and another away in a CONCACAF country. He also plans a month-long scouting trip in Europe, to watch and talk to the overseas players. The first challenge is a friendly on Sunday in Bridgetown against No. 124 Barbados. Yallop plans to go with a 4-4-2 system rather than the 3-5-2 formation favoured by Osieck. "I feel we're better in a 4-4-2 . . . it's pretty well-structured and easy to follow. We might change at times but I think it'll be a surprise if I don't play that." Yallop, who turned to coaching after retiring as a player in 1998, has his own learning curve. Coaching at the national team level is different from running a club side. A club coach's training and game schedule, for example, are far more predictable than that of a national team boss. Access to players is far more limited at the international level. But the 39-year-old has a trump card as Canadian team coach. "I've been through it as a player," said Yallop, who won 52 caps for Canada. Yallop played in England from 1983 to 1996 for Ipswich. He sometimes paid at the club level for his unwavering commitment to Canada because when asked, he never once turned his country down. He acknowledges national team duty cost him at the club level. But he has no regrets, loved played for Canada and clearly relishes the current task. "The ultimate goal is we're all trying to get to a World Cup. . . . For me to sit here and say we're going to do it, it's going to be very difficult. But why not? We can have a good crack at it. "But each round, starting with Belize, is not easy. That's not an easy home-and-away series. None of these games are, but if you be positive with it and think you can win, good things happen usually." Notes - Edgar Bartholomeu, an Angolan-born member of the MLS MetroStars who is waiting on Canadian citizenship, may be late arriving at camp because of visa red tape ... Yallop increased the camp roster to 16 when he invited 24-year-old Stathios Kapos, a right back with AEK Athens in the Greek first division. Kapos holds both Canadian and Greek citizenship. ... Yallop dismissed a report that former Canadian goalkeeper Craig Forrest is in the running to be his assistant. The job will go to either Olympic coach Bruce Twamley, under-20 coach Dale Mitchell or former interim national team coach Colin Mitchell. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2004/01/12/311620-cp.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strobe_z Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack Yallop dismissed a report that former Canadian goalkeeper Craig Forrest is in the running to be his assistant. The job will go to either Olympic coach Bruce Twamley, under-20 coach Dale Mitchell or former interim national team coach Colin Mitchell. Wasn't it Neil that posted the whole "Craig is all but named assistant coach"?? I like how he slipped that in at the end.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungey Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I know Norm Da Costa did (posted on this board). Now I see why people here question everything he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I don't recall Neil saying that, I believe it was Norm Da Costa that did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 No Neil said he'd pick one of Mitchell, Twamley and Miller in an older article. So he's basically covering his own butt by having Yallop dismiss DaCosta's report that Forrest was the assistant. Without citizenship, can Bartolomeu play in the Barbados friendly? cheers, matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 *Lying in my bed typing this on my laptop:* Mimglow: Look Helen, Da Costa was fibbing when he said Forrest was going to be Yallop's assistant. I suppose that's why Sportsnet hasn't called to ammend your contract. Helen: *rolling over to face me* Oh good sweetie, that means I get to spend more time with you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strobe_z Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Ahh.. I stand corrected.. it was indeed Norm that wrote thtat. Thanks for clearing that up. I claim Monday and an over abundance of names beginning with the letter "N" as my defence. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbin Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 quote:Originally posted by matthew Without citizenship, can Bartolomeu play in the Barbados friendly? I think the FIFA rules require four or five years' residence in the country, _or_ citizenship. Just like Hargreaves. Or no, wait. He's a Canadian citizen and a German resident. Well, I suppose England is the average of the two, geographically... Allez les Rouges, M@ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstackho Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Yes, it was the Norm article with the title "YALLOP PICKS FORREST". He's very annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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