Canadian soccer team takes to the field for...

George · January 13, 2004

...first time under Frank Yallop

By NEIL DAVIDSON

SUNRISE, Fla. (CP) - The road to the 2006 World Cup started anew for Canada on a sunny field in south Florida on Tuesday.

The magnitude of the job ahead is not lost on newly minted head coach Frank Yallop. If the Canadian men's soccer team is now his baby, Tuesday's scrimmage was the tiniest of toddler steps.

"It's not a sprint, this development of the Canadian game," said Yallop, who left the MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes to take over a Canadian side ranked 87th in the world.

"I understand that. That's the reason I took it. I could have stayed where I was or did whatever I wanted to do, within MLS. But I want to help Canada out. I want to get us back on track. Now how long that's going to take? Good question."

Yallop, 39, admitted to some butterflies before Tuesday's session, his first as coach. But on the field, he was poised and professional - a suggestion here, a word of praise there. Mostly, however, he just watched.

He has a lot more to see.

Almost all of Yallop's elite players - about a dozen, he reckoned - are with their clubs in Europe. And for many of the North American-based players, Tuesday's scrimmage was their first real action in four months.

With a portion of the under-23 team on hand, action on the field largely consisted of a 10-against-10 scrimmage. For the record, the 40-minute session ended in a 2-2 tie with Gabe Gervais scoring twice for the senior team to counter two early goals by Rob Friend for an Olympic side bolstered by two of Yallop's players.

For Yallop, the session was just a runabout. He was happy with it, but wasn't about to draw any conclusions.

"The bulk of the team wasn't there," he noted, including such young under-20 stars as Iain Hume and Atiba Hutchinson among the players missing in action.

"I'm hoping these guys make it, but they've got to beat out the guys that maybe weren't here either."

Yallop is realistic about what lies ahead. In a change from the past, it looks like his Canadian squad may be able to score goals if healthy, with the attack options of Tomasz Radzinski, Paul Peschisolido, Dwayne DeRosario and young Hume.

The backline may be more of a concern. And someone has to create the chances from midfield.

"We need to be able to outwork teams, because we're probably not going to be to outskilling them," Yallop said. "So we've got to outwork them and outhink them and outorganize them."

As he begins his career as national team coach, it is clear his mind is already buzzing.

First on his list is a training site in Canada, where players can practise year-round. Ideally the venue - he's looking at Vancouver where the coaching braintrust is headquartered and the elements are benign - would include some kind of dorm facility, to keep costs down for everyone involved.

"Without that we're going to struggle," he said. "We need to start building momentum where we're not stop-start, stop-start all the time. You don't get anywhere."

Having time to work with players will be crucial for Canada in the CONCACAF region, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. Most of the CONCACAF countries have strong domestic leagues and retain their players, meaning the pool of talent is readily available for the national team.

Yallop has just five days to prepare for an exhibition game Sunday in Barbados. When he was coach of San Jose, he reckoned he would have 18-20 before playing a game in the same circumstances.

That means reining in his players, to make sure they do not arrive stiff and sore for Sunday's game, which admittedly does not matter much in the scheme of things. He told the squad as much before practice Tuesday, counselling caution in their play.

Most of the senior players were happy just to get through the session, unused to the sun and heat. Not that they were complaining.

"It's good to get away from the minus-30 degrees and come here and enjoy our job," said veteran defender Carl Fletcher, who happily escaped an icebox in Toronto to come to Florida.

While it is too early to tell much, Fletcher likes what he sees in the Canadian camp under Yallop.

"As far as the actual atmosphere, it's nice and comfortable," said the veteran of 40 internationals. "It's a change and in any sport, in any job, sometimes change brings on positive outcomes.

"It's not necessarily somebody was poor in the past, but sometimes in life you just need a change. People need to move on."

Notes: Goalkeeper Pat Onstad saw limited action Tuesday, with team officials reluctant to push him just five weeks after ankle surgery. . . . Veteran defender Mark Watson wore his assistant coach hat with the Olympic side Tuesday but will see playing time for the senior side as needed once he gets over a minor groin strain. ... AEK Athens defender Stathis Kapos made it from Greece in time for the practice. "It's tough," said Yallop. "He's just trained at 4 in the morning his time." Angolan-born defender Edgar Bartolomeu, who is awaiting Canadian citizenship, missed the practice as he worked on visa problems. ... Training in the afternoon Tuesday was limited to a session in the hotel pool. ... Olympic team striker Rob Friend will be among those added to the senior side for the game in Barbados.

Duane Rollins1555362254 · January 14, 2004

It's nice to feel that strange, and often missing, (when thinking about Canadian football) feeling of hope again, isn't it?

That said...one line of that article sums up the entire problem with the current state of affairs for the national team (teams, really, the same thing can be said about the women's program).

"...And someone has to create the chances from midfield..."

When, oh when, will Canada produce that player?

Anyway.... So far so good, I like what Yallop is doing; we are Canada, we can't ignore any warm body that is available. We, God help us, are only a couple knocks away from 'and starting at centre back...Carl Fletcher' at any time (although, that said, it wouldn't seem right if Canada wasn't trying to qualify for the World Cup without at least one player who is listed as 'unattached'....).

Without a league geared to produce young players we need to have these types of camps constantly. The idea of having a permanent training camp is down right inspired (although I'll believe it when I see it). Like I said, so far so good...I'm starting to let myself dream just a bit about the Hex (and maybe even a nice home and home with, say, China....). Right now, that's as far as I'm willing to let myself dream. Mr. Yallop et al. will need to show some results before I start saving my loonies for a trip to Germany....

Anyway...hope is good. God knows it's more than I had six months ago.

Cheeta · January 14, 2004

Wondering if Yallop's going to get anything worth seeing from Mr. Friend? Pair of goals in a relaxed scrimmage is still a pair of goals for the new manager's eyes.

Would love to hear that Friend is coming along nicely with the quality of his footballing.

larnicent · January 14, 2004

quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy

"...And someone has to create the chances from midfield..."

When, oh when, will Canada produce that player?

That player is John Sulentic. He is one of the best midfielders we have. He was chosen to attend the training camp in Florida. So, hopefully he will make a great impression while he is there.

matthew · January 14, 2004

I quite like Sulentic, but frankly I've believed for the last six years that that player will be and now is Julian DeGuzman.

If you take a midfield of:

Hume-----------Stalteri---------------Brennan

----------------DeGuzman

and I don't see how creativity in the attack will be a problem. Add Jazic/Klukowski and Bent/Bircham playing the outside back positions and I think we can get some offence going. This team should be able to hold possession and score against pretty much anyone. Keeping the opposition from scoring goals in bunches has been the bigger concern lately.

I'm really upbeat right now, I think we've got the makings of a really nice team with loads of depth and skill. I like the sound of Kappos and Bartolomeu.

cheers,

matthew

Gordon · January 14, 2004

quote:Originally posted by matthew

If you take a midfield of:

Hume-----------Stalteri---------------Brennan

----------------DeGuzman

and I don't see how creativity in the attack will be a problem. Add Jazic/Klukowski and Bent/Bircham playing the outside back positions and I think we can get some offence going.

I can't help but think that Mr. Hume will be a forward, probably not a starter and that Mr. Nsaliwa will be the likely preferred rightside mid. I also expect that Yallop will likely continue Mr. Stalteri as a right back, if he can find a competent defensive mid - perhaps Hutchinson or Aguiar. As much as I like Deisel in the midfield, Canada would be a better team if Hutchinson (or Aguiar) can fill the defensive mid role and Stalteri the right back slot. Of course, If both DD & Radz are present, Hume in the Midfield and Nsaliwa at rightback would be an attractive attacking formation as well.

I think that Yallop will be placing higher priority on speed than did Holger. Unless the slower guy is clearly a better, preference will be given to speed. I also think he will like a more cultured player at defensive mid as opposed to a pure destroyer. A guy like Stalteri fits that bill. But so too will Hutchinson, if not now, then surely soon.

Canuck Oranje · January 14, 2004

I have to agree with Gordon. Nasliwa cannot be ignored as a starter on the right side. All reports I've read with my limited knowledge of German indicate he is recognized as one of the top players at Jahn Regensberg and we can't discount the quality of B-2 as a league. One report I read lists him with Hutwelker as the two best players at Regensberg in the first half of the season. How many Canadian players would get that billing at their club?

An Observer · January 14, 2004

I think we are definitley gaining quite a bit of depth now. I see our side as follows based on a 4-4-2

---------- Hirschfeld ---------------

Stalteri McKenna De Vos Jazic

Nsaliwa Aguiar De Guzman Brennan

------ Radzinski De Rossario ------

The best part is we now have some depth at every position:

Keeper: Onstad can back Hirschfeld (but I see this and Central Defense as a our greatest weaknesses)

Right Back: Kapos seems like a good alternative here to Stalteri especially if he is now starting for AEK Athens.

Central D: Menezes and Reda are both options here as possibly are Gervais and Pizzolito. However, without De Vos in there, I would feel very uncomfortable against a good set of strikers as McKenna has still alot to learn and is a bit slow, Menezes has disappeared for a while, and Reda, Gervais and Pizzolito are all unproven. Hutchinson maybe a solution or possibly even moving Stalteri or Nsaliwa into this position if De Vos is absent.

Left Back. Kluklowski and possibly Bartolomeu give good cover here for Jazic (whose position I think it is to lose now since he starts for Rapid Vienna).

Right Midfield. While Nsaliwa name is here to start now, I think he flip with Stalteri. Also, Kapos, Bent and even Bircham are options here. For a more attack minded side, Hume is also an option.

Central Midfield. Hutchinson is the obvious back up for Aguiar and De Guzman but Imoff is option as well. And of course Bent and Bircham.

Left Midfield. Again, both Klukowski and Bartolemue but also Canizales especially if he can start in a year or so with Bremen.

Strikers. Pesch and of course Hume. Possibly Friend if he can start putting in goals in Norway.

Of course, there are others who may push their way into the side soon. Dunfield is still a possibility as is Oppong if he can work his way into Saarbrucken's side and the U-20 backs (Arrango, Marshal, Harmse) and of course Simpson on the left. And then the two Italian players. Finally, there is also Bernier and Pozniak and the few A-leaguers not already mentioned (Nash, Sulentic, Clark, etc.).

The best part is we have done away with Fenwick, Hastings from consideration. The future is bright in my opinion.

An Observer · January 14, 2004