Upon Further Reflection

[Gordon]

Earlier, in another thread, I expressed my displeasure at the selection for this Gold Cup team. However, upon further reflection, I am recanting that. For fun, I drafted out a list of the 23 players I saw forming our lineup at WC 2010. That's a crystal ball list that obviously will change as new players emerge, or prospects hit the wall. It also assume that my head is not rammed firm up my posterior and that Frank takes his head out of his behind as well. Obviously by its nature, this is highly speculative. But Yallop doesn't have a crystal ball either so all he can do is take his best guess as well (properly scouting players of course, an important part of a manager's "best guess")

But of my 23, 10 are on this Gold Cup team (Sutton, McKenna, Bernier, Hume, Occean, Brennan, Hutchinson, Pwame, Simpson and Peters), 4 have turned down invites (Klukowski, Nsaliwa, Imhoff, Julian DeG) one probably wasn't invited due to his changed circumstances (Stalteri). That Brings the list to 15 of 23. 4 more are U-20 "projections" who are likely better off training with their club sides, may not be ready for this level yet or have not yet commited to Canada (Ledgerwood, Edgar, Johnathon DeG, DeJong). Another (Jazic) is hurt. Now that is 20 of the 23 reasonably (IMO) accounted for. The last 3 are Reda, Hirschfeld and yes, I am going to say it, Fernandes. My 23 is based on the typical 3 keeper, 8 def, 8 mid, 4 fwd roster.

I also think that when Frank Yallop talks about his 'young future core' players and the need for experience, he is referring to Bernier, Hume, Hutchinson, Occean, Simpson and Peters. So I guess I don't have a problem with that particular statement from Yallop that some of the others on this board.

Now this is not to say that I do not want us to do well at the Gold Cup, and in our friendlies as well. When Yallop talks of developing a winning attitude, the most important element of that is actually winning.

So how about it? Who are your projected 23 (standard WC roster size) and how many of them are not here, or otherwise (reasonably) accounted for?

[loyola]

Thse same as you, except for Will Johnson instead of Jon DeGuz(since he'll choose Holland or will become the next Brad Parker) and I would say that behind Sutton it's a tough call, so two of Olivieri, Wagenaar, Karim, Franks, Giacomi, Fernandes, and Adam Street(just kidding, but a 13 yrs old starting in the U-17 WCQ is still impressive) will be in the 23 man roster. I think that maybe one of our current U-16 or U-17 players will be there instead of DeJong.

That's mine