Yallop Interview

[masster]

I did a short interview with Frank Yallop that will air tonight (Friday, November 11th) during a show called Sports Mag on CFML Radio. If you live around the Vancouver Area you can listen to it on 104.5 Cable FM, otherwise you have to go to www.radiocfml.com right click on the Listen Icon and go to Open. It starts at 5:20 Pacific Time, 8:20 out east.

The interview will air in the second segment of the show. I wish I could have gone in depth but most of the students and my instructors (who grade my on this) are not soccer fans so I had to keep it short (I've already been warned about putting too much soccer content in the show in the past). So the questions are pretty basic.

I asked some other questions that I had to cut out of the interview so when I get a chance I will transcribe them and post his answers.

After checking out some of these threads, I realize that I should have asked about Fernandes and gotten more details on friendlies but I didn't.

[masster]

Yallop commenting on the U18s (or U20 development team) tour of England.

"I didn't go over for the trip but I spoke to Dale at length. We speak a lot anyway, but he felt very good about the group. He felt the time together was the most importnat thing they had. The games were good. They are playing against equivilant players to them which is good. Some positive results which is always nice to get your wins and your ties and all that other stuff under your belt. He felt that the time together was very, very beneficial for that group, that is going to grow into the team that is going to compete in the next World Cup for the U20s. And he felt good about it, and I would love to have the same sort of scenario with my team but obviously playing professionally in people's first teams its difficult to get our players together as often as we'd like."

[masster]

Yallop commenting on the U18s (or U20 development team) tour of England.

"I didn't go over for the trip but I spoke to Dale at length. We speak a lot anyway, but he felt very good about the group. He felt the time together was the most importnat thing they had. The games were good. They are playing against equivilant players to them which is good. Some positive results which is always nice to get your wins and your ties and all that other stuff under your belt. He felt that the time together was very, very beneficial for that group, that is going to grow into the team that is going to compete in the next World Cup for the U20s. And he felt good about it, and I would love to have the same sort of scenario with my team but obviously playing professionally in people's first teams its difficult to get our players together as often as we'd like."

[masster]

YALLOP ON JONATHAN DE GUZMAN

"I've spoke to Jonathan a number of times and right at this point in his career he wants to concentrate on his club soccer. Doesn't want to get involved in any international football right now. So its not something that we just ask him once and let it go. I've kept in contact with Jonathan. He's doing very well at his club. He still feels a tie to Canada which is great and wants to play for Canada, he thinks at some point, but right now he's not ready to commit. So its a bit of a frustrating tie for us cause we understand and we know he's a very good player and we'd love to have him involved. But what we don't want to do is put a gun to his head and put him under pressure and then he pulls away and we lose him. So its a long process and hopefully you'll see him in a Canada shirt at some point."

[masster]

YALLOP ON JONATHAN DE GUZMAN

"I've spoke to Jonathan a number of times and right at this point in his career he wants to concentrate on his club soccer. Doesn't want to get involved in any international football right now. So its not something that we just ask him once and let it go. I've kept in contact with Jonathan. He's doing very well at his club. He still feels a tie to Canada which is great and wants to play for Canada, he thinks at some point, but right now he's not ready to commit. So its a bit of a frustrating tie for us cause we understand and we know he's a very good player and we'd love to have him involved. But what we don't want to do is put a gun to his head and put him under pressure and then he pulls away and we lose him. So its a long process and hopefully you'll see him in a Canada shirt at some point."

[masster]

Main points form the Interview:

He expects to start with a 4-3-3 formation similar to the game v Spain.

He obviously wants a win but winning is secondary. His main goal is to take a look at all the players at his disposal and experiment. He wants to be sure of the type of roster he has so the team can hit the ground running for the next round of WCQ. The way he sees it, the next two years are just preparation.

I asked about the positives we have seen from Canadians in Europe (Julian scoring, Radz v Stalteri in the Prem, Canadians at Tromso), his response was that its great to see, and with the addition of the Toronto stadium, MLS to Canada and WYC 2007, its his job to bring it all together and turn it into National Team victories.

Other things Yallop mentioned:

There will be a national team training camp for him to look at players. It will run for a couple of weeks from the end of January to the beginning of February in Florida. There will be a couple of training matches against teams that have yet to be named.

Canada has submitted lots of requests to play friendlies prior to the WC. They have yet to hear back, but Yallop hopes to get a couple of weeks of training and games around that time.

[loyola]

Thanks masster, very interesting stuff. Good to see that we are trying to have some matches before the 2006 WC, I think it would be a great opportunity for us to play some quality games.

The B team Florida training camp is always a + for our MNT depth and I hope we'll play some team from Central America or the Caraibes this time.

[masster]

Finally, some other info I obtained during our conversation.

He would like to try McKenna at forward again. But it was Kevin who felt he wanted to play in the back. I mentioned that I thought central D was our weekest position and although he didn't come out and say it, he kind of agreed. He would like to see Atiba in the mid as well, but he infered that with Marco Reda out he doesn't really have a choice.

Then I asked if we had seen the last of Bircham and Hastings in a Canadian uniform. Once again, while he didn't come out and give a direct yes, it kind of sounded that way. He said he considers Bircham to be "down the depth chart" for our midfield. With regards to Hastings, he said he is more regularly featuring in the first team at his club, and there may be an opportunity to take a look at him again. So I think Bircham is finished and there is a very, very, very small chance that we might see Hastings.

All in all it was a fairly good interview, and the feeling I got from Frank was that there are some of the necessary pieces in place, now its his job to get results.

[Daniel]

Cool. A lot of questions answered and I wouldn't want to repeat them if I get him in Lux.

Nothing about Fernandes?

[The Ref]

Great stuff friend. Yallop may not win us many games, but at least the guy can speak English and is candid in his responses.

[Cheeta]

Good work.

Isn't it true that you learn soooo much more from what is said and not said (or how it's said) outside of the actual "public" interview than what is noted inside of it?

Not so sure that's a bad thing either.

Shame about Bircham. Not surprised, and not exactly disappointed either to be honest. But he dose bring some venom to a squad which Canada has been lacking of late. At least in my opinion. So alas, I'm rightly or wrongly I'm going to put it down to personalitys.

[nolando]

I clicked the link, but couldn't figure out from where the radio station broadcasts. Is it Capilano's broadcasting project?

[masster]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Nothing about Fernandes?

On my long list of questions its one I didn't get around to. Plus I talked to him before I knew that Lars pulled out.

[masster]

quote:Originally posted by nolando

I clicked the link, but couldn't figure out from where the radio station broadcasts. Is it Capilano's broadcasting project?

Its actually BCIT, British Columbia Institute of Technology

[Daniel]

Grande is Bircham+skill . He just needs to play 90.

And, to revive a classic image of Bircham skills:

[youllneverwalkalone]

I've been a fan of the style we've tried to play under Yallop. However, after defending him through the Tam decision, this Fernandes issue leaves me perplexed. Were I the current manager, I wouldn't be so confident in my own boots to claim Bircham is done. He's only 27 and, unlike Frankie, we have a pretty good qualifiying record with him on the bench.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I've been a fan of the style we've tried to play under Yallop. However, after defending him through the Tam decision, this Fernandes issue leaves me perplexed. Were I the current manager, I wouldn't be so confident in my own boots to claim Bircham is done. He's only 27 and, unlike Frankie, we have a pretty good qualifiying record with him on the bench.

[Cheeta]

Well say this, he's a disrupter on the pitch in a way no other Canadian player can be. Don't marginalise that! Maybe not the quickest fellow, and his ball skills maybe a bit wanting at times but the way he sees a pitch is pretty damned sharp too. As good as any and I'd say better than most.

Clapped off the pitch at Windsor wasn't he? Try to name another Canadian player who was ever clapped off the pitch by the ememy supports.

[Ashton Gate]

Marc Bircham will likely never play at the EPL level, however the indisputable facts are that he has established himself as a solid pro at the English Championship level. He may be down the list on Frank Yallop's judgement depth chart, but his career record compares very favourably with many other Canadian internationals, viz.

Bircham, (27 yrs old), 202 career league appearances, 25 Cup appearances.

Brennan, (28), 192 career league appearances, 24 Cup appearances.

DeVos, (31), 279 career league appearances, 39 Cup appearances.

Peschisolido, (34), 283 career league appearances, 49 Cup appearances.

Maybe Yallop just feels that Bircham is past being able to help him in building a squad to qualify for the next World Cup, this position is defensible since Bircham will be 30 by 2008. However, to suggest that Canada was stacked with established midfielders playing at a higher depth chart level than Bircham in the last round of World Cup qualifying is (sorry Frank Y.) patent nonsense.

[Winnipeg Fury]

quote:Originally posted by Ashton Gate

Marc Bircham will likely never play at the EPL level, however the indisputable facts are that he has established himself as a solid pro at the English Championship level. He may be down the list on Frank Yallop's judgement depth chart, but his career record compares very favourably with many other Canadian internationals, viz.

Bircham, (27 yrs old), 202 career league appearances, 25 Cup appearances.

Brennan, (28), 192 career league appearances, 24 Cup appearances.

DeVos, (31), 279 career league appearances, 39 Cup appearances.

Peschisolido, (34), 283 career league appearances, 49 Cup appearances.

Maybe Yallop just feels that Bircham is past being able to help him in building a squad to qualify for the next World Cup, this position is defensible since Bircham will be 30 by 2008. However, to suggest that Canada was stacked with established midfielders playing at a higher depth chart level than Bircham in the last round of World Cup qualifying is (sorry Frank Y.) patent nonsense.

Agreed. He must not be interested in playing for Canada at this point.

[trueviking]

i'm sad about birch....he brings something to the squad that others dont...he seemed to change the complexion of the team against belize....it wasnt there in the other WCQ matches after he was dumped....to say that someone playing at his level is down on the depth chart is crazy for a team that is as deep as a martini glass...not sure how we can just turn our back on a player who is a consistent performer at the championship league level when our WCQ team was made up of USL players.

[El Hombre]

quote:Originally posted by trueviking

i'm sad about birch....he brings something to the squad that others dont...he seemed to change the complexion of the team against belize....it wasnt there in the other WCQ matches after he was dumped....to say that someone playing at his level is down on the depth chart is crazy for a team that is as deep as a martini glass...not sure how we can just turn our back on a player who is a consistent performer at the championship league level when our WCQ team was made up of USL players.

For the first few WCQ games at least, he was dumped due to a bad hamstring injury. After that, I don't know why he wasn't invited back. I think he was back playing for the QPR reserves by the end of September.