sstackho Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Youth movement follows loss of World Cup berth: SOCCER I Canada's failure to qualify gives coach a look at next generation Dan Stinson Vancouver Sun 697 words 7 January 2006 Vancouver Sun Final E4 English Copyright © 2006 Vancouver Sun Staying active during a non-World-Cup year is Frank Yallop's challenge in 2006. Canada's disappointment of failing to qualify for this summer's global soccer tournament in Germany now a fading memory, and head coach Yallop has managed to set up a training camp in California, plus two international friendly matches for a piecemeal squad of 19 national team players over the first three months of the year. The squad bears little resemblance to the senior national team that failed to progress from the semifinal round of CONCACAF zone World Cup qualifying in the summer of 2004. All of Canada's European-based players are unavailable because of club commitments, forcing Yallop to reach into the two North American professional leagues -- the United Soccer Leagues First Division and Major League Soccer -- for his personnel. "There's definitely an emphasis on many of Canada's younger players at this point of the year," says Yallop. "I haven't had a chance to work with those players because my focus has been on the senior national team in recent years. In the absense of several senior players who are committed to European teams, this is an ideal time for me to take a look at the younger guys." Canada's training camp starts Sunday and continues to Jan. 20 in Carson, Calif., which is one of three national training centres for U.S. teams. Canada's first of two exhibition games is Jan. 22 against the World Cup-bound U.S. national team in San Diego. The second friendly is March 1 against Austria's national team in Vienna. The first phase of training camp conflicts with the Mexico-based Chivas Cup international youth tournament -- a 24-nation event that includes Canada's under-20 team under the guidance of head coach Dale Mitchell. Based in Guadalajara, Canada is scheduled to play five games in as many days against Group 1 opponents, starting today. Only the four group winners advance to the Chivas Cup semifinal round, which will be played Jan. 13. The championship game will be played Jan. 14. Depending on Canada's progress in the tournament, Yallop will bring in several under-20 players at some point of the training camp, including B.C.-based midfielders Mike D'Agostino and Keegan Ayre, Toronto forward Will Johnson and Montreal defender Andre Hainault. The Chivas Cup is part of Canada's preparations for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup tournament, scheduled for July 1-22 in six Canadian cities, including Vancouver. D'Agostino plays for the University of Kentucky Wildcats of NCAA Division I. Ayre signed with Scottish League club Hibernian last October. Johnson plays for the Chicago Fire of MLS and Hainault is with the USL's Montreal Impact. The next major international tournament for Canada's senior team is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, scheduled for the summer of 2007. That will be followed by the first phase of CONCACAF qualifying in 2008 for the 2010 World Cup tournament. "I'm looking forward to working with Canada's younger players at this early stage of 2006," says Yallop. "It serves a dual purpose. It will help them prepare for next year's World Youth Cup tournament and I expect that many of them will be pushing for positions with Canada's senior team two or three years down the road. "It's never too early to assess potential future senior national team players. The early part of this year is the start of that process." GOAL DUST: Six Impact players have been named to the training camp roster, including goalkeeper Greg Sutton, defenders Adam Braz, Gabe Gervais and Nevio Pizzolitto, and midfielders Hainault and Patrick Leduc. . . . No Vancouver Whitecaps were selected. . . . The Whitecaps are expected to announce in the near future a four-team international tournament, which will be played at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium next summer. danstinson@shaw.ca Colour Photo: Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun Files / Keegan Ayre could be headed to training camp in California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Start fan in exile Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 quote:All of Canada's European-based players are unavailable because of club commitments, forcing Yallop to reach into the two North American professional leagues -- the United Soccer Leagues First Division and Major League Soccer -- for his personnel. Given that 6 of the players called up play in Norway - which last I checked is in fact in Europe - Stinson should check his facts a little better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loud Mouth Soup Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Sky Sports News was also running a ticker item over Christmas saying Canada did not call up European based players. I guess the English don't liike Scandanavia anymore and are ignoring them out of Europe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Start fan in exile Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Ah well; we're used to the English ignoring us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beaver Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Memo: Canada annexed Scandanvia just before Christmas. It wasn't reported much in the media. Of course, this now means the Sedin twins are Canadian, and I wonder if that is something we want to admit for our gene pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 In our gene pool? Cside says "yes please". Case in point [8D]: Freddie Ljunberg's girlfriend, Madeleine Lexander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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