Roster Ideas for Canada-Jamaica October 8

[Ian Kennett]

Stephen Hart mentioned that he wants to see as many players a possible in the friendlies we are playing. Great idea! Who ought to be included or who we have never seen or who have been absent for awhile?

Hirschfeld

Alen Marcina (13 goals for Puerto Rico in USL Div 1)

Issey Nakajima (attacking midfielder, plays in Denmark)

Richard Hastings (starts in EPL, can play centre back too)

Nsaliwa (Get this guy on board, pacy centre back!)

Any others I have missed?

Cheers!

[Grizzly]

Hirschfeld, Nsaliwa, Imhof (if he is in game shape after his injury), Hainault, de Jong, Dodds would be the most interesting in my opinion. Nakajima isn't really getting much playing time with his team and hasn't shown he can be effective at the 1st division Danish level like he was at 2nd division level. Marcina would probably be better to be brought in in a B-team friendly. Hastings never really impressed very much before but maybe he has improved and at least could be injury cover. Yet if he is brought in again I would prefer to see him in a B level friendly first. I would like to see Ledgerwood get a shot once he is playing again. Rrustemi who is playing in the German 3rd division with the Monchengladbach reserves would be a good call for a B level friendly.

[loyola]

I think Hirschfeld is a must call for the october 8 and 11 games.

Nsaliwa could be call too but if he isn,t he should be at least for the Hungary game. If DeJong continues to play regularly with Roda JC I say that he's in the same position as Nsaliwa.

I think we might see Peters and Johnson.

I would like to see Hainault too.

BTW, Hastings is playing in the SPL not the EPL. As for Nakajima I,m not sure he has the level of play since he's barely playing for a side that likely will relegate in Denmark.

We have two games so we can call at least 18 players and give them minutes. I would call those players:

GK: Hirschfeld and Sutton (give them one game each and the Hungary game to Hirsch)

Def: Mckenna, Kluka, Braz, Nsaliwa, Haineault, Stalteri

Mid: Atiba, Bernier, DeGuzman, Imhoff (if still injured bring Grande), Simpson, De Jong

Forwards: Friend, Radz, Hume, Occean

[Daniel]

The USL final will be played a week earlier.

[Derosario23]

I guess no Dero and Serioux since Houston will need them? What about Gerba and Kluk?

[nolando]

Forwards: Friend, Radz, Hume, Occean

Man...I like this list...we may still be very aenemic come qualifying again, but this sure does look good on paper as a frontline.

[SF]

Stephen Hart needs to see as many players as possible. Like Frank Yallop a couple of years ago. Like the next guy who will be hired just before the next WCQ (or something like that...), etc...

Is it any wonder the program cannot build any momentum?

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by SF

Stephen Hart needs to see as many players as possible. Like Frank Yallop a couple of years ago. Like the next guy who will be hired just before the next WCQ (or something like that...), etc...

Is it any wonder the program cannot build any momentum?

If Hart decide to only call Sutton and Kenny as our keepers and Reda, Braz, Pozniak, Mckenna and Stalteri as our defenders because we've won 4 in a row without conceding a goal in a year, I can guarantee you that this board will get crazy.

This program is having problems building momentum because of the lack of friendlies. If the CSA can schedule approx a friendly per month I imagine that we will have a better idea of the team.

Now (2 years before the WCQ starts) is a good time to try a lot of players and from the 2007 GC to the beginning of the WCQ process we'll have to reduce our call up and try to have our core of players playing together as often as possible.

[El Hombre]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

Now (2 years before the WCQ starts) is a good time to try a lot of players and from the 2007 GC to the beginning of the WCQ process we'll have to reduce our call up and try to have our core of players playing together as often as possible.

Not to get off track but what I'd like to see is some semblance of our "A" team play all our games from the GC onwards to WCQ. The GC should really be the start of our preparation with relatively little experimentation afterwards. This is part of the reason why I'm not such a big fan of Dale Mitchell taking over the team. It has nothing to do with his abilities or anything like that, I just think that he'd be a little preoccupied with the WYC to properlu use the GC as preparation for WCQ.

In my mind, the GC games are too valuable not to be used in anticipation for WCQ and this is really when our prep should start. So for now, I'm alright with Hart experimenting a little bit so long as this process doesn't have to start over once the new coach is hired.

[loyola]

That's why the new coach should be in place by the beginning of 2007, so he can look at tapes of our last games and judge what he needs to do, having a pretty similar roster or experimenting a lot before the GC (if we have enough friendlies to do so).

So far I liked Hart selection for his first game. I think guys like Friend, Radz, Hume, DeGuzman, Stalteri, Bernier, Mckenna, Simpson, Kluka and Atiba are locked for our 2008 team, so it's a question of identifying the other 9-10 players who'll complete this team.

I agree that we have to take the 2007 GC very seriously even if the other countries decide to bring their B teams.

[matthew]

quote:Originally posted by El Hombre

Not to get off track but what I'd like to see is some semblance of our "A" team play all our games from the GC onwards to WCQ. The GC should really be the start of our preparation with relatively little experimentation afterwards. This is part of the reason why I'm not such a big fan of Dale Mitchell taking over the team. It has nothing to do with his abilities or anything like that, I just think that he'd be a little preoccupied with the WYC to properlu use the GC as preparation for WCQ.

In my mind, the GC games are too valuable not to be used in anticipation for WCQ and this is really when our prep should start. So for now, I'm alright with Hart experimenting a little bit so long as this process doesn't have to start over once the new coach is hired.

Yes, yes, yes and yes! We need to use the Gold Cup as a trial run. For too many years we don't prepare and think 'oh we'll get it right on the day' and then we don't. We need the person in charge of WCQ in charge at the Gold Cup and they need to put forth the same team they expect to play game one of WCQ. Not just for consistency, but so that we can look at the team after we've been bounced by Panama and go 'oh hang on that's not going to work'. We have the prep time and right now the CSA is doing a great job getting us the games we need. No we have to use them.

For the two games in the Carribean my 18 would be:

Keepers: Sutton and Hirschfeld.

Defenders: Stalteri, McKenna, Nsaliwa, Klukowski, Simpson, Ledgerwood

Midfielders: DeGuzman, Serioux, Hutchinson, Bernier, De Jong, De Rosario

Forwards: Radzinski, Occean, Hume, Friend.

If Serioux and DeRo can't go call Grande and Johnson.

Give each keeper a game. Give each centre forward a game. Give DeJong some minutes at left forward. Give Ledgerwood a run out at either outside back spot. Play Tam at right back for about 30 mins to spell Stalteri. Use McKenna, Nsaliwa, Klukowski and Serioux all at centreback and see if we can figure which two works best together. I don't care in which combination. Heck try them all. You could start Serioux in the back and move him into the midfield. Or move Kluka to left . . .

And I agree that Hainault deserves a look, but we've been so criminally neglecting the centreback spot that I think we have others higher in the pecking order. And I think Ledgerwood and DeJong deserve caps as well and 18-man rosters are just so small.

We know what we're getting with Braz, Pozniak, Gervais, Jazic and Reda. I think they all can fill a role and all have experience if we need them in a pinch, but I don't really see them as first choice in two years. And yet they seem to be some of the most consistent cap earners.

cheers,

matthew

[ubuntu]

We could bring some young players like De Jong and Hainault and maybe one of our Italian friends like Placentino? What about Gyaki?

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by matthew

Yes, yes, yes and yes! We need to use the Gold Cup as a trial run. For too many years we don't prepare and think 'oh we'll get it right on the day' and then we don't. We need the person in charge of WCQ in charge at the Gold Cup and they need to put forth the same team they expect to play game one of WCQ. Not just for consistency, but so that we can look at the team after we've been bounced by Panama and go 'oh hang on that's not going to work'. We have the prep time and right now the CSA is doing a great job getting us the games we need. No we have to use them.

For the two games in the Carribean my 18 would be:

Keepers: Sutton and Hirschfeld.

Defenders: Stalteri, McKenna, Nsaliwa, Klukowski, Simpson, Ledgerwood

Midfielders: DeGuzman, Serioux, Hutchinson, Bernier, De Jong, De Rosario

Forwards: Radzinski, Occean, Hume, Friend.

If Serioux and DeRo can't go call Grande and Johnson.

Give each keeper a game. Give each centre forward a game. Give DeJong some minutes at left forward. Give Ledgerwood a run out at either outside back spot. Play Tam at right back for about 30 mins to spell Stalteri. Use McKenna, Nsaliwa, Klukowski and Serioux all at centreback and see if we can figure which two works best together. I don't care in which combination. Heck try them all. You could start Serioux in the back and move him into the midfield. Or move Kluka to left . . .

And I agree that Hainault deserves a look, but we've been so criminally neglecting the centreback spot that I think we have others higher in the pecking order. And I think Ledgerwood and DeJong deserve caps as well and 18-man rosters are just so small.

We know what we're getting with Braz, Pozniak, Gervais, Jazic and Reda. I think they all can fill a role and all have experience if we need them in a pinch, but I don't really see them as first choice in two years. And yet they seem to be some of the most consistent cap earners.

cheers,

matthew

Good post!

I've read somewhere that MLS have games (playoffs) on october 7. Maybe DeRo and Serioux won't be available at that time so you could include Hainault and maybe Peters in the squad.

I'm not sure about Legderwood, first he's injured and haven't played this year (no preseason I think) so calling him for those games would put him at a disadvantage if he isn't fit enough (maybe the Hungary game would be a better choice for him. In the end he deserves a call.

It will be interesting to see how Imhoff will be use by Bochum when he'll be back from his injury, he could be a potential call-up for the Hungary game.

"18-man rosters are just so small"

Well, 5-6 years ago I thought that a 16-man roster for our MNT was so big and always had problems with the last 3-4 players.....

[Joe Keeper]

Correct me if im wrong, but if both the Jamaica and T and T games fall on international calendar dates, doesnt that mean we could call a 22 man roster like most euro teams do for these new back to back international dates? ...ie just as we did for the 2003 double header with Ireland and Chezch Rep.

[Daniel]

Put another vote in for Hainault to play at least one game.

[KAS]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Put another vote in for Hainault to play at least one game.

If healthy and playing regularly, then I agree with trying Hainault. I don't know what his pace is like, but it can't be worse than McKenna's. For the same reason, I would also like to see Nsaliwa picked. I would try these two together for the Jamaica game between Stalteri (at RB where he belongs and healthy) and Klukowski or Simpson at LB. The reason why I say this is because in the first game, our back four were very slow, and once Jamaica figured out how to exploit this, they nearly killed us. I believe that the Jamaica coach will be planning his tactics accordingly. Therefore, the best way to mess him up is to completely change the back four and dramatically increase their speed - going from a weakness to a strength! Hutchinson and Serioux can also be used at CB, but only when there is a surplus of top central midfielders as that is where they belong.

For keepers, Lars Hirschfeld and Josh Wagoneer (sp?). Everyone knows what Sutton can do, so lets bring Lars back into the picture, and give Josh a good lookover as the likely third keeper (Kenny is struggling and Begovic is preoccupied with U-20). The only advantage of calling both Lars and Sutton is for head-to-head comparisons in practice, but I don't think that is necessary right now and would only create unneeded tension. They can be evaluated seperately. I would now switch to the Europe-based keepers and hope that Sutton moves up to MLS before the GC.

If you're wondering where David Edgar, Johnson, or Peters are in my list, I think they should be out of these friendlies. They should just concentrate on the U-20 team. The U-20 tournament will probably preclude them from participating in the GC - and these friendlies should be about deciding on and preparing a team for the GC. The youngsters should only be considered for the senior squad after the U-20 tournament.

[Kurosawa1555362267]

So this is about 10 days away will they release a roster or what???

[Loud Mouth Soup]

What.

[Alex]

release a roster.

[villus]

I think there is an important point to bring up in regards to the MNT program. We need more friendlies, I know this has been brought up before, but I mean with all the problems we are having with players defecting from the system, why not book more friendlies and start capping these promising players earlier, before they get a little success and get big eyes. I mean we need more games period, but I think the more games the more players we capp the bigger pool we have, because even if we lose some games because we are not fielding the top team big deal at least we are getting guys playing together and scouting talent. just my 2 cents

[RJB]

quote:Originally posted by SF

Stephen Hart needs to see as many players as possible. Like Frank Yallop a couple of years ago. Like the next guy who will be hired just before the next WCQ (or something like that...), etc...

Is it any wonder the program cannot build any momentum?

Unless Stephen Hart is going to be the next Head Coach for this country, what does he care about what type or how many players he sees? In my opinion, he's auditioning for the job, and will simply try and put the best squad out there that he can.

1-0 vs. Jamaica, and similar results in the return leg, and against T&T, then in Hungary, and all of a sudden, the CSA may be looking at him instead of Dale "part of the club" Mitchell. The only knock on Hart at that point would be that he isn't one of the old boys like Lenarduzzi, Yallop, Mitchell, Dolan, etc.

[Daniel]

We're not playing T&T anymore.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by RJB The only knock on Hart at that point would be that he isn't one of the old boys like Lenarduzzi, Yallop, Mitchell, Dolan, etc.

The only knock on Hart is he is a crap coach who is less qualified to coach the national than any of the guys you listed many of whom I wouldn't consider as national team coach either. Yet all are much more qualified for the post than Hart who in my opinion is underqualified to be coaching the U-17 team let alone the national team. If they hire Hart as national team trainer I might even agree with Ed about players playing elsewhere. Hart is nowhere near even qualified to coach a USL team let alone a national team. How is Hart not an "Old Boy"? His greatest achievement other than being interim MNT coach is NTC coach. There is no way he got his U-17 job or the interim job on his qualifications. I don't think you can get more "Old Boy" than Hart. Yallop, for example, not my favourite coach by a long shot, had at least had some impressive accomplishments outside the CSA both as player and coach and even though he proved to be a poor national team coach this is far more than one can say about Hart.

[ANC2]

quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

The only knock on Hart is he is a crap coach who is less qualified to coach the national than any of the guys you listed many of whom I wouldn't consider as national team coach either. Yet all are much more qualified for the post than Hart who in my opinion is underqualified to be coaching the U-17 team let alone the national team. If they hire Hart as national team trainer I might even agree with Ed about players playing elsewhere. Hart is nowhere near even qualified to coach a USL team let alone a national team. How is Hart not an "Old Boy"? His greatest achievement other than being interim MNT coach is NTC coach. There is no way he got his U-17 job or the interim job on his qualifications. I don't think you can get more "Old Boy" than Hart. Yallop, for example, not my favourite coach by a long shot, had at least had some impressive accomplishments outside the CSA both as player and coach and even though he proved to be a poor national team coach this is far more than one can say about Hart.

Grizz we all know you drank some haterade. But let me ask you how you came to this conclusion? Everyone I have ever spoken with in the coaching business said Hart does a great job with the 17's and youth players in general. He seems to give many players the opportunity to play for Canada. When they played in BC 2001, his team was very organized and played some very good football. Dale Mitchell has said that players coming from Hart's U17's are well prepared. Frank Yallop kept him as an assistant after working with him. So lets hear you, somehow I get the feeling its personal

[Grizzly]

How can it be anything personal, I don't know the guy. From what I have heard he is a very nice guy but that doesn't mean he is a good coach. He had six days to prepare the team for this friendly against a Jamaica B-team and it was the most disorganized I have seen us play in probably a decade and that is including under some pretty poor coaches. Where are the results from Hart? He has led us into two U-17 World Cup qualifications in which we failed to qualify. The U-17 results lately have been pretty poor. What are his credentials? When has he coached even youth soccer at a high level?