Gaucho Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Does anyone know if Friend will be available for the USA match or if he's lounging on a tropical island with his new wife? Although I'm a Yank, I hope to take off (eh!) work early to catch the match and root on Canada... but only if Friend is playing. Thanks! Go Canada! Go Gauchos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaucho Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Does the following line-up sheet mean that Friend will not play? Feel free to speculate http://www.canadasoccer.com/documents/Match_trackers/20070621_CanadaUnitedStates_match.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Doesn't look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Let's hope it is inaccurate. I wish someone in the media would just ask Stephen Hart about this. He did an interview for the Score with James Sharman but the possible continued absense of Friend was not mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I wouldn't read too much into the CSA tracker, one it's the CSA and two until about an hour or two before the Guatemala game the tracker had Sutton active and no Onstad on the team. Having said that I'd be suprised if he cut short his honeymoon to play. Even if there, does he start ahead of Gerba who seems to be on fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derosario23 Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I emailed Morgan Quarry and he said no so don't count on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovalroaster Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 even if friend is available, i think you gotta start gerba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesW Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by ovalroaster even if friend is available, i think you gotta start gerba. I agree. Gerba has gotten the job done. And I still want to see more of Hume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Yeah, but it is extremely useful having a target-man coming off the bench. Frankly, if they knew that Friend could miss so much of the tourney due to nuptial reasons, we should have called another striker, at least on the reserve squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by ovalroaster even if friend is available, i think you gotta start gerba. I have no problem starting Gerba, as his finishing has been clinical. But Gerba has yet to play 90 minutes, and I think Friend causes opposing teams more problems in general. I would love to see both on the field at the same time. Here's hoping Gerba can beat Pavon's 5 goals ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca Frankly, if they knew that Friend could miss so much of the tourney due to nuptial reasons, we should have called another striker, at least on the reserve squad. exactly - it is still pretty strange to me, both scheduling the wedding for now (he HAD to know he was in the general player pool with a good chance of a call-up, didn't he?), and not calling somebody else altogether Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dionattan Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I talked to Stephen Hart yesterday and he said that Rob Friend won't be available, and stated the nuptials as being the reason for his absence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by nolando exactly - it is still pretty strange to me, both scheduling the wedding for now (he HAD to know he was in the general player pool with a good chance of a call-up, didn't he?), and not calling somebody else altogether Btw, by "another striker" I am really meant to say an "additional striker". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I don't mean to make any personal statements about the guy, but I really question his commitment to the team. Missing one game for a wedding was bad enough (IMO) but forgivable I suppose. To miss a semifinal to be on a honeymoon (if this is indeed what is happening) to me is unacceptable. Just my opinion, but I think a deeper commitment is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Markus I don't mean to make any personal statements about the guy, but I really question his commitment to the team. Missing one game for a wedding was bad enough (IMO) but forgivable I suppose. To miss a semifinal to be on a honeymoon (if this is indeed what is happening) to me is unacceptable. Just my opinion, but I think a deeper commitment is required. Personally, I think you're being a little hard on the guy. Weddings are often planned well in advance and it just seems like unfortunate timing. Once the wheels are in motion though, they are hard to stop/delay. He's shown his commitment to the team and the country in the past so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I agree with Gian-Luca that this shouldn't have come as a surprise to the coaching staff and they should have made arrangements for another striker. Not that I know who that other striker would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Put it this way. I was married last summer in BC and considered the World Cup schedule as a serious scheduling conflict. Yes, I know it is bordering on illness, but my love of this game (as it must be for most of you) gets serious consideration when I make big plans. If you play for the Canadian MNT you have two major events: World Cup Qualifying and the Gold Cup. That's all we have, people. Yes, I realize that football isn't as important as my wife's health, or my future childrens' births or world peace for that matter. The Canadian National Team, however,is something that means a lot to me. Does it mean enough to guys like Friend? Klukowski? Radz? A person chooses when they get married. It's not a University graduation or an emergency trip to the hospital. Why, pray tell, does a MNT member get married during the Gold Cup? Would John Terry have considered getting married during Euro 2008? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I would think his wedding was planned before the GC dates were announced or he doesn't have other options with the Heerenveen training camp starting early July. Edit: GC dates were announced in January 2006 so I guess it's not an excuse. I would think he considered his club calendar in making the decision, not being sure 100% he would be invited to the MNT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 excuses excuses...why do Canadians make (and accept) so many weak excuses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by nolando excuses excuses...why do Canadians make (and accept) so many weak excuses? Well, I'm only trying to figure out why he did plan his wedding during the GC??? There's must be a reason. Weddings are often plan one year in advance, so I'm not sure Friend knew in summer 2006 that he would be a part of this GC squad (he wasn't a regular at that time). Is that possible Nolando??? Or is that an excuse??? Or does all our pro players must stop breathing everytime they could be call for an event??? Let's bash Nsaliwa now that we're at it, for having a baby during the GC. I hope this guy will never get call again..... Nolando, please tell us if you would've been the traitor (Rob Friend), when would've you planned you're wedding this year considering you're playing in the Dutch League. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by loyola Well, I'm only trying to figure out why he did plan his wedding during the GC??? There's must be a reason. Weddings are often plan one year in advance, so I'm not sure Friend knew in summer 2006 that he would be a part of this GC squad (he wasn't a regular at that time). Is that possible Nolando??? Or is that an excuse??? Or does all our pro players must stop breathing everytime they could be call for an event??? Let's bash Nsaliwa now that we're at it, for having a baby during the GC. I hope this guy will never get call again..... Nolando, please tell us if you would've been the traitor (Rob Friend), when would've you planned you're wedding this year considering you're playing in the Dutch League. Thanks. is it getting warm in here, or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by nolando is it getting warm in here, or what? You're attacking one of our player without knowing the facts, only making stupid assumptions. So, I'm defending this player since they're nothing that led me to believe that he did that on purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 stupid? me? nobody is saying he poorly planned on purpose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by nolando stupid? me? nobody is saying he poorly planned on purpose If you're calling my explanations (he wasn't a regular MNT member a year ago, his club calendar year or both) "excuses", then you're suggesting that Friend is at fault in this. So, without any informations indicating that he did poorly planned, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt considering his dedication tot he U-20's, U-23's and MNT in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Why wouldn't he think he had a chance in the squad? We regularly field weaker squads than we would in WCQ. He knows that, I klnow that, and I know that YOU know that too. And this from a guy who made the squad and started in a year when we have fielded most of our first choice team. Was he that much of an outsider? And mr. smartypants, do you really think that the dutch league plays all year round, or eleven months even, with just this little break right during the Gold Cup? Not even a week to get away at any point? Or that no players ever miss a league game (or, better, a meaningless dutch league cup weekend or something) to get married, even overseas, DURING THE SEASON? I ask questions because I care and because I am a fan. Not all of the players (or coaches - think of the many opinions people have of FY, for instance) act in the best interests on the MNT. I can see quite clearly why some might not want to, but that doesn't mean that I have to accept it and say, well, I saw it in my local newspaper, sounds good enough to me, and go on cheering canada, saying aw shucks, have a good wedding man, it's more important than our team anyways,(honeymoon too? - yah, go for it -we probably won't make the finals anyways) or maybe say to those guys who choose or chose not to play for us like Hargreaves, and Jonathan, and Radz, you are just really nice guys and it's all just a game anyways. It's only football. C'est la vie, right? Of course I am not sure of the circumstances. I am speculating based on what I feel to be fairly educated opinions. I am entitled to do so without being called names (you'll note that I haven't called Friend any either), just as you are entitled to disagree and yet still have my respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAS Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Gaucho Does anyone know if Friend will be available for the USA match or if he's lounging on a tropical island with his new wife? Well, either way, he should be scoring tonight! Regarding the other posts in this thread: it is usually not the Groom who has the biggest say in setting the date, or making many of the other decisions about a wedding. It is not refered to as the "Groom's day". Weddings are planned well in advance and the summer window when his club won't require him is quite small. There may have been reasons why late-June/early July didn't work, and to be honest, just keeping your schedule open for the group stage is usually enough for Canadian players going to the Gold Cup. He answered the call, played well, and stayed as long as he could. That is alot more than some other Canadian players who didn't show up at all. We should simply thank him for his contribution to the team in this tournament, and hope that Gerba and the others get the job done tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.