Roster for South Africa friendly

[themodelcitizen]

http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2948

any way to use HTML on here? if so I can insert a table from the media release with hometown, caps, club etc.

1. Hirschfeld

3. Klukowski

4. Hainault

5. McKenna

6. Julian de Guzman

7. Stalteri

8. de Jong

9. Radzinski

10. Occean

11. Hastings

12. Nakajima-Farran

13. Hutchinson

15. Simpson

16. Johnson

17. Hume

20. Bernier

22. Stamatopoulos

EDIT: corrected numbers.

[Toronto MB]

No suprises really, other than the absence of Gerba. Any idea on why this is? Without Friend available I assumed he would be a definite call-up as this leaves us with only one out-right striker.

But I am happy with this selection by Mitchell. Glad to see De Jong did in fact get the call, very excited to see what he can do. Good to see Johnson get rewarded for his recent progress as well. I'm also surprised to see Hume as he has been injured lately, but certainly excited to have him in the camp as well.

Judging from the forwards selected I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-4-2 as opposed to recent 4-5-1 we've been using.

I wonder who will play left wing with DeRo not in the squad. Presumably Simpson or Issey as I have only seen Hume/Radz on the right of midfield. Maybe Kluka takes LB and De Jong plays mid, SCF, how is Marcel in midfield?

Here's my prediction for starting XI:

----------Hirschfeld-----------

Stalteri-McKenna-Hainault-De Jong

Radz----DeGuzman-Hutchinson-Issey

-------Hume-------------------

----------------Occean---------

[jpg75]

Not a bad lineup MB, I had Simpson at LM, but it could be really either he or Issey starting. I went with a 4-5-1 with Bernier in the holding role giving us more defensive presence. But if we went for a more attack-minded formation, i'd say Hume in at withdrawn striker in exchange for Bernier being out is a wash for me.

[Daniel]

Very strange set of numbers for these players if it's the case. Some make sense, like McKenna, Hutch or Simpson, but others are unusual: JDG, Stalteri, Bernier, etc.

Edit: Corrected numbers: http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2948

[themodelcitizen]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Very strange set of numbers for these players if it's the case. Some make sense, like McKenna, Hutch or Simpson, but others are unusual: JDG, Stalteri, Bernier, etc.

Edit: Corrected numbers: http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2948

whoops, I knew I made a mistake somewhere. thanks for the correction. can't wait for you guys to get an MLS team out there Daniel, Canada needs a superclasico!!

[BrennanFan]

Excellent selections by Mitchell. All I ever wanted was for Dale not to sabotage the team, i couldnt be happier. im a bit surprised that imhof isnt included seeing how well he's been doing lately, but theres only so many spots available.

-------Occean

Simpson deGuz Hutch Radz

-------Bernier

Klukowski Hastings McKenna Stalteri

-----HIrschfeld

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

Excellent selections by Mitchell. All I ever wanted was for Dale not to sabotage the team, i couldnt be happier. im a bit surprised that imhof isnt included seeing how well he's been doing lately, but theres only so many spots available.

-------Occean

Simpson deGuz Hutch Radz

-------Bernier

Klukowski Hastings McKenna Stalteri

-----HIrschfeld

Imhoff would've been included if it wasn't for his club requesting him to stay with them (like Rob Friend). This was reported in a Neil Davidson article posted in the other thread.

And like Grizzly said on that subject, the fact that Bochum wants him to stay is a good sign for him.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Undecided Canadian linked to Chelsea

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Jonathan de Guzman caught Chelsea's attention during a summer friendly in Holland. (Getty)

CANADIAN PRESS

Uncapped midfielder Marcel de Jong will make the jump to the Canadian senior soccer side this month, but there is still no word on Jonathan de Guzman, another talented Canadian with citizenship options.

On Monday, Canadian coach Dale Mitchell named de Jong in his 17-man squad for a friendly against South Africa in Durban on Nov. 20. The 21-year-old plays for Roda JC in the Netherlands.

As for de Guzman, England's Sun and Daily Mail newspapers have reported that Chelsea is lining up an eight-million-pound (C$15.9 million) offer in January -- when the transfer window reopens -- for the 20-year-old, who has been turning heads with Feyenoord in the Netherlands. The Sun said de Guzman had been personally recommended to billionaire Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by veteran Dutch coach Piet de Visser.

The Sun says de Visser brought the likes of Salomon Kalou, Mikel John Obi and Brazil's Alex to Chelsea' attention.

De Guzman, whose older brother Julian plays midfield for Spain's Deportivo La Coruna and Canada, has been in the Feyenoord system since he was 12.

"It's totally in Jonathan's camp," Mitchell said Monday. "Obviously some good things are happening with his career. There are rumours that are circulating.

"Our status, I think, is unchanged. It's a decision for Jonathan and his family and his people to decide what's best for him. We're obviously very interested in his services if they would become available to us."

The lure of playing for the Netherlands, ranked seventh in the world and which has been home for some eight years, will be hard to resist.

De Jong, who has both Canadian and Dutch citizenship, played for Mitchell in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and has some 20 caps for Canada at youth levels. But he apparently still had the Dutch option, because of his tender age.

"He was in a situation where he could have changed, due to the FIFA regulations," Mitchell said. "He technically could still have chosen Holland, although I think he would have had to have done it by his 21st birthday."

De Jong, who turned 21 on Oct. 15, was invited to one of the Dutch youth team camp's last year.

"We're pleased he's committed now to us," Mitchell said .

Mitchell tried to call up de Jong for the August Iceland friendly but it did not work out.

Midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and goalkeeper Pat Onstad are unavailable because of this weekend's MLS Cup. Mitchell elected not to call up other MLS players because most have been out of action for a few weeks.

"The other side of the equation is that I don't get to see the European-based players as much as guys over here and I'm still at a stage where I'm looking and considering a number of players. So this is a good opportunity for them, given all of those things, and also the travel involved (to South Africa) for a North American-based player."

The MLS exception is Toronto FC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos.

Striker Rob Friend (Borussia Moenchengladbach) and defender-midfielder Daniel Imhof (Bochum) are not in the squad because their German clubs wanted to keep them, Mitchell said.

Veterans on the roster for the South Africa game include defenders Paul Stalteri (Tottenham, England), and Kevin McKenna (FC Koln, Germany), midfielder Julian de Guzman and striker Tomaz Radzinski (Skoda Xanthi, Greece)

Canada is currently ranked 51st in the world, compared to No. 83 for South Africa, host of the 2010 World Cup.

Mitchell and Canadian team manager Morgan Quarry will remain in South Africa after the game for the Nov. 25 World Cup qualifying draw.

Mitchell expects Canada to open qualifying next June with a home-and-away playoff series with the winner advancing in August to the 12-team CONCACAF semifinals, which will be split into three pools of four. The top two from each group will advance to the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The top three countries will earn a berth in the World Cup with the fourth-place team taking on the fifth-place finisher in South America to see who joins them.

South Africa is using the Canada match, plus a Nov. 17 game against the U.S. and Nov. 27 outing against Lesotho to fine-tune its roster for the coming African Cup of Nations.

Coach Carlos Albert Parreira has saved his stars for the U.S. game with striker Benni McCarthy (Blackburn, England) and midfielder Steven Pienaar (Everton, England) and defender-midfielder Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn) excused from the Canada game.

There are 12 non-domestic-based South Africa players for the U.S. game, but only four for the Canada match.

Canada

Lars Hirschfeld, Rosenborg (Norway), Edmonton; Mike Klukowski, Club Brugge (Belgium), Oshawa, Ont.; Andre Hainault, FK SIAD Most (Czech Republic), Hudson, Que.; Kevin McKenna, FC Koln (Germany), Calgary; Julian De Guzman, Deportivo La Coruna (Spain), Toronto; Paul Stalteri, Tottenham Hotspur (England), Brampton, Ont.; Marcel de Jong, Roda JC (Netherlands), Newmarket, Ont.; Tomasz Radzinski Skoda Xanthi (Greece), Toronto; Olivier Occean, Lillestrom (Norway), Brossard, Que.; Richard Hastings, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Vancouver; Issey Nakajima-Farran, FC Nordsjaelland (Denmark), Calgary; Atiba Hutchinson, FC Kopenhagen (Denmark), Brampton, Ont.; Josh Simpson, FC Kaiserslautern (Germany), Victoria, B.C.; Will Johnson, De Graafschap (Netherlands), Woodridge, Ill.; Iain Hume, Leicester City (England), Brampton, Ont.; Patrice Bernier, FC Kaiserslautern (Germany), Brossard, Que.; Kenny Stamatopoulos, Toronto FC (MLS), Markham, Ont.

Head Coach: Dale Mitchell.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

I think it is time to try a 4-4-2 as some have suggested, Hume behind Occean. And let one of your midfielders go forward, or let them alternate.

Issey has not been scoring as much this year, I wonder if he has been pulled into midfield or not given as much freedom to go forwards. Though as the team is doing better and he is playing, that is enough for me. All this as he would be the best option on the left wing.

I'd like to know where Radz is playing in Greece, what position. Because he IS scoring, a fine sign on a modest club. I am really curious to see how he is holding up.

[jpg75]

Do you know how many goals Radz has in league play? He scored again this week i think...

[SCF08]

quote:Originally posted by jpg75

Do you know how many goals Radz has in league play? He scored again this week i think...

He's scored 3 of Xanthi's 7 goals so far. I'm not sure in how many games. Xanthi have played 8 so far..

[BearcatSA]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

I think it is time to try a 4-4-2 as some have suggested, Hume behind Occean. And let one of your midfielders go forward, or let them alternate.

Issey has not been scoring as much this year, I wonder if he has been pulled into midfield or not given as much freedom to go forwards. Though as the team is doing better and he is playing, that is enough for me. All this as he would be the best option on the left wing.

I'd like to know where Radz is playing in Greece, what position. Because he IS scoring, a fine sign on a modest club. I am really curious to see how he is holding up.

Don't know, but many moons ago Radz's goalscoring success came as the quick, dimunitive partner to the giant Koller at Anderlecht, so I guess you could try him back in that position as cover for Hume (or vice versa?)

[Soju]

I'm confused. His tall man short man pairing with Koller meant him running onto knock downs etc. how could it work with Hume who is probably an inch shorter than Radz?

[jpg75]

quote:Originally posted by Soju

I'm confused. His tall man short man pairing with Koller meant him running onto knock downs etc. how could it work with Hume who is probably an inch shorter than Radz?

"As cover" means he'd be the backup to Hume for the small forward role...heck, i wonder if we wouldn't be better off with Radz starting in that case. Or maybe Occean and Friend up top if we're doing a 4-4-2...

[Toronto MB]

I think we have two viable options going forward for Mitchell to chose from in terms of formation and tactics. I'm speaking generally, not just for the SA game, but you can include the subs listed for this game:

1. The Offensive 4-5-1

-----------Bernier-----------

-----Huchinson----------------

---------------DeGuzman-------

Radzinksi--------------Derosario

-------------------------------

-----------Friend--------------

Subs:

- Imhoff for either of the Bernier, Hutch, DeGuz roles

- Hume out wide right for Radz

- Issey/Simpson out wide left for DeRo

- Occean/Gerba up front

2. The 4-4-2:

----Hutchinson--Deguzman-------

Radzinksi---------------DeRosario

---------Hume-------------------

----------------Friend----------

Subs:

- Imhoff/Bernier for Hutch/DeGuz

- Issey/Simpson/Bernier for Radz/DeRo

- Gerba for Hume

- Occean for Friend

Both are tast options. I would like to see a 4-4-2, only because the 4-5-1 is very reliant upon good crossing, something which neither DeRo or Radz are known for. And Hume would finally get 90 minutes in his real role, I think his goal vs the US gave us a taste of how he can create someting from nothing, I want to see him grow with the Nats.

[messi1986]

Hi I am new to this forum but I been reading it since last year on and off

Where is Gerba?

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by messi1986

Hi I am new to this forum but I been reading it since last year on and off

Where is Gerba?

Welcome to the forum (at least as a poster).

Ali was not called for this match, we suspect because he did not play for his club team that much in the last few months after he returned there from the Danish club he had been loaned to.