Interesting 'EXTRA TIME'

[BearcatSA]

DM has demonstrated no in-match tactical nous, particularly in the South Africa and Honduras matches' second halves.

[red card]

i would also fire all the provincial reps who voted for Mitchell - but unfortunately these guys aren't held accountable for national team results yet want to be involved in all the decision making.

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by red card

i would also fire all the provincial reps who voted for Mitchell - but unfortunately these guys aren't held accountable for national team results yet want to be involved in all the decision making.

Its interesting to note..that Paul James .. is prominent in the new book the FIX talking about the fixing of soccer games by Canadian Players ...in Singapore.

Which of course brings up the possibility of what games could be fixed in World Cup qualifiers .. with Honduras, Mexico and Jamiaca... just what score lines would produce profits for a "fixer" which the new book reveals is usually a experienced or star player.. like a Dwight Yorke ... mmmm and we do know FIFAs VP is corrupt.

[Paddy]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

While we are improving I think a lot of you guys forget the opposition is also improving, specially Honduras.

Don't we have more players playing in higher profile leagues? Has anyone done a comparison?

I would assume that most Honduran players play domestically, or in nearby countries. That would be a rather large advantage right there. That disadvantage I can't pin on the CSA. I am sure though that the Honduran soccer federation would have fired their coach by now and would never have taken a year to find a coach or have hired one so obviously unfit for the job.

What was Honduras' prep like. How may warm up games did they play?

[Gian-Luca]

Incidentally Craig Forrest yesterday on Soccercentral echoed Paul James' comments on the Mitchell coaching situation, basically saying that the players are to blame not Mitchell.

[Paddy]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

Incidentally Craig Forrest yesterday on Soccercentral echoed Paul James' comments on the Mitchell coaching situation, basically saying that the players are to blame not Mitchell.

Did he then bother to blame himself and the other players for failing to qualify while he was playing?

Any chance it was a shot a Mitchell, meaning that it is up to the players as they don't really have a coach to rely on?

I'd be curious to hear this...anyone got a copy they can post?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Eric

At the national level, a coach should not be teaching players what to do.

Their jobs are:

1. study the next opponent (come up with a suitable tactic, game plan)

2. call up the players who are at the best present level in their clubs

3. don't re-invent football = play players in the positions were they play their best

4. you always have to motivate them (even if they're national team players)

5. motivate the fans by making public appearances and showing enthusiasm on TV interviews

This is just standard procedure for a MNT coach any where any country (but Canada of course)

I know what you are trying to say and think your points are very good, but I disagree about what a coach should be doing. I think they can indeed be teaching, but of course they have to have something to contribute to the players to do so. Mitchell happens to not have anything to add to the players' knowledge, which is why his teaching if it does exist is so ineffective.

When you decide you are going to use your wings out wide and look for the end line, or play possession through the middle, or play the ball back and start again instead of a long ball, or when you decide how to attack a corner or defend one, you are teaching. Deciding on marks on set plays, or on how to move to free up guys for headers when on attacking free kicks, that is all teaching. Asking your outside backs to move off the ball differently, that is also teaching. Asking DeRo to pass onto someone's foot as well. We are obviously not talking about how to dribble or head or do a throw in, but teaching tactics and a philosophy of play on the field. We all felt we had one at the Gold Cup and it was sure attractive, it was gutsy and great fun to watch, and fairly effective. Right now it seems that has been lost.

If we were to be primarily concerned about player selection Canada would be a fairly easy job, we have just a dozen players with a history in top flight international football at a relatively high level, it is not like any country with a few hundred players to chose from potentially. We have 40 and choose half, it is easy even.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Paddy

Did he then bother to blame himself and the other players for failing to qualify while he was playing?

Any chance it was a shot a Mitchell, meaning that it is up to the players as they don't really have a coach to rely on?

I'd be curious to hear this...anyone got a copy they can post?

This is the BC clique and its allies which is controlling Canadian soccer, or best said has it by the balls. I am a BCer but I am not proud of what we are getting out of BC lately, in spite of good intentions from Kerfoot and decent results from the Whitecaps. Mitchell, Forrest, Lenarduzzi, Yallop (James is an Ontario Welshman but allied with the former) all heavyweights bucking for the status quo and with a totally distorted idea of their own knowledge of pro soccer. As a commentator, in spite of solid EPL experience, Forrest alternates being emotionally in the right tone with being embarrassingly ignorant of basic modern football.

We are not even getting a strong BC representation on the national team anymore, not like before, but these guys are the real old boys network defending itself and its sphere of influence at the CSA with our national teams, and it has been the case for a long time. Lenarduzzi convincing Kerfoot to pay for the women under Pellerud is part of this, these are generous acts on Kerfoot's part but part of Lenarduzzi and co's power plays. We even had players like Watson trying to exercise this power when active on the national team.

I am frankly a bit sick of it all and would be happy to let someone with a national vision and real ambition take over from the BC soccer mafia and their backers. Since their persistently poor results, bad judgement calls regarding players, and boycotting of worthwhile efforts coming from other parts of the Canadian soccer establishments are driving us into the soccer stone age.

[Gian-Luca]

It's the fact that he explicitly said he should not be fired and that the players must be blamed as well (to the point where it is not justified to fire the coach) that left me with the impression that I mentioned earlier.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

It's the fact that he explicitly said he should not be fired and that the players must be blamed as well (to the point where it is not justified to fire the coach) that left me with the impression that I mentioned earlier.

haven't we learned by now that virtually none of these TV commentators will say what they really feel, and especially not someone who works for the network that is the broadcase partner of the CSA?

I'm not saying that Forrest believes Mitchell should be fired but won't say it publicly. Its possible he sincerely believes Dale should get to see out the last 3 games. What I am saying is that we ought not to put much stock in what broadcasters with ties to the CSA actually put out there for public consumption.

The only people whose words I take at face value in print, on radio or on TV are those who have nothing to lose by speaking their mind, and even then you must take it all in with a critical eye because some people might have axes to grind. Howevr, all opinions expressed by those with CSA ties must</u> be taken with a grain (or a chunk) of salt.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

haven't we learned by now that virtually none of these TV commentators will say what they really feel, and especially not someone who works for the network that is the broadcase partner of the CSA?

I'm not saying that Forrest believes Mitchell should be fired but won't say it publicly. Its possible he sincerely believes Dale should get to see out the last 3 games. What I am saying is that we ought not to put much stock in what broadcasters with ties to the CSA actually put out there for public consumption.

The only people whose words I take at face value in print, on radio or on TV are those who have nothing to lose by speaking their mind, and even then you must take it all in with a critical eye because some people might have axes to grind. Howevr, all opinions expressed by those with CSA ties must</u> be taken with a grain (or a chunk) of salt.

I didn't say I agree with Forrest on the Mitchell issue nor am under the impression that he is 100% impartial on the subject - Mitchell is an old teammate of his, as is the case with Mitchell and Paul James (such was the length of Mitchell's national team career, I don't think James & Forrest were ever teammates). I am perfectly aware that each person brings with them their own biases and subjectivity (including those people who have no connection to the CSA, let's not forget), I was simply reporting Forrest's comments in this thread since I hadn't seen anyone else do so.