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Brennan demands changes to national soccer team


Steve B

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I agree with a bit of all sides here. Only value I can add here is this:

99% of professional athletes have an ego the size of a planet... you have to have it to succeed. Sure there are cases of humility but they're the exception. And as I've always said, managing players is the most difficult job of anyone running a team, and what separates the men from the boys when it comes to coaching.

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somebody made an implication earlier that Brennan's actions might anger his teammates at a really bad time, when they need support as they try to work hard and make the next round.

I think this is a huge assumption. Alternatively, it could be entirely reasonable that his teammates are patting him on the back for having the balls to come out and say it. Since he was NOT selected by Mitchell, he's able to more freely comment than someone who was called. There's no way Jim Brennan doesn't talk to his teammates about these issues. It would likely come as no surprise to them.

And if this somehow hurts the team morale, how would we know? They haven't won a damn game yet.

I commend Jimmy for coming out now. It's GREAT timing, just like Jamaica firing their coach after 3 weak results. Waiting until it's all over and forgotten is a waste of the moment.

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

Exactly how I feel. Look, that list of call ups is terrible, there are players on that list who were cut from some MLS teams( two), barely out of college and not even established in their pro careers, some who didn't even get noticed in USL, some who have been sitting on the bench or not dressed for an eternity with their clubs and some who have bounced around like a Lacross ball from club to club while playing in places that no ones has ever heard or much less locate on a map.

The problem is, if he's referring to players who have been newly called up (Wagenaar, De Jong, Pozniak and Harmse), he's throwing them under a bus before they've even had a chance to perform. Is this supposed to inspire them in some way, to be publicly decried as being too $hit for Canada by a national team player and in some cases a former/current teammate? He can not blame any of those four players (or someone like Jakovic) for us being in the predicament we are in, they haven't had anything to do with it.

I don't think anyone was under the impression that Brennan doesn't care - just because he does does not make this the right thing to say.

Incidentally using your criteria above Mitchell should only be calling up Hirshfeld and no back-up keeper at all, because after Sutton & Onstad who declined call-ups, we are left with keepers who have either bounced around from club to club or have not yet been established in their pro careers. Actually come to think of it, he shouldn't be calling up Hirshfeld either because he's really the only player (other than Stalteri) who hasn't played for their club in an eternity.

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Brennan thinks he is some star player for Canada and kind of annoys me. Typical "hero".

He says he made his decision after the Mexico game? But then complains when he isn't called or given a call to inform him he wasn't called? WTF?

Brennan making up excuses imo trying to save face as he has enjoyed some stardom in the past 2 years.

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And again, when players lives and careers are being held accountable for their play, why aren't our coaches? We had to put up with Pellerud for 2 entire years and wait until he "retired" while everyone with an ounce of sanity knew it was over. Can anyone out there imagine two more entire years of tanking under Mitchell?

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quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

Alternatively, it could be entirely reasonable that his teammates are patting him on the back for having the balls to come out and say it.

Well maybe some are, but I doubt the ones that suspect they are being fingered will be patting him on the back and saying "Thanks for telling the world that I'm $hit!"

Having some applaud & some get pissed off or hurt potentially creates a rift on the team. Or deepens one that already exists. And that usually doesn't help.

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quote:Originally posted by jimmynow

somebody made an implication earlier that Brennan's actions might anger his teammates at a really bad time, when they need support as they try to work hard and make the next round.

I think this is a huge assumption. Alternatively, it could be entirely reasonable that his teammates are patting him on the back for having the balls to come out and say it. Since he was NOT selected by Mitchell, he's able to more freely comment than someone who was called. There's no way Jim Brennan doesn't talk to his teammates about these issues. It would likely come as no surprise to them.

And if this somehow hurts the team morale, how would we know? They haven't won a damn game yet.

I commend Jimmy for coming out now. It's GREAT timing, just like Jamaica firing their coach after 3 weak results. Waiting until it's all over and forgotten is a waste of the moment.

Agreed again. Just how does anybody know that Brennan is not conveying that sentiments that are widely held in the dressing room? And if it is, how is that disruptive to the team.

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

Agreed again. Just how does anybody know that Brennan is not conveying that sentiments that are widely held in the dressing room? And if it is, how is that disruptive to the team.

See my previous post explaining how. Let me turn this question on its head - what good comes out of these comments on the eve of a must-win match? What will change between now and Saturday?

If a player revolution had happened right after the Mexico match that would have been fine with me. This timing stinks however.

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Wow - I don't remember a topic that has divided the old boys more than this has. Nice to see that it is remaining a clean thread, and there are a lot of brilliant thoughts all around. Loyola's right - true fans should have the right to disagree - this isnt the kind of club supporter's group that needs a unified voice. We grow as a group through moments like these.

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

Exactly how I feel. Look, that list of call ups is terrible, there are players on that list who were cut from some MLS teams( two players), barely out of college and not even established in their pro careers, some who didn't even get noticed in USL, some who have been sitting on the bench or not dressed for an eternity with their clubs and some who have bounced around like a Lacross ball from club to club while playing in places that no ones has ever heard of much less able to locate on a map.

Meanwhile, Brennan is not getting called or getting playing time despite the fact that he is a starter and captain for his club. And never misses a game. And, no player gets called from a side who is practically in the quarter finals of the Concacaf champions league. Nor are there any players from a side who will play in a final. I sure hope its not because they refused a callup. Because if it is, I'd like hear the logic as to why a guy gets lambasted for being upset for not getting called and not getting playing time while those who refuse to report are applauded

If he didn't care at all, he probably wouldn't have anything to say. But if he's speaking up, it obviously because he cares.

Comon, you usually offer more argument than that!

First, I think you need to read between the lines. Brennan must have been excluded because of his play (poor against Honduras and Mexico) and maybe his insubordination to the coach (I think you can safely say that something happened in Chiapas....). He is replaced by decent players, Kluka and DeJong who are both starter with better or similar clubs than TFC. No big deal with JB absence.

Second, about the other selection, you gotta give us names of players who have been ignored and who would be significant upgrade. I can't see many. The names who have been thrown, Nik L, Edgar, Stama, Begovic wouldn't be that much of an upgrade and anyways they would probably not play a role in the 2 games.

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

But he didn't mention names.

He doesn't need to at this point. If the players in question know Brennan is referring to them they aren't going to be pleased. If they don't know some of them will start wondering. Some might assume that they are being talked about but could be incorrect. And it won't stop the public speculation amongst the Canadian soccer audience which doesn't appear to be as insignificant as we think, if Pat Onstad's withdrawl from the team is anything to go by. Already most of the speculation is centering around the newly called players, many of whom read (or have friends that read) this board.

Either way I'd rather have all the players entirely focused on what they need to do to win the game on Saturday, rather than have some of them wonder if Brennan was referring to them, or other useless distractions.

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quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

If a player revolution had happened right after the Mexico match that would have been fine with me. This timing stinks however.

I agree with you and others here on this point.

To me, making comments implying questionable player selection at this particular time and not immediately following the Mexico match just seems to come across as sour grapes about the recent call ups.

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Someone else (on the usector board) has also indicated that like Bill Ault, he thought that Brennan was referring to national team staff members (or just Dale Mitchell) with the "a few people on the bench shouldn't be there" comment. In the event that this is actually the case then I'll take back what I said about this particular aspect of Brennan's comments (as it's this aspect that has infuriated me the most). Having said that, if that's what he meant, it's still something that shouldn't have been said, because rather than being very careful at what he's said (as he said he wanted to be) he will have made very careless negative comments that were subject to a natural mis-interpretation, which still doesn't do anyone any good.

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quote:Originally posted by Joe MacCarthy

Another piece of the puzzle falls into place. Blame the CSA, blame the coach, blame the playing surface, Canada's "most talented" team has proven to be Canada's most gutless yet again.

:)

The bulk of these guys have plenty of guts and have shown it. Don't blame them for media hype, but keep it in perspective: these guys are battling it out for themselves and for us. Just because they are not getting the results does not mean they are gutless. :(

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quote:Originally posted by deschamp86

Everyone here who disagrees with what Jim Brennan did but then whines about the CSA all the time is a complete hypocrite. Give me a break. Whether or not it was professional has nothing to do with it. What has the CSA done that is professional?? Seriously people, make up your minds. Someone finally puts pressure on the CSA like people wanted all along, and now everyone here is divided.

True but his timing could maybe have been better. Looks a bit like sour grapes.

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For me it seems like he's been dropped (I don't know how that's normally handled) so he's come back and basically said "fine, I quite." Unlike Ante Jazic or Simpson who might be marginal left side options, JB is Capt. of TFC and probably has CBC, Sportsnet etc on the speed dial. So we hear about his version. That one side.

The other side, is he correct and is it good for the team to speak out. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The players haven't been performing so well anyway, this really wont excuse more poor performances will it? I wouldn't by a player coming out of a failure in Honduras and putting it down to divison in the ranks. It seems clear divison has probably been there from Jamaica or earlier.

I guess what disappoints me most is the major media attention is on this, before the game, where as the actual attention to the game is lacking.

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"I give out respect and for them to not even pick up a phone and say you won't be involved — which is fair enough and I can handle that — but to not even get a call that I wasn't selected and there were a few other players in the same boat as me, I think it's disgraceful."

When players aren't picked for their Sunday beer league team, the manager gives them a phone call. The CSA can't do this? The CSA are truly pathetic.

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quote:Originally posted by Alex

I just saw the interview on sportsnet connected. It sounds to me that Brennan is referring to solely the staff, including Mitchell and I assume the people above him.

Well the comment is "There are a few people who shouldn't be there, there are a few people on the bench who shouldn't be there". The first part of the quote seems to refer to the CSA and the people above Mitchell, which is fair enough. If the second part of the sentence is solely about Mitchell (since Hart & Dasovic must be excluded) it's a bizarre, very clumsy way of saying so, and totally un-necessary given that he had already made an explicit reference to Mitchell.

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quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

Well the comment is "There are a few people who shouldn't be there, there are a few people on the bench who shouldn't be there". The first part of the quote seems to refer to the CSA and the people above Mitchell, which is fair enough. If the second part of the sentence is solely about Mitchell (since Hart & Dasovic must be excluded) it's a bizarre, very clumsy way of saying so, and totally un-necessary given that he had already made an explicit reference to Mitchell.

I think there are other people in this list he's talking about:

Head of delegation / Chef de délégation : Dominic Maestracci

Head Coach / Entraîneur-chef : Dale Mitchell

Assistant Coach / Entraîneur adjoint : Stephen Hart

Assistant Coach / Entraîneur adjoint : Nick Dasovic

Goalkeeper coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Paul Dolan

Manager / Gérant : Morgan Quarry

Equipment manager / Gérant d’équipements : Mike Moretto

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Garret Kusch

Physiotherapist / Physiothérapeute : Dave Foley

Doctor / Docteur : Dr. Michael Campbell

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After watching the Sportsnet article I'm not so sure that Jim Brennan is acting selfish. I have a feeling that the team is happy to get this out in the press and I wouldn't be surprised if JB is speaking on behalf of other players that are fed up. Maybe he's a good actor, but his body language said to me that he was trying to get the message out to the press and public, not to air a personal grievance. That's how I read the video anyhow.

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quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

It seems to me that most of the people who disagree with what (& when) Brennan has said here are the same people who do not "whine about the CSA all the time", but prefer to keep an open mind about things, choosing to criticize when its valid instead of all the time. Furthermore, just because one is critical of Brennan's comments it doesn't mean that they are defending the CSA in any way. Because somebody makes a bad situation worse, does that mean we supposed to turn around and applaud?

Well said GL.

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