masster Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Charles Gbeke receives the call October 13, 2008 VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that striker Charles Gbeke has been called up to Canada's men's national team. The native of Longueuil, Quebec, will join up with Dale Mitchell's squad for Wednesday's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier versus Mexico in Edmonton, Alberta. The match at Commonwealth Stadium will be Canada's next-to-last in CONCACAF semifinal round Group Two after they were eliminated from contention for South Africa 2010 following Saturday's 3-1 defeat away to Honduras. Gbeke's call-up comes after the forward led the Whitecaps to their second United Soccer Leagues First Division championship in three seasons with both goals in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico Islanders at Swangard Stadium. The 30-year-old's efforts earned him the USL-1 Championship Final's Most Valuable Player award. The six-foot-two, 210-pound forward earned his first international cap for Canada in a 1-0 away victory over Martinique on January 30. He also appeared for Canada in a 2-0 friendly win over Danish club Vejle Boldklub in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 3. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, but raised in Montreal, Quebec, Gbeke returned to the Whitecaps for a fourth stint with the club when he was traded to Vancouver from former club Montreal Impact for midfielder Tony Donatelli and an undisclosed financial amount on June 30. Gbeke went on to record three goals and two assists in 14 regular season appearances for the Whitecaps for 586 minutes. During the USL-1 playoffs, Gbeke appeared in all five matches for the Whitecaps, making four starts, and had two goals and two assists during Vancouver's successful postseason run. Canada's World Cup qualifier versus Mexico kicks off from Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium at 6:00 p.m. PT and can be seen live on Rogers Sportsnet Pacific and West regions. http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature10130802.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Unless some of the strikers we had against Honduras have left the team, I don't see any point in calling a 30 year old USL striker to the team. Call someone who may be around in the next WCQ cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piltdownman Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hutch and Friend have also been sent home to their clubs. From what I have heard its because they are needed by their clubs, and not because of any 'bigger' reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Probably just to not aggravate their jet-lag flying back to Europe - they've got more days to recover this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by piltdownman Hutch and Friend have also been sent home to their clubs. From what I have heard its because they are needed by their clubs, and not because of any 'bigger' reason. Oh, great. Wonderful. The Yanks have shed a whole whack of players as well but for happier reasons. Groan.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Good week for Gbeke eh? Two goals in the final, then his first real call up for Canada (not counting the Martinique game). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by piltdownman Hutch and Friend have also been sent home to their clubs. From what I have heard its because they are needed by their clubs, and not because of any 'bigger' reason. I don't agree with this type of team management. The game may now be a friendly for all intents and purposes but it is a friendly against a top notch opponent and to boot a CONCACAF opponent. We just got our asses kicked in WCQ. Now is the time to start preparing for 4 years from now. Not in two weeks, two months or two years, the day after we are eliminated is the day we should start preparing for the next WCQ. If an older guy wanted to leave that would be fine but Friend and Hutch are a part of the next WCQ team. In my books another fu-ck up from the CSA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhat Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Grizzly If an older guy wanted to leave that would be fine but Friend and Hutch are a part of the next WCQ team. In my books another fu-ck up from the CSA. I kinda agree. In addition, it is a slap to the faces of hometown Canadian fans that would be cheering during the Mexico match. I am flying to another MNT match to possibly see our "B" Team? Do we not deserve to see our best, salvaging some Canadian pride? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Moreover, we have to assume our role of fair play referee in the groupe We may be out, but the three other teams expect we play our other games seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB_Tito Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Grizzly I don't agree with this type of team management. The game may now be a friendly for all intents and purposes but it is a friendly against a top notch opponent and to boot a CONCACAF opponent. We just got our asses kicked in WCQ. Now is the time to start preparing for 4 years from now. Not in two weeks, two months or two years, the day after we are eliminated is the day we should start preparing for the next WCQ. If an older guy wanted to leave that would be fine but Friend and Hutch are a part of the next WCQ team. In my books another fu-ck up from the CSA. Massage is written all over the wall,but somehow CSA and some V's still don't get it.Players don't want to play under useless twat DM. Will see how many will find a excuse not to play vs Jamaica if DM is still in charge,6-8 European based players for sure. Now you can call them traitors,I call them honest,why pretend,why should they come and do favor to damn CSA and that twat DM. And if you think they should do it because of us CMNT supporters,than you are absolutely naive,after Montreal game they probably wish they played all their games away,that way they at least know what to expect. We can't start preparing for the next WCQ when you still have DM as coach.Preparing for next WCQ can start after CSA get rid of D.Mitchell,not before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by JB_Tito Massage is written all over the wall,but somehow CSA and some V's still don't get it.Players don't want to play under useless twat DM. Will see how many will find a excuse not to play vs Jamaica if DM is still in charge,6-8 European based players for sure. Now you can call them traitors,I call them honest,why pretend,why should they come and do favor to damn CSA and that twat DM. And if you think they should do it because of us CMNT supporters,than you are absolutely naive,after Montreal game they probably wish they played all their games away,that way they at least know what to expect. We can't start preparing for the next WCQ when you still have DM as coach.Preparing for next WCQ can start after CSA get rid of D.Mitchell,not before. I don't think anyone would argue that DM shouldn't be fired/resign before the Jamaica game. I think we should name Hart as interim coach (unless we have someone better already lined up) and call a full team but without those players who won't be playing in 4 years time. Nevertheless a game against Mexico is good preparation for the team regardless of who the coach is and that is why I don't agree with Friend and Hutch being released. Whether or not these two players like DM or not my opinion is the decision has mostly to do with releasing players who are important members of big clubs and thus keeping relations with these clubs good for the future. I don't agree with that approach though, we are entitled to have the players in WCQ and should be demanding our full entitlement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Interim coach ??? I'm (very) afraid about that. Interim with the CSA can be very long... or even definitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Bxl Boy Interim coach ??? I'm (very) afraid about that. Interim with the CSA can be very long... or even definitive. I understand your point but would you rather Mitchell coach the Jamaica game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Massive Attack The Mitchell situation is now officially irrelevant. We are out of the World Cup and there is no way he'll be our coach for the next run in 4 years. I agree with Grizzly, we should still be calling any and all players that could be used in the next World Cup cycle. If we don't have Friend then getting Gbeke is a good move. He is big and a very imposing presence. He does great headers and I don't think any Mexican defenders will out jump him. If there are any collisions in the air bring out the stretchers for the Mexican. He is also hot and on a roll. As long as we don't play long ball hoping for him to do it all it will work. Control the ball down the field and cross it into him deep in the box. As for getting young players a look. That will have to wait for our new coach after the Jamaica game. DM will not be fired or quit. That isn't the CSA way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OFI-MTL Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 This was the tiome to season a youngster like Wil Johnson..do we need to see a 30+ yr old. Plus sa change plus sa reste la meme. Play Hume and Gerba up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piltdownman Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I'm happy about Gbeke getting the call up. He was a monster on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadasBest Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hmm. I might not know a lot about the rules governing call-ups, but are we allowed to call-up a player if it doesn't involve an injury? Isn't there a rule that prevents teams from replacing players and fielding a B-Team like we just did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 poor choice. but with Friend and Hutch sent home.... It seems as though Gbeke is Friend's replacement, but can Will Johnson not be Hutch's replacement? Skeleton squad or final changes not yet named? Yes, I realize it is Tuesday alreaady. Gbeke should not have been called though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Gbeke has hit his step he is reading the game so much better than in years past congrats to him and lets hope if he comes in he scores a big a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 quote:Originally posted by gwallace76 Hmm. I might not know a lot about the rules governing call-ups, but are we allowed to call-up a player if it doesn't involve an injury? Isn't there a rule that prevents teams from replacing players and fielding a B-Team like we just did? It's a different game so I don't see why we couldn't be able to do that. Even if we would need an injury to do that, it would be easy for us to say that Atiba got a minor knock or something to justify the move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 quote:Originally posted by Grizzly Unless some of the strikers we had against Honduras have left the team, I don't see any point in calling a 30 year old USL striker to the team. Call someone who may be around in the next WCQ cycle. Gbeke is red hot right now. Pick players in form is what we all seem to want, so here's a perfect choice. His age shouldn't matter, as it will give aging players a carrot to shoot for, even if they may be out of the WCQ 2014. And don't forget, the Gold Cup is a very big tournament for us, and that is less than a year away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.