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Canadian U20s off to Florida


loyola

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Note that we have one new player in this roster: Keenan Gracey who's playing with Wigan. Never heard of him...

Men’s U-20 Team

23 January 2008

Canadian U20s off to Florida

Nana Attakora-Gyan

Canada's men's U-20 team is off to Florida this Sunday for its third camp under head coach Tony Fonseca. The coach has selected 20 players for the camp which runs 25 January to 4 February. This is the team's last camp before it regroups in March month for the 2009 CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship.

"This is a very important camp as the time is running out," says coach Fonseca. "It will serve to give continuity to our preparations and test the players physically so they know where they stand and what we would like to see in a month's time"

The CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship runs 6-15 March in Trinidad & Tobago. Just last week, Canada was drawn into Group B with Mexico, Costa Rica and host Trindiad & Tobago. The four Group B teams will play a round-robin series at Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Trinidad & Tobago starting 6 March. The top two teams not only advance to the semi-final stage, but also qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009.

Coach Fonseca's 20-player squad features two new players: goalkeeper Keenan Gracey of Newburgh, ON (ENG / Wigan Athletic) and Drew Beckie of Regina, SK (USA / Colorado). Amongst the returning players, 2008 Canadian U-20 Player of the Year Nana Attakora-Gyan of Orangeville, ON (CAN / Toronto FC) is included in the group.

Canada has participated in eight of the 16 FIFA U-20 World Cups, including each of the last four (Argentina 2001, UAE 2003, Netherlands 2005 and Canada 2007). While Canada did not participate in the qualification process in 2007, it did finish first in its group in 2005 (San Pedro, Honduras), 2003 (Charleston, SC) and 2001 (Victoria, BC).

Also of note, the 2009 CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship will crown the first confederation champion since 1996. While in recent years each group qualified through separate groups, the 2009 tournament will play down to a championship match. Canada was the last CONCACAF champion in 1996 (Saltillo, Mexico).

The most recent FIFA U-20 World Cup, of course, took place in Canada this past 30 June to 22 July 2007. The FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 set a tournament record by drawing 1,195,239 spectators for the 52-match event. It also generated $259-million in economic impact and some 469.5-million cumulative viewers from around the world.

Canada

Nana Attakora-Gyan | D | Orangville, ON | CAN / Toronto FC

Drew Beckie | D | Regina, SK | USA / Real Colorado

Teal Bunbury | F | Hamilton, ON | USA-NCAA / University of Akron

Gabriel Gala | F | Brampton, ON | CAN / Toronto FC

Derek Gaudet | M | Bayside, NS | CAN / Toronto FC

Marcus Haber | F/D | Vancouver, BC | Unattached / Sans club

Keenan Gracey | GK | Newburgh, ON | ENG / Wigan Athletic

Fabrice Lassonde | D/M | Mont-Saint-Grégoire, QC | GER / FC Ingolstadt 04

Shaun Saiko | D | Edmonton, AB, | ENG / Middlesbrough FC

Paris Nakajima-Farran | D/M | Calgary, AB | DEN / Næstved BK

Kennedy Owusu-Ansah | D | Toronto, ON | CAN / GER – Hertha Berlin BSC

Kyle Porter | F | Missassauga, ON | GER / FC Energie Cottbus

Philippe Davies | M | Longueil, QC | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Eddy Sidra | F | Edmonton, AB | GER / FC Energie Cottbus

Roberto Stillo | GK | Mississauga, ON | ITA / Genoa CFC

Sean Rosa | M | Montreal, QC | USA-NCAA / Brown University

Adam Straith | D | Victoria, BC | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC (on loan to Energie Cottbus).

Michael Pereira | M | London, ON | USA-NCAA / Providence College

Alex Surprenant | D | St-Alexandre, QC | CAN / Impact de Montréal

Randy Edwini-Bonsu | F | Edmonton, AB | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Head Coach / Entraîneur-chef : Tony Fonseca

Assistant Coach / Entraîneur adjoint : Mark Watson

Goalkeeper coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Djamel Laarabi

Athletic Therapist / Thérapeute athlétique : Jared Postance

Athletic Therapist / Thérapeute athlétique : Dave Foley

Manager / Gérant : Morgan Quarry

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Nice to see Michael Pereira back in the picture. After his time at Porto and two NCAA season's he seemed to have impressed the coaches enough to warrant an invitation. I remember watching him play for North London Dynamite as a youngster. He will find familiar faces in Gabe Gala and Nana who played for Brampton East back then.

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On the subject of Adam Street, here's a press release from WHU about his involvement with Canada U-20 last November:

http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1470799,00.html

The good news is that he received high praises from WHU keepers coach, the bad one is a guy only one year older has been recently used as a back up to Robert Green after impressing with the reserves.

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quote:Originally posted by loyola

I'm wondering if they'll play some friendlies. I expect some MLS and Scandinavian teams might be training in Florida at that time.

I've been told that 2 friendlies have been or are in process of being arranged.

One of the two friendlies is likely vs. a CONCACAF opponent.

The other friendly is TBA.

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Stech is a year and half older but I agree that its not an ideal situation having someone so highly rated like that ahead of you. Its unfortunate but that is life. The best thing Street can do is keep on playing well and wait for his opportunity. If Stech displaces Green, than Street has an opportunity with the reserves.

This being said, we do have an amazing depth of keepers at this age. Street, Stillo, Latendresse Lévesque, Thomas, Misiewicz, DeBellis and now Gracey.

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quote:Originally posted by An Observer

Stech is a year and half older but I agree that its not an ideal situation having someone so highly rated like that ahead of you. Its unfortunate but that is life. The best thing Street can do is keep on playing well and wait for his opportunity. If Stech displaces Green, than Street has an opportunity with the reserves.

This being said, we do have an amazing depth of keepers at this age. Street, Stillo, Latendresse Lévesque, Thomas, Misiewicz, DeBellis and now Gracey.

Well, it's a problem for his future with the club but if Street is as good as we think he is he won't have a problem finding a CCC or League One club where he could start his senior career.

Agree about the keepers depth. I'm curious about this Wigan fellow, he's 6'6 and 230 I think. He surely has the shape to be a good keeper, I guess it's a question of skills and agility to determine if he'll be good.

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The one player I am surprised that we have not seen in any of the camps which I suspect now we will not see for qualifying is Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis. He was player of the year in 2007 for the U-17s, rated quite highly, and even was on the roster of the U-20s for the 2007 WC. He now seems to have moved from Strasbourg to Maryland but seems to have disappeared off the depth chart. Strange. Perhaps he is another Liam Girard who was the central back star of the U-17s a number of years back and then disappeared. Or Wyn Bellote who also was on the roster of the U-20s when eligible for the U-17s but last we saw was making terrible videos of himself.

Of course, someone will jump all over me for writing off an 18 year old kid. Apologies in advance for any offense

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Good to see alot of different players are getting looked at. I was wondering if Gracey was ever going to get a callup, but looks like they clued in to his progress. He transfered to Wigan from the Crossfire Academy in the US so not sure the CSA would have signed off on the paperwork?

One minor annoyance, why is Porter listed as a Cottbus player while Straith is listed as a Vancouver player loaned to Cottbus? Both are Residency players...

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Lacoste-Lebuis will be fine I'm sure. I mean he was with the last U20 team and Maryland is a GREAT soccer school see Maurice Edu, Robbie Rogers and Chris Seitz. Strasbourg is excellent from what I hear and he played for their CFA team right?

Drew Beckie I'm really curious about. Didn't the US want him? Someone on here HIGHLY rated him ranking him as one of the best teens in the country (the USA that is) or something

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quote:Originally posted by An Observer

The one player I am surprised that we have not seen in any of the camps which I suspect now we will not see for qualifying is Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis. He was player of the year in 2007 for the U-17s, rated quite highly, and even was on the roster of the U-20s for the 2007 WC. He now seems to have moved from Strasbourg to Maryland but seems to have disappeared off the depth chart. Strange. Perhaps he is another Liam Girard who was the central back star of the U-17s a number of years back and then disappeared. Or Wyn Bellote who also was on the roster of the U-20s when eligible for the U-17s but last we saw was making terrible videos of himself.

I actually had a conversation yesterday night with someone who is a very big fan of OLL's abilities and believes that he would be a big help to this U20 team as a central midfielder. If this team is a little shaky anywhere, I think it might be in central midfield.

This person I was chatting with is going to do a little digging to find out what's going on with OLL. He's committed to Maryland for the 2009-2010 school year (and beyond one would assume). The only thing I can think of is that he may have a lot of catching up in terms of academics in order to qualify for the scholarship. That's only a stab in the dark. Otherwise, I can't imagine why such a talented player would not be in camp with the U20s.

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Straith is a player to watch from what I can gather. He was dominant with Cottbus's U19's who were woeful prior to his arrival part way into the season (he had to wait until he 18 I suspect). He's now starting with Cottbus's U23's and making his mark with our U20's. He's got size and can score. And we have some problems in the centre half position at the senior level.

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This U-20 team just seems head and shoulders above the previous edition, and that's without any real 'stars'. Top-to-bottom this team seems more solid.

The 2007 team had Will Johnson, David Edgar and Jaime Peters* as its stars. Who does everyone think will be the stars of this side?

* Peters obviously hasn't panned out, but he was a star heading into the '07 WC.

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It's a bit early to tell. I mean none of the TFC players are at the level that Johnson was 2 or 4 years ago and it's always a crap shoot with the NCAA crowd. Everyone is crowing about the GK's but are they better than Begovic at that age?

I will have to see these kids play before making any judgements.

We'll see how the wonder kids from the Whitecaps residency due against top competition; I suspect that is where we will see some future stars: in Straith and Edwini Bonsu. Also, Sidra might surprise (is he really considered a striker for our U20's?).

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quote:Originally posted by Ed

It's a bit early to tell. I mean none of the TFC players are at the level that Johnson was 2 or 4 years ago and it's always a crap shoot with the NCAA crowd. Everyone is crowing about the GK's but are they better than Begovic at that age?

I will have to see these kids play before making any judgements.

We'll see how the wonder kids from the Whitecaps residency due against top competition; I suspect that is where we will see some future stars: in Straith and Edwini Bonsu. Also, Sidra might surprise (is he really considered a striker for our U20's?).

If I'm not mistaken at the same age (17-18 yrs old) Begovic was playing with the U-18 at Portsmouth and got loaned out in Belgium later that year. The keepers were having right now in Street and Gracey have already made appearance with the Reserves of EPL teams so I would guess they are about the same level.

I think it's tough to evaluate this group but I hope to have a better idea if the games could be watch on TV or INternet in March.

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I think the one issue with this side is the lack of "stars". What made the 2003 side so strong was Hutchinson and Hume were difference makers; whereas its difficult to see right now where that will come from with this side. Of course, Hoillet would change that but he's not playing.

That being said, there is such more depth to this side than any previous U-20 side. You have good options at almost all positions with quality throughout the side. The question is whether a few of them will step up in qualifying to make the difference. My biggest concern is where will the goals come from in this group. Up front, you have Haber (without a club); Edwini-Bonsu (very little professional experience); Porter (not really setting the U19 German league on fire); Sidra (seems to move between forward and right back which is not a good sign); Gala (who has played more as left back/midfielder for TFC); Pistanuk (doesn't feature for his Hungarian side); and Bunbury (college kid will little record on the international level).

I guess if they play Haber up to knock balls into the paths of Gala or Edwini-Bonsu to use their speed, that may cause some sides some problems.

The midfield seems pretty solid if unspectacular. There is great keeper depth but they are young for this level and more likely to stand out in 2 years time. What I do like about this side is the strength in defense. Nana Attakora-Gyan and Adam Straith seemed to be developing nicely. And behind them you have Tannous and OLL as well as Maginnis Castro, and Gage and Davies can play central defense as well. In the full back position, you have Lassonde, Nakajima-Farran, Owusu-Ansah, Suprenant, Saiko, and Sidra; all of which are playing at a decent level. If they combined well with the midfield to keep clean sheets, perhaps we have a chance to steal matches 1-0 or 2-1 as I don't think we going to score many goals.

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This team lacks what all Canadian teams lack - at every level - an attacking/playmaking midfielder.

I remember Stephen Hart being interviewed when he got the Technical Director job. He was asked "Who is the young player with the best chance of being the next Canadian star (or something to that effect)". His answer - Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis.

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