Bunbury undecided for Canada

[rdroze]

Oh gawd, here we go again.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2010/06/06/johnston_no_tell_teal_signs/

While Bunbury continues to gain experience as a pro, he remains undecided as to whether or not he will play for Canada or the United States at the international level. The son of Canadian great Alex Bunbury has played at the under-20 level for Canada, but remains uncapped as a senior player.

As the United States prepares to compete for the World Cup in South Africa and Canada prepares for a 2014 qualifying run, Bunbury remains undecided on which -- if either -- country he plans to choose.

"No, no update yet," Bunbury said of any decision.

[Jeremy]

Well is he still a great promising young player? Because he does not seem to start a lot of matches in Kansas.

[jpg75]

I'd like to know exactly how the question was worded because a few days earlier he told Nigel Reed on the Soccer Show that he looks forward to getting his first cap for Canada. If the question was "Can you give us an update on your international career" and he answered "no, no update yet" that could be construed to mean something else, like he hasn't been called yet.

[nolando]

Well is he still a great promising young player? Because he does not seem to start a lot of matches in Kansas.

You're right in a sense because the game he started yesterday was in Toronto. He started the year as a sub and seems to have worked his way into to starting, or being at worst a go-to guy as a sub. I think that's pretty impressive for a 20 y/o, personally.

[redhat]

I wouldn't worry too much. Firstly, he's a ROOKIE playing first-team ball in MLS -- albeit sometimes. That's pretty good.

Secondly there's a family history with the Canadian team -- dad's a legend for us, and Teal's played for our U17s and U20s.

To ask for a commitment is a lot of pressure for a rookie trying to play first-team.

While I'm not too worried, the CSA should call him up to some of our fall matches. It would do two things: see how he can play for the MNT,

and give him experience at the senior international level. Also may be good for his career, if he becomes a target for European clubs.

[fengshui]

Jeff Blair had a quote from him in an article today. Here it is:

Bunbury, who went to high school in Minnesota, has represented Canada at the Under-17 and Under-20 level, so he has aspirations of playing a role when it attempts to qualify for Brazil 2014. He is eligible to play for the U.S. but says he's “not thinking too much about it. If it does come into play, I'll make my decision then. But right now the best thing I can do is focus on Kansas City. I know I'm getting experience, but I want to start putting up some goals and assists.”

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/bunbury-comes-home/article1594313/

[Free kick]

Well is he still a great promising young player? Because he does not seem to start a lot of matches in Kansas.

Well he is a rookie in what is a third of the way into the season. Lets keep our fingers crossed because we desperately need players of his capabilities and at the position he plays.

[canucklefan]

I'd like to know exactly how the question was worded because a few days earlier he told Nigel Reed on the Soccer Show that he looks forward to getting his first cap for Canada. If the question was "Can you give us an update on your international career" and he answered "no, no update yet" that could be construed to mean something else, like he hasn't been called yet.

Maybe the Americans are really short in options of strikers(the strikers named to their WC squad seem to be ordinary compared to their midfield) and are in the need of new, young strikers. It's not the first time Bunbury expressed his desire to play for us, yet the US press seems to be interested in Bunbury.

[nolando]

To me it sounds very much like he is thinking that he will wait and see if he is good enough forthe US program

Makes sense too, as we have said, since his family all lives in the States now, and he spent (and continues to spend) most of his formative years and all of his top soccer years there. His Dad is essentially, if not actually, a naturalised American, his mom American, his sister American. I know some will say don't jump to conclusions but many heckled a small group of us when we said Asmir was leaving too, before it was even official. The comments all point in this direction, and yes, we've seen this all before.

Let's face it, we are a back-up choice for many a player, 100% Canadian, or some other percentage thereof, as Teal obviously is. The Americans offer Teal the realistic potential of World Cup soccer (assuming he is ever good enough to make it there) and we offer the potential of shoddy travel to Belarus or Belize or Lower Liechtenstein on many a non-FIFA sanctioned date, a career-long push-pull between club and country, and the dream of potentially one day making the pre-hex group stage, only to watch yet another World Cup from your own living room. Those are passable obstacles if you bleed red and white like the likes of, god bless him, Paul Stalteri. But if you already identify yourself with another country, ridiculously so or understandably so, as is the case with Teal, then you can pretty much forget it unless we are the last decent offer still left on the table.

I will tell you one thing, I don't think the US will mess around if they have their sights set on someone and I am pretty confident when I say that they would be judging him based on what he MIGHT be while we (our Canadian program) all too often tend to judge players on what they are this very moment in time, even when they are just six months or a year from bursting on the main stage of their careers. Of course it could go either way with Teal, but I would put money on him doing very well for himself in the near future. And choosing to play for the STATES, unfortunately.

[Soju]

It's called football interviewd Jimmy Conrad recently and asked about this. Conrad says the Americans on KC keep trying to get Bunbury to commit to the states but Bunbury has told them his heart's with Canada. FWIW.

[jpg75]

Maybe the Americans are really short in options of strikers(the strikers named to their WC squad seem to be ordinary compared to their midfield) and are in the need of new, young strikers. It's not the first time Bunbury expressed his desire to play for us, yet the US press seems to be interested in Bunbury.

There would have been very few members of the American press present at BMO and the ones that were were likely KC beat writers and/or TV. They would have the chance anytime to ask him that question over and over if they wanted to. I can assure you with 99% certainty that the person who asked the question was Canadian.

[jpg75]

It's called football interviewd Jimmy Conrad recently and asked about this. Conrad says the Americans on KC keep trying to get Bunbury to commit to the states but Bunbury has told them his heart's with Canada. FWIW.

Good to hear.

[Keegan]

All signs point to Bunbury committing to Canada he seems like a really mature kid and he has stated as such... I don't think we need to worry

[Footscray]

I could see the US 1 capping him just to keep him as an option in case he gets better. Fortunately sounds like he is playing for Canada anyway, because it would suck seeing Alex Bunbury's son play for the US.

[Lord Bob]

Next, Dale Mitchell's kid will declare for Trinidad and Tobago.

[RJB]

Well, this isn't just a soccer thing unfortunately. Zach Parise's Dad played for Canada, Brett Hull is another example, and Ray Bourque's son is a third. As much as there are dramatic examples in soccer, I'm starting to realize that this is a Canadian problem, not just a Canadian soccer problem.

[Guest Ed]

Aside from Hull (a late bloomer who was shown no interest at all from Canada and made his way onto the US team before he turned pro) they are all US born and raised and I don't consider them playing for the US a 'problem'.

[Cheeta]

^ What Ed wrote. A few years in Canada as an infant does not a Canadian make nor allow Canada some special claim over them.

[finchster]

Well, this isn't just a soccer thing unfortunately. Zach Parise's Dad played for Canada, Brett Hull is another example, and Ray Bourque's son is a third. As much as there are dramatic examples in soccer, I'm starting to realize that this is a Canadian problem, not just a Canadian soccer problem.

at least Ray Bourque's kids aren't very good .

Nothing good has ever happened for Canadian soccer when a player is taking a wait and see attitude, usually I would just accept that this player will defect. With the poor wording of this article however, I will not think anything of it right now.

[SeanKeay]

There is a chance he has changed his mind since speaking to me at the NCAA Combine, but he told me that he was committed to Canada and that he wants to play for the same team that his dad played for.

Im not to worried about this, he has a really good head on his shoulders.

That being said, if he does turn down calls to the national team. I will be the first one to start jumping off the bridge

[bettermirror]

Can we trade Teal for OBW? (or is OBW Jamaican?)

[Ivan]

^ He is Jamaican, but OBW has not shown me anything that has me hoping he would become part of our NT set up. I know it was only one game, but based on TFC vs KC last week, Bunbury already is better than White and is 5 years younger.

[TFC07]

^ He is Jamaican, but OBW has not shown me anything that has me hoping he would become part of our NT set up. I know it was only one game, but based on TFC vs KC last week, Bunbury already is better than White and is 5 years younger.

OBW isn't that good. He's overrated! If Canada needs him, then that will speak volume of how awful Canada is in soccer. There are better Canadian strikers out there than OBW. Bunbury being one of them.

[Macksam]

Well, this isn't just a soccer thing unfortunately. Zach Parise's Dad played for Canada, Brett Hull is another example, and Ray Bourque's son is a third. As much as there are dramatic examples in soccer, I'm starting to realize that this is a Canadian problem, not just a Canadian soccer problem.

Not to be disrespectful RJB, but none of this has any bearing what so ever.

Aside from Hull (a late bloomer who was shown no interest at all from Canada and made his way onto the US team before he turned pro) they are all US born and raised and I don't consider them playing for the US a 'problem'.

What he said.

If I can add one thing, Canada is the Brazil of hockey. Germany, Italy, Switzerland and other countries all have Canadians playing on their national teams.