Speculate on friendlies for 2011

[cfof]

Whom would you guys like to see Canada play against before the Gold Cup? Who do you think we'll actually get, and where? How many of these matches will there be? And so on. Discuss.

[mtl-supporter23]

Who do I want?

Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Italy, Mexico, and Chile

Who we'll get?

Haiti @SS , St. Vag@ BMO, @El Salvador , and @ Cuba

[finchster]

Who do I want?

Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Italy, Mexico, and Chile

Who we'll get?

Haiti @SS , St. Vag@ BMO, @El Salvador , and @ Cuba

While I like your enthusiasm, It would be foolish to play 6 games against teams we have zero chance of beating. I would rather our boys play one ‘prestige friendly’ a year, a match or two between lower European teams, two matches between CONCACAF nations, two matches against major CONCACAF nations, and some random. Our team will never get better being beaten like we were against Argentina

Prestige

England, France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Italy etc ( you get the idea)

It would be nice to pay one of these at home but I don’t think Canadian soccer has the fan support yet. Otherwise the stadium will be full of people with an English grandmother, or fake Brazilians.

Lower European

Hungary, Austria, Norway, Finland etc

It would be nice to play one nation like this at home and one away.

CONCACAF

Cuba, Panama, El Salvador, Jamaica, Guatemala etc

Right now we are Ranked 9th in CONCACAF. We need to play some teams we have a very good chance of beating to move up a little bit

Major CONCACAF

USA, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago

Playing some of the better CONCACAF teams will illustrate how we are playing at the moment and where we stand in the region.

Random

Maybe an African, or Asian team.

Next year I wouldn’t mind seeing something like…

England (away), Hungary (away), Guatemala (home), Norway (home), Costa Rica (away), Trinidad and Tobago (away), Panama (home), New Zealand (home)

[Edgar]

I'd like to see:

Costa Rica in November.

Jamaica in February

Two of Panama/El Salvador/Trinidad and Tobago in March.

[jpg75]

A "B" team match in the Caribbean in January/February, then we'll get 1 match in Europe during the March window and then a couple of CONCACAF scrubs in the weeks leading up to the GC.

[mtl-supporter23]

While I like your enthusiasm, It would be foolish to play 6 games against teams we have zero chance of beating. I would rather our boys play one ‘prestige friendly’ a year, a match or two between lower European teams, two matches between CONCACAF nations, two matches against major CONCACAF nations, and some random. Our team will never get better being beaten like we were against Argentina

My post was obviously meant to be delivered sarcastically...

To be honest we need relevant opponents, finding teams that are similar to what we face here in Concacaf. Not Cyprus or Northern Ireland, I think we need to focus on playing friendlies against nations on our side of the Atlantic.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

In the short term I'm just hoping we'll get a November match.

As for the January B camp, why not play a game in Vancouver or Victoria?? Yeah the weather might stink but so what.

[TFCRegina]

For a November match I'd like to see a European camp, even if we play Cyprus or Iceland or a weaker side like that.

For the Spring I think we'd be best off playing against Jamaica/El Salvador/Costa Rica or maybe do another Venezuela (preferably at BMO or SS).

We've gotten some experience playing some tougher sides in the Western Hemisphere, now it's time to square off against some teams on our level of play and see if the prep has paid off.

[redhat]

USA, Panama, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago. Definitely USA.

[Keano]

I'd love to see us play a "prestige" away tie with Republic of Ireland. They are extremely disciplined, and have two wingers that are as nifty and dangerous as any first-team Mexicans.

[rick10]

I dont think we should be playing europeans teams when we are going to be facing "spanish teams" ... I think we gained more from playing sides like peru , chile , colombia than we do playing sides such as sweeden , ireland , etc..

We are going to be facing mostly teams that have the same style as the southamericans , the difference is the southamericans are stronger than those teams. So why not prepared ourselves against teams with the same style but stronger , then when we face teams like honduras, el salvador , costa rica , we know their style and how to play them

I think we learned a lot from playing against peru , honestly i think that game made us better as a team , and i think it showed against honduras. I think our boys saw in honduras a wekaer side with the same style and they just knew how to play them and beat them.

Hart also plays possesion ball with short passes , therefore we need to play teams that have the same style so we can learn from them.

I would love to see a trip down south to play ( no argentina or brazil) but teams like chile , peru ( why not) , venezuela , colombia.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

I dont think we should be playing europeans teams when we are going to be facing "spanish teams" ... I think we gained more from playing sides like peru , chile , colombia than we do playing sides such as sweeden , ireland , etc..

We are going to be facing mostly teams that have the same style as the southamericans , the difference is the southamericans are stronger than those teams. So why not prepared ourselves against teams with the same style but stronger , then when we face teams like honduras, el salvador , costa rica , we know their style and how to play them

I think we learned a lot from playing against peru , honestly i think that game made us better as a team , and i think it showed against honduras. I think our boys saw in honduras a wekaer side with the same style and they just knew how to play them and beat them.

Hart also plays possesion ball with short passes , therefore we need to play teams that have the same style so we can learn from them.

I would love to see a trip down south to play ( no argentina or brazil) but teams like chile , peru ( why not) , venezuela , colombia.

We just played in Venezuela

[TFCRegina]

I dont think we should be playing europeans teams when we are going to be facing "spanish teams" ... I think we gained more from playing sides like peru , chile , colombia than we do playing sides such as sweeden , ireland , etc..

We are going to be facing mostly teams that have the same style as the southamericans , the difference is the southamericans are stronger than those teams. So why not prepared ourselves against teams with the same style but stronger , then when we face teams like honduras, el salvador , costa rica , we know their style and how to play them

I think we learned a lot from playing against peru , honestly i think that game made us better as a team , and i think it showed against honduras. I think our boys saw in honduras a wekaer side with the same style and they just knew how to play them and beat them.

Hart also plays possesion ball with short passes , therefore we need to play teams that have the same style so we can learn from them.

I would love to see a trip down south to play ( no argentina or brazil) but teams like chile , peru ( why not) , venezuela , colombia.

Unfortunately rick, the best way to build a team is to play a variety of styles so that you can adapt to many different situations. The problem is in the past we've played so few friendlies that they've mattered so very little in preparation. I went through the American Road to the 2010 World Cup and they played an impressive variety of sides and a lot of matches. The overall result was a team significantly stronger than what people expected. In 2009 alone, the US played over 20 matches, or two thirds of an MLS season.

For those who are curious, I posted this on the Red Patch Boys forum, ignore the sniping comments, they were directed at someone claiming the US played friendlies against minnows like Bermuda to boost their FIFA Ranking:

Starting in the time period of July 2006 to July 2010, here is a list of matches the US played, both friendly and competitive. Friendlies will be denoted with an F, Gold Cup with GC, World Cup Qualifier with WCQ, Confederations Cup with CC, Copa America with CA and World Cup with WC. Wins will be denoted with a W, Draws with a D, Losses with an L

Post World Cup 2006 - None

2007 (Record: 12 W, 1 D, 5 L) - Note the Quality of the Opposition is high relative to your statement of Bermuda and the Bahamas, especially in friendlies.

Denmark (F) - W

Mexico (F) - W

Ecuador (F) - W

Guatemala (F) - D

China PR (F) - W

Guatemala (GC) - W

T&T (GC) - W

El Salvador (GC) - W

Panama (GC) - W

Canada (GC) - W

Mexico (GC) - W

Argentina (CA) - L

Paraguay (CA) - L

Colombia (CA) - L

Sweden (F) - L

Brazil (F) - L

Switzerland (F) - W

South Africa (F) - W

2008 (9 W, 2 D, 3 L) - Half the opponents are quality, half aren't, but the US isn't gaining points from friendlies against minnows. They gained points against Sweden, Poland and Argentina in Friendlies. Their minnow games were Qualifying events.

Sweden (F) - W

Mexico (F) - D

Poland (F) - W

England (F) - L

Spain (F) - L

Argentina (F) - D

Barbados (WCQ) - W

Barbados (WCQ) - W

Guatemala (WCQ) - W

Cuba (WCQ) - W

T&T (WCQ) - W

Cuba (WCQ) - W

T&T (WCQ) - L

Guatemala (WCQ) - W

2009 (13 W, 3 D, 8 L) - Few friendlies played. Points earned in games against top opposition (Egypt and Spain and to a lesser extent Mexico) as well as weaker sides (Costa Rica/Honduras/T&T - are better than Canada and anything but minnows)

Sweden (F) - W

Mexico (WCQ) - W

El Salvador (WCQ) - D

T&T (WCQ) - W

Costa Rica (WCQ) - L

Honduras (WCQ) - W

Italy (CC) - L

Brazil (CC) - L

Egypt (CC) - W

Spain (CC) - W

Brazil (CC) - L

Grenada (GC) - W

Honduras (GC) - W

Haiti (GC) - D

Panama (GC) - W

Honduras (GC) - W

Mexico (GC) - L

Mexico (WCQ) - L

El Salvador (WCQ) - W

T&T (WCQ) - W

Honduras (WCQ) - W

Costa Rica (WCQ) - D

Slovakia (F) - L

Denmark (F) - L

Up to World Cup 2010 (4 W, 2D, 4L) - Wins against Algeria, Turkey and Australia are notable, no minnows there, as well as points from the England match.

Honduras (F) - L

El Salvador (F) - W

Netherlands (F) - L

Cz. Rep. (F) - L

Turkey (F) - W

Australia (F) - W

England (WC) - D

Slovenia (WC) - D

Algeria (WC) - W

Ghana (WC) - L

[paul-collins]

Of the lists above, I note that qualifying and friendlies (as opposed to competitions) break out thus:

2007 9 games

2008 14 games (no GC, CC or CA)

2009 13 games plus GC and CC another 11 games

2010 6 games plus WC 4 games

So to compare their prep to what lays ahead that Canada could try to emulate, we need to take advantage of at least 75% of the 2011 FIFA dates to get 9 games in.

As far as marketing the team to the country, though, they should try to get all of them, as many as possible at home, and all over the map rather than just Toronto and Montreal. Too bad the new BC Place won't be ready until late in the year, if only to move the Lions out so a grass pitch could be installed at Empire.

Duane Rollins has the FIFA date list on his blog, which I partially copy here:

Oct 9-13, 2010 - in Ukraine

Oct 9-13, 2010 - Not scheduled

Nov 17, 2010

Feb. 9, 2011

March 26-30, 2011

March 26-30, 2011

June 4-8, 2011

June 4-8, 2011

June 2011 – Gold Cup in US / Mexico? Final at the Rose Bowl

Aug. 10, 2011

Sept. 3-7, 2011

Sept. 3-7, 2011

Oct. 8-12, 2011

Oct. 8-12, 2011

Nov. 12-16, 2011

Nov. 12-16, 2011

(BC Place is to be open for Grey cup 2011 on November 27)

Which dates should we be trying to get at home?

[CanadianSoccerFan]

What do you guys think of trying out a friendly at that new stadium in Moncton? It's got grass at least.

[paul-collins]

2 hours from Charlottetown, St John, and 3 1/4 hours from Halifax. Do it.

[mulliganl]

Not sure what kind of a difference it makes, but Moncton is also in a time zone that is 1 hour closer to Europe than Toronto. Would an hour be that relevant?

Getting there isn't much of a problem either. The players can easily fly from London to either St John's or Halifax and then take a puddle jumper (the flight from Halifax is especially short).

[TFCRegina]

Not sure what kind of a difference it makes, but Moncton is also in a time zone that is 1 hour closer to Europe than Toronto. Would an hour be that relevant?

Getting there isn't much of a problem either. The players can easily fly from London to either St John's or Halifax and then take a puddle jumper (the flight from Halifax is especially short).

Moncton might be decent for a winter game. The Maritimes are generally warmer in the winter and nothing would say Eff You to a Latin American team like playing in what could potentially be -10 with snowfall or 0 with rainfall in Canada.

[footballfreak]

Not sure what kind of a difference it makes, but Moncton is also in a time zone that is 1 hour closer to Europe than Toronto. Would an hour be that relevant?

Getting there isn't much of a problem either. The players can easily fly from London to either St John's or Halifax and then take a puddle jumper (the flight from Halifax is especially short).

I saw the last two days of the World Junior Athletics Championships in person at the Moncton Stadium. The support from the community for the event was first class. The cheap seats were always packed, which is saying something considering the temperature on Saturday was probably 40+ celsius on the metal bleachers, and was miserable and rainy on Sunday.

The stadium itself was bare-bones but certainly no worse than Stade Saputo, and the field was in incredible condition. Whether it stays like that after it gets turned over to the university, who can say.

If the CSA is serious about wanting to create a home atmosphere for qualifying, it should consider playing one of the first group games in Moncton to see what kind of support they can get out. I can honestly see Moncton turning into a Columbus-like stronghold of Canadian support.

[TFCRegina]

I saw the last two days of the World Junior Athletics Championships in person at the Moncton Stadium. The support from the community for the event was first class. The cheap seats were always packed, which is saying something considering the temperature on Saturday was probably 40+ celsius on the metal bleachers, and was miserable and rainy on Sunday.

The stadium itself was bare-bones but certainly no worse than Stade Saputo, and the field was in incredible condition. Whether it stays like that after it gets turned over to the university, who can say.

If the CSA is serious about wanting to create a home atmosphere for qualifying, it should consider playing one of the first group games in Moncton to see what kind of support they can get out. I can honestly see Moncton turning into a Columbus-like stronghold of Canadian support.

Consistently only able to put 10,000 people in the seats in a 20,000 seat stadium?

[jpg75]

I'm guessing he means MNT support, they've beaten the Mexicans in Columbus during WCQ in February the past 2 cycles.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Getting there isn't much of a problem either. The players can easily fly from London to either St John's or Halifax and then take a puddle jumper (the flight from Halifax is especially short).

Monkeytown is an international airport, I'm not sure about the frequency of direct flights from London. Jetting from YHZ to YQM is 25 minutes.

After seeing the attendance in Toronto and Montreal, Moncton and St John's (King George V) deserve a shot. They could at least match the Montreal crowd.

Moncton is apparently one of only four places in the country that has every type of weather. Extreme cold, heat, hurricanes, snowstorms etc., the occasional earthquake.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

It might be easier to sell tickets in a place like Moncton because there's less media and entertainment clutter to break through. It would be hard for anyone in town to "not even know the game was happening" like so many did in Toronto and Montreal. it would also be seen as much more of a big event to the locals than it would in a major city with lots in the way of major pro sports and entertainment options.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Actually, they're getting big names at the local casino and can't sell that out. But Monkeytown is a good one event kind of place. I was amazed that the CFL sold out so to get 10,000 for this is definitely doable and worth a shot.

[finchster]

It might be easier to sell tickets in a place like Moncton because there's less media and entertainment clutter to break through. It would be hard for anyone in town to "not even know the game was happening" like so many did in Toronto and Montreal. it would also be seen as much more of a big event to the locals than it would in a major city with lots in the way of major pro sports and entertainment options.

I think this is an interesting idea, I like it. Away support wouldn't be much of an issue in Montcon or St John's