Tuscan Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 For a while I've wondered if all the fuss about Jr. Hoillet was really worthwhile. One thing I'll note right now is I can't even remember if I'm spelling his last name properly, and I'm too lazy to do anything about it so leave it alone. Anyway, lately his importance to our future success has become painfully apparent. The Gold Cup really showed how we are lacking a finisher in the middle - a player who is a constant threat to the "bigger" teams in CONCACAF (Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, El Slavador, Jamaica). He doesn't necessarily need to be a game changer against the US or Mexico, as I don't believe we should waste any of our energy worrying about those two right now, they are too far a head of us to invest any resources towards. It is the bigger teams who we have to target, and everyone on here knows this (broken record statement I know). We need him because we don't have a central striker who is a threat against these bigger teams, someone who they will have to use on-field resources to constantly cover, basically double-team, as he could make them pay otherwise. Along with this, we need a new injection of blood yet again, at a proper level than what Hart has had to work with for the last while. We need a new addition who the other players know has the class and the ability to be a game changer for us. It will add motivation and confidence in and of itself. We need some kind of boost to draw from going into this stage, because the going is going to get tough once the CSA decides we need to play Honduras in Montreal *again* and Panama at BMO where it will be a 50/50 split (unless we can mobilize again). For a lesser reason, we need to make sure he doesn't go to Jamaica, as they will become the new #3 in the Confederation, and we will not have enough to take out Honduras in the Hex (assuming we get past Panama to get there). So, with that said, we need to help Hart. We need to do something to show that we want him, that he needs to choose us once his "contract" issues are done with. Basically, once we move on from the 2nd round, we need to take action into our own hands, and set up interviews and contact his club, just do anything to try and get the message across that he belong here and we won't accept anything else. Am I crazy? Am I a little draw-drunk? Or am I on to something that we need to look into? shermanator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villus Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 You make some good points but hes not really a central player, hes more of a wide player who has lots of pace and ability taking on and beating players. He finishes fairly well but hes def not an out and out central striker from what I've seen of him in the EPL. ironcub14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 I know he is played more wide than central with Blackburn, but I think he would be our best option in the middle. Quite frankly, when playing against the bigger teams in CONCACAF, he seems like our ONLY option in the middle compared to what we've had so far. The most important thing is that he would be a win for Canada - a quality player we gain for ourselves. Simeon was a quality player we picked up, but he was followed by the exits of Ass Smear and that douchebag who thought he would catch on with the Czech's. Along with the win, surely it would bring a bit of a boost to the players. I just think that gaining him would be a catalyst for success for us in this qualifying cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFCRegina Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I know he is played more wide than central with Blackburn, but I think he would be our best option in the middle. Quite frankly, when playing against the bigger teams in CONCACAF, he seems like our ONLY option in the middle compared to what we've had so far. The most important thing is that he would be a win for Canada - a quality player we gain for ourselves. Simeon was a quality player we picked up, but he was followed by the exits of Ass Smear and that douchebag who thought he would catch on with the Czech's. Along with the win, surely it would bring a bit of a boost to the players. I just think that gaining him would be a catalyst for success for us in this qualifying cycle. Disagree with the deployment of Hoilett. If you're going to use him, you place him on the right and improve delivery to our Center Forwards that rarely get delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) . Edited October 3, 2018 by Bully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Gagne Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Agree we need Hoillet, but not related to on field or tactical considerations... for those that follow Paul James on Soccer (and I know there's many here that do), you'll be familiar with his concept of the "********** Effect", the concept that **********' nakedly career motivated defection to England spawned a generation of Canadian soccer players who saw it as acceptable conduct to do the same - I don't have to list all their names here. Beyond what Hoillet could bring to the team on the pitch we need his potential star-power to elevate the profile of the CMNT and stop the bleeding of our top talent to other nations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Gagne Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) Wow I just realized that this site automatically stars-out the word **********... that's awesome!!!! Edited July 31, 2011 by A_Gagne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Wow I just realized that this site automatically stars-out the word **********... that's awesome!!!! Hahahahahahahahaha hell I didn't even know that one! Hat tip to Jamie and the other Vs mods. I agree with your point regarding what Hoilett would bring to the Nats - more than just another player. Lars, I believe we need a new injection in the centre striker role more than we need anyone new out on the wings. I'm sorry, but Friend isn't going to get better at finishing with new service from the wings. Gerba isn't going to either. We need a player with quality beyond those two in the central striking role in order to be a new and constant threat for opposing defenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Talked to a friend last night who knows the head physio for team Canada.. he said Junior somewhat agreed to play, wanted to attend camp. The only issue he said was that his father was reluctant. If this is true that is big news. To the best of my knowledge that's the closest I've heard of him officially declaring his international intentions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I think Hoilett gives us the option of playing a dynamic three man attack without a target man. As of right now it's hard to see how we can play two forwards without one of them being a target man, but if we have Simeon Jackson, Hoilett and Simpson as a front three we have the option of interchanging the three and playing without a real centre forward. I mean it might not work, but if Hoilett declared for Canada it would be worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 During the second half of the EPL season Junior was played centrally behind the striker. He was a striker at the youth level, but was switched to left wing at St. Pauli 3 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villus Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Even if that ^^^^^^ is the case we still need a point man playing in front of him. I can see us playing a 3 man attack with Simeon, Jr. and Simpson but we would have to work on it and it would have to be a change of style. At the moment I think having Ali G up top is the best option with 3 attacking mids playing off him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj52 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 jpg is right, he has played effectively centrally in the hole. His stats in more than one game showed that he was given the freedom to roam a great deal. He seems to be able to find the spaces behind a deep central striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittiwake30 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I agree with the shared sentiment that we shouldn't waste time courting those who don't long to wear the maple leaf. But Hoilett is a special case and can fill a special need. I don't know why we can't enlist some Canadians of signifcance - the Prime Minister, Steve Nash, Drake, Wayne Gretzky - to give the call a call and a bit of encouragement. Is there a role the Vs can play in facilitating this. Might we issue a press release encouraging Hoilett to commit to Canada? Sorry if this is well-trodden ground. New here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest darowaan Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Hoillet gives you a number of options where you can play him but none of them are as a central striker or target man. That would just be a waste of his natural talents. We all saw Jackson struggle to get involved in games when he was alone up top relying on questionable service and not allowed to spend time with the ball at his feet. Hoillet would look the same way. He relies on being able to pick the ball up a bit earlier and then beat defenders with his pace and from there he has a fair bit of ability to cross the ball as well as creating his own shot. He is used out wide for the most part by Blackburn because he is by far the best option that they have out there and they rely on him making wide runs and occasionally drifting in to the middle. He did start in more of a central attacking midfield role a few times this past season and was effective there but I don't think that would be the best place for Canada to use him. I do get that CMNT is lacking a central striker as i dont think Friend or Gerba are good enough to get the job done for us at the level we want to be but we have to work with what is at our disposal rather then trying to make the players we have fit into a system that does not suit them. So I would agree with the people who have commented about a change in formation being needed if Junior does decide to commit. I like the idea of more of a 4-3-3 formation but that would put more pressure on Hutchinson and De Guzman to perform every single game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi44 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Jackson/Simpson/Hoillet would be dangerous to any CONCACAF nation. We need Junior! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 I agree with the shared sentiment that we shouldn't waste time courting those who don't long to wear the maple leaf. But Hoilett is a special case and can fill a special need. I don't know why we can't enlist some Canadians of signifcance - the Prime Minister, Steve Nash, Drake, Wayne Gretzky - to give the call a call and a bit of encouragement. Is there a role the Vs can play in facilitating this. Might we issue a press release encouraging Hoilett to commit to Canada? Sorry if this is well-trodden ground. New here. What's be talked about in the past regarding this is no longer relevant as things have changed and we have been shown the weakness our own side possesses. This is exactly the discussion I want to get started here, and yes I think we do need to take action on our part as a collective (resistance is futile). A press release is a good start, but I think we need to think of ways to go beyond that, whether directly aimed at Hoilett or aimed at others who can add oomph to our trying to convince him. My initial idea was that we need to contact which ever club he signs his sought after deal with and ask them if we can either speak directly to him or have a message given to him (which we would have to make sure it does somehow). This is the most direct approach aside from someone actually physically going to the club and asking to speak with him, which would happen when pigs fly. It's probably not the best approach either, so hopefully we can brainstorm an acceptable action or set of actions we can take to make sure he declares for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grigorio Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Just throwin some ideas out there, but how about a series of suggestive, yet cool images of him as the Canadian soccer hero and send them to him. Can create a series of images, like one with him on a Wheatie's box wearing a Canada kit, fake newspaper clippings "canada qualifies for 2014 Brazil!!" posters, etc... Simple enough to do for someone with graphic design training (which I have..) I'm not really a huge fan of trying to seduce people to join us, but at the same time I'm also sick of sitting on our asses and keeping our fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruud Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Simple as this - big money needs to get Junior over here - BMO needs to get on board. Scotiabank, Magna - I don't care whom - he should be getting corporate money and advertising. That is what will bring him to Canada. Adidas ads, whatever. Corporate canada just doesn't get on board, and I'm SURE the CSA is trying to do this. several years ago, I approached Dairy Farmers of Canada with an idea to get soccer into its advertising framework. As you may recall, they threw money behind the Olympics and had some decent ads as well. If Canadian companies start talking, then he makes more trips home. Then he gets attention for the big games. Then...then... Show me the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forster01 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 He is extremely important, he is the only game-breaker we have and it is of massive importance that we cap him. I think he will play for us but we will have to wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dare431 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Simple as this - big money needs to get Junior over here - BMO needs to get on board. Scotiabank, Magna - I don't care whom - he should be getting corporate money and advertising. That is what will bring him to Canada. Adidas ads, whatever. Corporate canada just doesn't get on board, and I'm SURE the CSA is trying to do this. several years ago, I approached Dairy Farmers of Canada with an idea to get soccer into its advertising framework. As you may recall, they threw money behind the Olympics and had some decent ads as well. If Canadian companies start talking, then he makes more trips home. Then he gets attention for the big games. Then...then... Show me the money! I fully agree. If traitor begovic managed to get an adidas ad for the U20 world cup before he even played any games for pompey, Hoillet should be given at minimum something like that. Hoillet has the potential to have a much larger name than bego anyways, keeper's are never recognized as much as goal-scoring wingers/strikers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruud Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I fully agree. If traitor begovic managed to get an adidas ad for the U20 world cup before he even played any games for pompey, Hoillet should be given at minimum something like that. Hoillet has the potential to have a much larger name than bego anyways, keeper's are never recognized as much as goal-scoring wingers/strikers Yes, and that Begovic ad was pretty good. Hold that thought on him though, if he gets picked up by Chelsea et al. he will have a bigger name than any other Canadian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villus Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Yes, and that Begovic ad was pretty good. Hold that thought on him though, if he gets picked up by Chelsea et al. he will have a bigger name than any other Canadian! Although it may seem far fetched last year was a break out year for Jr. and I'd imagine alot of bigger teams are going to be watching to see how he does this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi44 Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Although it may seem far fetched last year was a break out year for Jr. and I'd imagine alot of bigger teams are going to be watching to see how he does this year. I think he could score 10 league goals this year. You heard it first here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forster01 Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I think he could score 10 league goals this year. You heard it first here... He'll get that easy he only really played starting 11 football for the last half of the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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