Canada's roster announced

[Free kick]

What is depressing is that I see very few players between 21 and 24 who could be here and not look out of place.

Yes, thats what we were saying but for some reason there are a string of posts where people mis intrepreted (through reading select posts at random) the discussion to mean that it was being suggested that " we should not be calling the best availble" but rather strategically make call ups by age.

[Free kick]

Bullshit. People can say all they want about how he doesn't deliver or doesn't have the technical abilities to score on an international stage but to say that he doesn't care about playing for Canada is not only insulting, it's incredibly off base and uninformed.

Agree, i have been one of Friend's critics in the past. But i have never questioned his committment, dedication or effort. My concern was more in the technical nature, productivity, and whether or not there is a fit for his style and play and the current squad. And, whether we can chnage our game to suite his style and have any success in CoNcacaf play.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

+1.

From past and current hopefuls in that generation, out of DiChiara, Agourram, Pacheco, Henry, Uccello, Stillo, Edgar (wait, how old is he now?) I'm not sure who could walk onto this squad other than probably Edgar. Agourram's development has basically been totally arrested by injury. I don't know enough about the others.

If Dunfield can make this team on current form then I'd argue that Stinson could as well.

[Keegan]

If Dunfield can make this team on current form then I'd argue that Stinson could as well.

A true comment based on form but I think we need to see more than 6 games from an 18 year old before we can say he's ready to be called to a WCQ. If he continues to play (well) and we have clinched our qualification then I wouldn't mind seeing him in November.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

Yeah I am not saying call him up for these games. Just trying to illustrate not everything is terrible with our youth.

[Gordon]

Yes, thats what we were saying but for some reason there are a string of posts where people mis intrepreted (through reading select posts at random) the discussion to mean that it was being suggested that " we should not be calling the best availble" but rather strategically make call ups by age.

I think some of it is based on the earlier threads suggesting that we should be giving a run out to younger playerrs. But I do agree with you that one of the strengths of the old Network 54 format was the threading of conversations as it made the context clearer.

[killgod]

Bullshit. People can say all they want about how he doesn't deliver or doesn't have the technical abilities to score on an international stage but to say that he doesn't care about playing for Canada is not only insulting, it's incredibly off base and uninformed.

Umm, I'm not the only person on this board that saw Friend's complete lack of interest in Ricketts tying the match and his utter lack of ability to give a **** while saluting the fans.

I'm not off base for a second, this bloody happened.

[ditty]

with proper service he would be a force

Rob Friend started last year in a strong Hertha Berlin team that ran over BL 2 and he didn't score. The other Hertha strikers (Ramos, Lasogga) scored buckets. He was Hertha's big signing going into last season but the guy just simply hasn't been in form for over a year. Hopefully, he gets a transfer to a BL 2 team and gets playing and scoring.

[El Hombre]

Umm, I'm not the only person on this board that saw Friend's complete lack of interest in Ricketts tying the match and his utter lack of ability to give a **** while saluting the fans.

I'm not off base for a second, this bloody happened.

I could care less about what you think you saw one time and how you want to interpret it. Friend is a competitor and a professional, and from everything I've seen, always proud to wear the Canadian colours. If you had followed his career like I have, you'd know that. He's one of the few that have pulled on the Canadian jersey that has publicly lambasted those other "Canadian" players that will exploit FIFA regulations to play for other countries.

I personally don't understand why he's become a whipping boy here but people can have their opinions about his skill. However, to question his integrity like that is a fucking travesty.

[JoshieScores]

Umm, I'm not the only person on this board that saw Friend's complete lack of interest in Ricketts tying the match and his utter lack of ability to give a **** while saluting the fans.

I'm not off base for a second, this bloody happened.

In my opinion, it's a case of him being disappointed with himself not being able to contribute on a regular basis. He's a striker and his job is to score. Obviously he hasn't been so you can see it on his face but that in no way means he has no interest in playing for his country.

If he's not, why accept a call?

[gator]

I could care less about what you think you saw one time and how you want to interpret it. Friend is a competitor and a professional, and from everything I've seen, always proud to wear the Canadian colours. If you had followed his career like I have, you'd know that. He's one of the few that have pulled on the Canadian jersey that has publicly lambasted those other "Canadian" players that will exploit FIFA regulations to play for other countries.

I personally don't understand why he's become a whipping boy here but people can have their opinions about his skill. However, to question his integrity like that is a fucking travesty.

People seem to forget this, he was very vocal about some of the traitors and I believe he deserves a lot more respect than he's getting from some on here! We don't have many options for that lone target man that Hart insists on playing, I'm not saying it should be Friend at this point but IMHO Jackson was a disaster played in that role!

[Guest Ed]

I thought Hart said de Jong had some personal issues but, regardless, he is unfit, out for about 10 days with a right knee sprain.

[superbrad]

Friend looked pretty good in this game... 30 seconds in....

(and where did THAT DeGuzman go???)

PS I miss Radz on our MNT

[killgod]

I could care less about what you think you saw one time and how you want to interpret it. Friend is a competitor and a professional, and from everything I've seen, always proud to wear the Canadian colours. If you had followed his career like I have, you'd know that. He's one of the few that have pulled on the Canadian jersey that has publicly lambasted those other "Canadian" players that will exploit FIFA regulations to play for other countries.

I personally don't understand why he's become a whipping boy here but people can have their opinions about his skill. However, to question his integrity like that is a fucking travesty.

In the Ecuador game these things happened, it can likely be found in the bloody highlights and post game photos. Get over it, there's no misinterpretation when your team scores a match tying goal at the end of a game right in front of your eyes and all you do is put your head down and walk away...if that's not disinterest then what the hell is it? If you got a hard on for his play and person, great, I don't care, this still happened.

If he's shown in the past he's a competitor, great, but that's not what I'm talking about so don't put words in my mouth like I'm going off on some anti Rob Friend tirade here. I'm talking about 2011 and going forward.

In the Ecuador game he showed disinterest and perhaps the sparse crowd and lack of starting time has changed his tune toward being a part of the Canadian program. Now that he's almost 31 perhaps with the younger Simpson, Jackson and Ricketts in front of him he's losing interest in being part of the program, that was my speculation which I believe is a fair guess...that's all I did, made a guess. I"m not claiming anything nor am I questioning his commitment in the past, I'm talking about present day and what he's shown us when we last saw him. Maybe he feels his time with Canada is done, so go ahead and shoot me for thinking it despite there being reason for that being possible. Am I really reaching here? Could it not be possible Friend's desire to sit on Canada's bench is not massively important to him?

Now why you don't understand how he's become a whipping boy is rather odd to me because it's obvious in my opinion. You can be the proudest player on the planet but if you don't produce in your role for a long period of time, you become the whipping boy. This is no different in ANY sport that I watch so why does it surprise you that his 2:32 strike rate has not turned him into a Canadian footballing hero? We don't make World Cups because we don't score enough goals, I think the Gold Cup was enough evidence of this problem. You can have all the skill in the world, if you don't produce and the team isn't winning you become the target. This isn't a new concept in pro sports.

[Gaucho]

I have seen many matches that Friend has played in (going back to his college days), and I have never seen him disinterested. In fact, his will to win and the work rate he displays on the pitch have always been very professional even when he was an amateur.

I think it's unfair to cite one incident and attempt to draw a conclusion from that when everything that preceded it shows that Friend is very interested in playing hard for his country.

Although I am a huge fan of Friend and hope he succeeds for both club and country, maybe Canada should go in another direction at striker. But I think it's unfair to characterize his attitude as disinterested.

[El Hombre]

In the Ecuador game these things happened, it can likely be found in the bloody highlights and post game photos. Get over it, there's no misinterpretation when your team scores a match tying goal at the end of a game right in front of your eyes and all you do is put your head down and walk away...if that's not disinterest then what the hell is it? If you got a hard on for his play and person, great, I don't care, this still happened.

It could be a ton of things. You felt the need to interpret that as someone who "...didn't care to be there" (your words) and someone who doesn't care to play for Canada (again, your insinuation). I interpreted it differently.

I can't wait until I see someone who doesn't adequately celebrate to my expectations so that I can tar and feather them like you have.

This is ridiculous.

Edit: After doing a little research I agree with you now. I found this picture online. In it I see Friend flipping off the Voyageurs.

Oops, no wait, he's celebrating with his teammates after tying Ecuador.

[Keegan]

I thought Hart said de Jong had some personal issues but, regardless, he is unfit, out for about 10 days with a right knee sprain.

I hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling the MNT isn't a top priority for Marcel, I just feel like he's been giving us the slip

[FootieFool]

This group needs to gel and getting some big wins here can be a real boost for us.

Agree completely, which is why I am actually happy we didn't finish top 6 and get a bye to the next round. This gives our guys more opportunities to play together. I can see Hart sticking with this group for most of our WCQ.

YAY! no Friend....

[FootieFool]

Friend looked pretty good in this game... 30 seconds in....

(and where did THAT DeGuzman go???)

PS I miss Radz on our MNT

That was the best goal I've ever seen Friend score for Canada. Actually, that might be the only goal I've seen Friend score for Canada.

I miss Radz, too.

[loyola]

It could be a ton of things. You felt the need to interpret that as someone who "...didn't care to be there" (your words) and someone who doesn't care to play for Canada (again, your insinuation). I interpreted it differently.

I can't wait until I see someone who doesn't adequately celebrate to my expectations so that I can tar and feather them like you have.

This is ridiculous.

Edit: After doing a little research I agree with you now. I found this picture online. In it I see Friend flipping off the Voyageurs.

Oops, no wait, he's celebrating with his teammates after tying Ecuador.

It's quite clear from that picture that Rob was telling Nik L. to hurry up because he had better things to do than celebrating and applauding the fans....

[Keano]

I'm not going to question the commitment of a guy I don't know personally, but I'm with those who feel his game has sagged beyond what can simply be attributed to his style not matching our system. I saw him live against Honduras at the Montreal friendly and he did cause a goal by being awesomely big and inconvenient in the area. But in a lot of other recent games he has received the ball at times and has seemed too slow to decide what to do with it as often as he was simply stranded. I think it's a bit of both, i.e. lost a step and not right for the system... I don't hope or wish that first part, but it's just what it looks like to me. I sincerely hope I'm wrong about it actually. In any case it's great to see Occean on fire and to be honest, I'd probably go with a healthy Gerba right now as a second string lone forward, than Friend, even if based mostly on past exploits.

[Free kick]

Actually, that might be the only goal I've seen Friend score for Canada.

He scored one against Jamaica in a friendly in Montreal at Claude Robillard in September of 2006. I think it was 2006. It was almost identical to the one in the video. It was on a high in-swinging cross where he jumps and out reaches the keeper with a header.

But i have nver seen him score any other way. And thats the problem.

[villus]

TBH I think its clear that Friend is in a rut both club and country. I think we should use OO as our lone striker right now, but playing minnows has alot of advantages and along with blooding some younger players using a guy like Friend and allowing him to get some goals could help to re-ignite his career, especially because hes not getting a game at club level. I think as well we should tinker with a 4-4-2, we need options for different competion.

[killgod]

It could be a ton of things. You felt the need to interpret that as someone who "...didn't care to be there" (your words) and someone who doesn't care to play for Canada (again, your insinuation). I interpreted it differently.

I can't wait until I see someone who doesn't adequately celebrate to my expectations so that I can tar and feather them like you have.

This is ridiculous.

Edit: After doing a little research I agree with you now. I found this picture online. In it I see Friend flipping off the Voyageurs.

Oops, no wait, he's celebrating with his teammates after tying Ecuador.

Him laughing with Ledgerwood post match doesn't change the fact of what happened during the game. I personally can't think of a single reason at this level of sport where you'd not care about that type of moment, I suppose you can, I guess I'm just crazy. I also saw poor body language at the end of the game while the players came over to salute us that I didn't see from others. Sorry for seeing it, but it was just odd if you ask me.

In the end, it doesn't change the fact that he may no longer be a starter for Canada. Again, before you bloody continue to flip out, I just said MAY! Heaven forbid I suggest he's not a starter, please don't shoot me for it.

Doesn't change the fact that we have younger talents showing more promise. Can I make that suggestion or is this nonsense too?

Doesn't change the fact that his strike rate for Canada has been poor. Well this one's a fact, I guess I win this point.

Doesn't change the fact that Canada is poorly supported and a long shot to qualify. This is also a fact...and it sucks.

I'm not "tar and feathering" him, stop being so bloody dramatic....are you Rob Friend himself? I mean christ's sake man. There's no way around what happened during the game, I saw it and other people on this forum saw what I saw too so I wasn't alone in making that interpretation. I suppose I should look up who responded to me so they can be labelled crazy like I am.

I suggested, again SUGGESTED, that his interest in being part of the program due to the things I mentioned somewhat back that up my suggestion. We're giving reasons in this thread as to why players may not be here, but I'll apologize for giving a my damn opinion as to why I think he might not be around for these matches. I suppose it's entirely impossible for a player to lose interest in playing internationally, even with the aforementioned factors going on....right?

It was just an opinion and I stated my case for it, but go ahead and Tar and feather me if you'd like cause I think you're the only one looking to pull that off right now.

At the end of the day I saw some things during that match I found odd. I then think he's had some things go poorly for him as a int'l player and drew a conclusion that he may think his time may be getting past him as other players begin to get chances up front and that in our current state it might be time to move on. He may not want to be here in these circumstances, it's my suggestion. That's it, that's all I'm saying. Shoot me.

[Sam]

I could care less if a player celebrates a goal like a madman or does nothing. If they keep accepting the call from Canada and give 100% on the pitch I won't judge their effort level or dedication. There's no point in reading into anything that doesn't directly affect the match.