James Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 from the11.ca http://the11.ca/2012/05/29/dear-stephen-hart-pick-up-the-phone-and-give-shaun-saiko-a-call/ Before everyone picks out the U23 games, consider what he's been doing so far this season in the NASL and how he's been doing it. With Simpson out, they should give Shaun a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatest Cockney Rip Off Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I haven't seen any of his clubs games, but where is he being played? Would he be able to fill Simpson's role or is he played more centrally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Central. or wide right. He wouldn't be a straight swap for Simpson. Found it odd he had limited time with the u23's personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Shaun is in form of his life. He should be call for the camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Saiko is doing great, 5G 2A in 8GP for a Central Attacking Mid. Wouldn't be surprised if he transfers to one of the Scandanavian leagues after this season. Forget MLS, he'll just rot on the bench for one of the Cdn teams... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Adding Saiko makes a lot of sense, but it seems rather unlikely. The quality of opposition questions will constantly dog any NASL player unfortunately. I don't know the answer to this question so I thought I'd ask: who is the last NASL/USL to be called up for a MNT game? Did they make an appearance or were the stuck on the bench? Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Consider though, that the NASL oposition put a number of the MSL teams to the sowrd in the US cup on tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Adding Saiko makes a lot of sense, but it seems rather unlikely. The quality of opposition questions will constantly dog any NASL player unfortunately. I don't know the answer to this question so I thought I'd ask: who is the last NASL/USL to be called up for a MNT game? Did they make an appearance or were the stuck on the bench? Jason Charles Gbeke got cap-tied in the last WCQ's in 2008. Not sure since then, maybe Gerba? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmonte Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 In answer to the question I have a best guess as Ali Gerba too...but I know Martin Nash used to get called up from the Caps in 2nd tier too a few years back, quite often. Saiko rocks I think he has a lot of skill. Watched a nice highlight package of his hat trick a few weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulliganl Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Cann was called as a member of the Whitecaps. Reckon that was about 3-4 years ago...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmonte Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Yeah but Gerba's call for Gold Cup was just last year, wasn't he playing for the Impact? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Ali Gerba in 2011, Terry Dunfield in 2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villus Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 All the players being listed have played in bigger leagues and were the finished product when called. Those guys have shown that they can compete at higher levels and had the experience and sample size that a coach can look at and have a good idea of what they are getting. Saiko is still young, and I think its a different scenario. I do think he can be playing at a higher level but I'd like him to show that, hopefully he can make the next step, but until then I'd be a bit hesitant of calling him in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevensandor Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Saiko has been used on the wide left for most of the season, which is not his natural position but he's adapted to it quite well. You'll see the 2nd of his 2 wondergoals against Carolina came off the left channel. He was used more on the right last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 ... and Mr Sandor Knows all about Wondergoals.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 ... and Mr Sandor Knows all about Wondergoals.. He's a living legend after his epic goal... I think the boys have been asking for pointers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 All I can say is that Steve popped his in before Saiko did against the 'Hawks. Reckon he was taking tips alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 These two goals are really quite remarkable. Is he trying to shoot regularly with that curve off of what looks like his outside top boot? http://youtu.be/b27WKZaioc4 http://youtu.be/uTY66jhp8lo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevensandor Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Check this, 12:00 and 15:40 http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22412651 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Check this, 12:00 and 15:40 http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22412651 Thanks! Two more beauties, for sure. It's so hard (at least for me) to try to envision this being repeated as an MLS player or CMNT player. He gets so much space which would never happen given better opposition. NASL is really very poor now despite the recent USOC MLS losses, so it's hard to compare this success to the days of Nash or Gerba when NASL/USL was a much more talented and competitive league. That said, Saiko has such a sweet strike with that right foot of his and I do believe he exhibits a lot of sound footballing skills, in some cases creating that aforementioned space by making a nice little touch here or there. If we lose Hutch or DDR then I say bring him in and let him learn the ropes like Piette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevensandor Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Funny thing is that the goal Saiko scored against PR (from nolando's links) was against Ray Burse. Now, Burse is in Carolina, and Saiko scores a hat trick on him in 2012, with two of them being fantastic long-range efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shermanator Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Saiko has been cut by San Antonio after they acquired Cesar Elizondo from Carolina. http://the11.ca/2014/08/05/numbers-game-san-antonio-terminates-the-contract-of-canadian-shaun-saiko/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I was willing, as many were, to blame management when he was cut from Edmonton. He really seems to have flopped for the second time, though, which might mean the end of his career, unless he fancies starting from scratch in second tier Finland or something. He is pretty much a poster boy for unrealized Canadian talent, the kind of guy you look at at 18 y/o and think, wow this could be our next big thing. Pity, like with Paul Hamilton, I really liked the things he brought to the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baulderdash77 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 It's not a talent thing. He has been hurt for most of the season and now he's a victim to the international rules limitations in the NASL. I thought the NASL had also amended that rule and accepted Canadians as domestics. Hopefully he catches on somewhere soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Was he that good? Or did some long range bombs early in his year hide some deficiencies in his game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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