Max Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Should we have B Team? And if yes. Who should be a coach? Whom should we play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Realistically, we seem to be strapped funding an A-Team; but I'd like to see a few guys who are doing well in Germany and still young enough to keep progessing up the levels: Janiel Hoilett Justin Maheu Kevin Cobby Srdjan Gajic Graham Fisher I'd give Rafa Carbajal a chance to manage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Interesting that this subject would be brought up, I personally think we should be playing more of these matches with maybe our MLS based players and perhaps European players on the fringe of the A team! I mentioned this in Cuba and even the Westerners were unable to remember our last Canada B matches vs Millwall amd Hearts in July of 04, I guess they were all too young! Those friendlies were the start of good professional careers for Josh Simpson amd Adrian Serioux as they were both signed by Millwall after impressing their manager who was Dennis Wise at the time! Here's a link for the Millwall match: http://www.cansoc.org/showthread.php?22912-Canada-B-vs-Millwall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 At what point do we start the B team? Not in the Starting 11? Not on bench? Not in the last camp? Not called in the last 6 months? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 This discussion was had years ago and my opinion remains the same - we cannot afford a "B" team. We can't even afford to properly fund an "A" team so why remove resources from the "A" team or our youth teams (we can't even fund a respectable U23 program FFS). If faced with the decision of having a camp for the NT before the Panama games or playing a B team game then i think the decision is pretty easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 This discussion was had years ago and my opinion remains the same - we cannot afford a "B" team. We can't even afford to properly fund an "A" team so why remove resources from the "A" team or our youth teams (we can't even fund a respectable U23 program FFS). If faced with the decision of having a camp for the NT before the Panama games or playing a B team game then i think the decision is pretty easy. I'm not saying we should play B friendlies at the expense of other programs, I just think they can be useful if the timing and situation was right! Herts and Millwall were over for a pre season tour and we put together a B Team to play against them, at least 2 players became regulars on our full National Team so you might say it was worth it! How much could it cost to put these matches together anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm not saying we should play B friendlies at the expense of other programs, I just think they can be useful if the timing and situation was right! Herts and Millwall were over for a pre season tour and we put together a B Team to play against them, at least 2 players became regulars on our full National Team so you might say it was worth it! How much could it cost to put these matches together anyway? Well i'm not saying don't play B team games, just that if you do to make sure you fund them through some magic don't-pay-a-cent event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger miller Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 This discussion was had years ago and my opinion remains the same - we cannot afford a "B" team. We can't even afford to properly fund an "A" team so why remove resources from the "A" team or our youth teams (we can't even fund a respectable U23 program FFS). If faced with the decision of having a camp for the NT before the Panama games or playing a B team game then i think the decision is pretty easy. Yes, there is no example anywhere around the world of an actual "B" team. Coaches just called up who is available and at times, some or many of the best or some of the best aren't available. Or, they may want to specifically look at a certain player(s) who are not yet in the first team picture. Fans will say that this is a B or C team depending of view point. B teams or c teams are not a formal thing. We have a U23 side, so that's pretty much what you might refer to a B side. Brazil might be the only to have this but no one will ever admit it. No coach or FA will ever goes into friendly or tournament and say "we are sending a B team". I would guess that that would be insulting the hosts or opponents in a friendly, "For you guys, we will be fielding our B team". Creating sides just specifically to give playing time to a Joe Bro is kind of redundant. Best example might be Copa America in Colombia. None of the sides sent all of their best players. They sent who was available. You can call it what you will, B sides, C sides , B+ sides etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 In a perfect world, yes, we should. But for me the funding priorities re: the men programs have to be the "A" team and the u20's, or u17's. The u23's of course should get the bigger piece of the pie in the 1 year prior to their qualifying tournament but otherwise it's gotta be the younger teams getting loads of the focus. A "B" team would be great - who gets selected for the B team would swing wildly. You couldn't approach it from a specific selection process. You bring in the guys who have shown significant "A" potential regardless of age and where they are playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger miller Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 A "B" team would be great - who gets selected for the B team would swing wildly. You couldn't approach it from a specific selection process. I am trying to imagine how that conversation between B team coach and player might go. Coach: Congratulations Son! you have made it onto our B team roster Player: Wow! That's great coach. I am really looking forward to playing for and representing my country at the World cup and all the other important tournament. Its dream Come true. Coach: Well, only our A team gets to play in the WORLD CUP, qualifying matches, and the Gold cup. Player: Oh, i see Coach: Anyways, we have friendly scheduled against lower Slobovia three week from today. I am looking to you to strengthen our bench. Player: O shucks. I just remember now. I have to get my hair cut on that exact day. Sorry, can make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmonte Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Yes, there is no example anywhere around the world of an actual "B" team. Coaches just called up who is available and at times, some or many of the best or some of the best aren't available. Or, they may want to specifically look at a certain player(s) who are not yet in the first team picture. Fans will say that this is a B or C team depending of view point. B teams or c teams are not a formal thing. We have a U23 side, so that's pretty much what you might refer to a B side. Brazil might be the only to have this but no one will ever admit it. No coach or FA will ever goes into friendly or tournament and say "we are sending a B team". I would guess that that would be insulting the hosts or opponents in a friendly, "For you guys, we will be fielding our B team". Creating sides just specifically to give playing time to a Joe Bro is kind of redundant. Best example might be Copa America in Colombia. None of the sides sent all of their best players. They sent who was available. You can call it what you will, B sides, C sides , B+ sides etc. This is about what I was going to type. Thanks for saving me time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maccaliam Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 ^ Actually, wasn't there an English "B" team which was when Chris Sutton refused the call-up because he felt it was below him? I'm sure all of that was because it was officially called a "B" squad. Here it shows that other nations also had official "B" squads: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_B_national_football_team http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_B_national_football_team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Indeed. And a number of small countries have run "B" teams as well, usually for minor competitions like the Merlion Cup or the occasional one-off against a touring club. If you're the sort of player low enough in stature that you'd be helped by a "B" friendly and refuse the call then, well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger miller Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Indeed. And a number of small countries have run "B" teams as well, usually for minor competitions like the Merlion Cup.... The Merlion Cup. I'll bet that everyone would be lining up to play in that one, great chance to make some extra cash on the side. Sorry, bad humour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 The Merlion Cup. I'll bet that everyone would be lining up to play in that one, great chance to make some extra cash on the side. Sorry, bad humour. Damn, now we're all going to get sued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GoGreen Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Should we run a full 'B' program? No. But hosting B team matches? Yes. Interesting to note in that link France's B in February 2008 contained 6 players used on their Euro 2012 squad. Sagna wasn't selected due to injury, and Diaby starred at the World Cup. As for who would play in it, I wouldnt mind seeing some of the younger players in the MLS, NASL, CSL and even PDL get a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulliganl Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 What about Euro based and North American (and South America?) based squads? Then the best of each to create our choice team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 The B team should exist to play games against random club teams that happen to be in Canada. For example during the summer tours of smaller teams (for example the crap premier league/championship teams that seem to think they will draw huge crowds against MLS sides) it would be nice to put together a team of guys who are unattached, playing reserve football in MLS or happen to be in Toronto on vacation from their European side. The b-team could host these touring European club sides at Lamport or something, as it would essentially be a mishmash of who ever is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finchster Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 What about Euro based and North American (and South America?) based squads? Then the best of each to create our choice team? Agreed, this is the best idea. Not only that, it would give us a chance to see what our young players who aren't playing or at a lower level (Tiebert, Saiko, Di Charra, etc) could do if there is an injury situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 In a perfect world we could have a Euro team, a NA team, and then a combo "best XI" team against the bigger nations. But we simply don't get enough friendlies, nor have the funds to get more friendlies. I agree, a NA-based "B" team could work out. There are often smaller club teams travelling out here (Port Vale's of the world) that the "B" team could play. But it'd have to be a NA-only team. A Euro "B" team would be significantly better and could play club teams in Europe during pre-season or whatever. Ideally this is all wonderful, but CSA simply doesn't have the money. How that changes...I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhat Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I've always envisioned our Olympic team (U23 plus 3 overage) as our reserve/ B team. This is essentially the development team -- the one that plays in the Pan Am Games, etc. Perhaps if they played more against USL1 or MLS reserve squads, that would be something. However the point about funding is very significant. We definitely do not want lesser funding for the senior A squad, but therein lies the problem --- funding. The CSA would definitely have to find enough sources of funding to cover the marquee teams (MNT, WNT) and future development, as well as grassroots programs. Most of our CONCACAF counterparts pour most of their resources on their senior MNTs, while giving their women's programs significantly lesser support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianfoot Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Agreed I see our Olympic team as the B squad. And yes they should play our MLS sides maybe even in PreSeason. It would be good for the MLS sides and Great for our guys. At least then we would see Canadian players on the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 ^that's a really good idea. There is very little reason not to have a u23 North Am squad (plus the odd overager!) play pre-season v. the MLS squads. Great for all. Can be closed-doors to save costs etc. Yes, it'd cost flight money and hotel/food, and that isn't cheap. But maybe the MLS teams would help with those costs as it would benefit them as well to have the same friendly game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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