Scott Arfield

[Kadenge]

1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

I think November would be the ideal window to recall him but I don’t see it as November or bust.   He might let Herdman know that he is just getting back into the first team and that he doesn’t want to jeopardize that - especially if he is only expected in a supporting role.  I am not sure that would be enough on either side of that discussion to draw a hard line in the sand that signifies the end.  I could still see him just joining us in January regardless of whether or not we see him in Edmonton.  If the MLS guys are healthy and ready to go in two weeks, there could be mutual agreement to just call him in the new year.    

It's been 2 yrs since Arfield has been with the team...lots of "stuff" has happened since then. Nov window allows Scott to re-integrate with the players/system and play some minutes all with the goal of going full out for the next 2 windows in Jan/March. The Nov window is the half way point in WCQ. The sooner he proves himself to the team/players the better for team unity..he has to contribute towards getting to the WC no? If JH intends to call him in Jan then why not Nov? 

[Bison44]

We are still too thin to be not calling someone with Arfields ability.  Even if its bringing him in to close out a game when we have guys hurt or on yellow or 3 games in a window etc. IF..he there is no friction behind the scenes as many have hinted at, and if he is healthy and playing.   

And if your talking about calling Paton instead, he has played more, but Arfields been in europa and CL games this season, plus he has to crack the best lineup in SPL, while Paton is on the worst.  

[dyslexic nam]

6 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

It's been 2 yrs since Arfield has been with the team...lots of "stuff" has happened since then. Nov window allows Scott to re-integrate with the players/system and play some minutes all with the goal of going full out for the next 2 windows in Jan/March. The Nov window is the half way point in WCQ. The sooner he proves himself to the team/players the better for team unity..he has to contribute towards getting to the WC no? If JH intends to call him in Jan then why not Nov? 

I agree - November would be ideal.   The sooner the better if he is coming back.  I just don’t think it is an all or nothing proposition if he doesn’t come back in 2 weeks.  

[EJsens1]

18 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

We are still too thin to be not calling someone with Arfields ability.  Even if its bringing him in to close out a game when we have guys hurt or on yellow or 3 games in a window etc. IF..he there is no friction behind the scenes as many have hinted at, and if he is healthy and playing.   

Agreed.  Tell me he wouldn’t have been great to come in the Jamaica game?  I’m not going to say super sub but he’d certainly have the ability to provide an offensive spark.  As others have said above this is the best window for him to reintegrate back into the fold.  I’m not saying he should start but he could be very valuable in the January window based on some of the reasons you stated above.  Would we rather have had him in the mix in November leading into the the January window or not?  I think we all know the answer.  I know both times the roster was released for September and October, the first thing I looked for was his presence, which says a lot.  I’m sure I’m not the only one. 

[lamptern]

Since first game vs Bermuda my patience is running thinner and thinner on this case. 

Not interest in waisting time play minnows,  fine. Team is good enough to deal with Suriname and Haiti, OK. Skip the B team for gold cup, all right. Injured and personal matter to blame for in first two windows, no problem. 

Now he played full 90 mins in SPL, our midfield needs reinforcement for January window, can we make sure if he still committed to our MNT? 

Geez,Herdman has to have lot more patience than I do......

Edited October 31, 2021 by lamptern

[EJsens1]

20 minutes ago, lamptern said:

Since first game vs Bermuda my patience is running thinner and thinner on this case. 

Not interest in waisting time play minnows,  fine. Team is good enough to deal with Suriname and Haiti, OK. Skip the B team for gold cup, all right. Injured and personal matter to blame for in first two windows, no problem. 

Now he played full 90 mins in SPL, our midfield needs reinforcement for January window, can we make sure if he still committed to our MNT? 

Geez,Herdman has to have lot more patience than I do......

Maybe I’m misinterpreting what you’re saying, but are you suggesting he chose not to come in the last 2 windows?  Because from reports he would have come but it was Herdman who made the choice not to select him 

[Floortom]

12 minutes ago, EJsens1 said:

Maybe I’m misinterpreting what you’re saying, but are you suggesting he chose not to come in the last 2 windows?  Because from reports he would have come but it was Herdman who made the choice not to select him 

Not only that but he didn’t “skip” the Gold Cup. He accepted and had to pull out late due to an injury. That entire post is false 

[Bison44]

27 minutes ago, lamptern said:

Since first game vs Bermuda my patience is running thinner and thinner on this case. 

Not interest in waisting time play minnows,  fine. Team is good enough to deal with Suriname and Haiti, OK. Skip the B team for gold cup, all right. Injured and personal matter to blame for in first two windows, no problem. 

Now he played full 90 mins in SPL, our midfield needs reinforcement for January window, can we make sure if he still committed to our MNT? 

Geez,Herdman has to have lot more patience than I do......

Oh christ, Cavallini all but said he regretted commiting to canada and didnt accept a call for years.....and we took him back in with open arms and fawned all over him when he was playing well in mexico.  Too much on the line not to call in someone who can help.  Next year after we qualify and Ferdi, Mitrovic, Yankov, Jebbison, Flores and Tomori all get on board, Johnston and Buchanon are tearing it up in europe, Breza is starting in Italy, Habibula, Okello, St Clair and Tabla are all starting in MLS...then we can get picky about who gets a call.  WINKWINK.  

[Bertuzzi44]

Somehow I doubt Arfield is locker room cancer. It is far more likely he was dealing with injuries and personal issues and bad timing the past 18 months. Remember, it was Herdman who gave Arfield the Captain's armband was it not?

Arfield is still class and his performances for Canada have always been good. I would be happy to see him re-join the team in November.

[dyslexic nam]

50 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Oh christ, Cavallini all but said he regretted commiting to canada and didnt accept a call for years.....and we took him back in with open arms and fawned all over him when he was playing well in mexico.  Too much on the line not to call in someone who can help.  Next year after we qualify and Ferdi, Mitrovic, Yankov, Jebbison, Flores and Tomori all get on board, Johnston and Buchanon are tearing it up in europe, Breza is starting in Italy, Habibula, Okello, St Clair and Tabla are all starting in MLS...then we can get picky about who gets a call.  WINKWINK.  

Love the recruitment dreams but just to clarify - Tomori is now gone forever.  He played again for England so that one is (sadly) closed.  

[Bison44]

Hey its my dream ok??  Tomori is there some how, plus Kate jackson, Adrinne barbeau and Erin Gray (yes i do have a type) are feeding me grapes while I watch canadas opening game in Qatar.  

[prairiecanuck]

46 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

Somehow I doubt Arfield is locker room cancer. It is far more likely he was dealing with injuries and personal issues and bad timing the past 18 months. Remember, it was Herdman who gave Arfield the Captain's armband was it not?

Arfield is still class and his performances for Canada have always been good. I would be happy to see him re-join the team in November.

Scott didn't come in March.  He was a new father in the midst of Covid playing for a Rangers team that was trying to win the Premiership for the first time in a decade.  Rangers was the team Scott grew up cheering for.  He was getting pressure from his manager who himself is a football legend.  When Gerrard said he was done with international football he immediately clarified he was not.  

Scott made himself available the first couple windows.  He wasn't selected.

Scott joined team Canada in March 30, 2016.  There was no Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan at that point.  Larin wasn't the player he is today.  James Morrison was the regular starter with Scotland at the time.  As a baggies fan I watched Morrison play 100s of games.  They were essentially the same player with Scott being 3 years younger.  He could have found his way into the side. 

He committed to Canada and we can't ignore that commitment either or what that switch meant.  This is him in his own words speaking about it to the Rangers media.

I don't regret one bit the decision I made. I’ve seen parts of the world and been to places I could only dream of and I feel extremely lucky to be able to represent my father’s birthplace.

"So it’s not a decision that I took lightly. But the March camp has come too quick for me.

"I’ve put full focus on my club career to try and win the league. Thankfully we have done that and we will see what the position is moving forward."

Yes he made a difficult choice given his own personal issues and the club.  He wasn't wrong.  We destroyed those clubs in March.  

Scott has been described as an extremely hard worker and very likeable person on and off the pitch.  He's soft spoken, does charity work.  It's almost slanderous they way people on here talk about him as though he's a locker room cancer.

If you can't get past the decision he made earlier in the year, there's nothing anyone can say to change your mind.  

Scott committed to us in 2016.  He's answered the call and played well in the past.  He's made himself available in the past 2 windows and was not selected.  I have no issue with him being selected.  He's a quality player and a player we definitely could have used against Jamaica.

[prairiecanuck]

20 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Love the recruitment dreams but just to clarify - Tomori is now gone forever.  He played again for England so that one is (sadly) closed.  

Didn't start either of the games and was brought on against Andorra for 30 minutes.  I'll feel bad for Tomori if he doesn't find his way into the England side for the World Cup.

[dyslexic nam]

30 minutes ago, prairiecanuck said:

Didn't start either of the games and was brought on against Andorra for 30 minutes.  I'll feel bad for Tomori if he doesn't find his way into the England side for the World Cup.

Yeah, you couldn’t get a more obvious example of a country exploiting a player.  I had hoped he would see it for the cynical move it was and hold out for Canada and Qatar, but he didn’t.  

[EJsens1]

8 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Yeah, you couldn’t get a more obvious example of a country exploiting a player.  I had hoped he would see it for the cynical move it was and hold out for Canada and Qatar, but he didn’t.  

Yeah it’s too bad because while we seemingly have a lot of young guys coming through, many are of the offensive/striking/midfield variety.  We don’t have a blue chipper as far as I know who would be a stud to anchor the line up with this generation.  I love Johnston and the role he plays but let’s recognize what he brings.  Tomori would have filled the role beautifully going forward.  Too bad but hopefully someone else emerges to fill Vitoria’s role after this cycle. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

1 hour ago, Bison44 said:

Hey its my dream ok??  Tomori is there some how, plus Kate jackson, Adrinne barbeau and Erin Gray (yes i do have a type) are feeding me grapes while I watch canadas opening game in Qatar.  

Holy 70s Batman!.  Very perceptive, underrated draft there.  In fact, might be my top three picks as well, although as a sleeper pick I would add Toni Tennille just for being on a Pink Floyd album.

Edited October 31, 2021 by Joe MacCarthy

[gator]

1 hour ago, prairiecanuck said:

Didn't start either of the games and was brought on against Andorra for 30 minutes.  I'll feel bad for Tomori if he doesn't find his way into the England side for the World Cup.

I don't, he made his choice and it wasn't for us even though he could have been such an important player in a position of need, he's not Canadian to me anymore so I really don't care where his international career takes him or doesn't take him!

[TOCanada115]

1 hour ago, prairiecanuck said:

Didn't start either of the games and was brought on against Andorra for 30 minutes.  I'll feel bad for Tomori if he doesn't find his way into the England side for the World Cup.

I don’t know if I’m in the minority, but I don’t feel bad for that dude at all. Had a chance to come back and play for Canada, after it was pretty clear he’s an after thought for England, but he went back again. Was 13 when he left here, so pretty Canadian in my eyes. His loss. 

[gator]

2 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Oh christ, Cavallini all but said he regretted commiting to canada and didnt accept a call for years.....and we took him back in with open arms and fawned all over him when he was playing well in mexico.  Too much on the line not to call in someone who can help.  Next year after we qualify and Ferdi, Mitrovic, Yankov, Jebbison, Flores and Tomori all get on board, Johnston and Buchanon are tearing it up in europe, Breza is starting in Italy, Habibula, Okello, St Clair and Tabla are all starting in MLS...then we can get picky about who gets a call.  WINKWINK.  

I will add that Junior Hoilett, who apparently was leading the charge to have Arfield excluded if reports are to believed, shunned our program for quite some time hoping for a better option when he would have been so important for us, I am sure that I'm not alone in being happy when he did join us, I don't know why there is so much dislike for Arfield?

[king1010]

6 minutes ago, gator said:

I will add that Junior Hoilett, who apparently was leading the charge to have Arfield excluded if reports are to believed, shunned our program for quite some time hoping for a better option when he would have been so important for us, I am sure that I'm not alone in being happy when he did join us, I don't know why there is so much dislike for Arfield?

There was hate towards hoilett before he committed to us, then we loved him. Arfield is a bit different because he committed to us then seemingly stood us up whereas junior has been all in since his initial wavering. If arfield comes back these next 3 windows and plays a role in getting us to the world cup im sure most of that dislike goes away just as it did for hoilett. 

[lamptern]

3 hours ago, Floortom said:

Not only that but he didn’t “skip” the Gold Cup. He accepted and had to pull out late due to an injury. That entire post is false 

I just want to lay out the escalation. Maybe i was not precise on each occasion, but the entire post is false? Really?

[lamptern]

Doubl post.

Edited October 31, 2021 by lamptern

[lamptern]

3 hours ago, EJsens1 said:

Maybe I’m misinterpreting what you’re saying, but are you suggesting he chose not to come in the last 2 windows?  Because from reports he would have come but it was Herdman who made the choice not to select him 

Quote my post here: "Injured and personal matter to blame for in first two windows, no problem. "

[A_Gagne]

2 hours ago, prairiecanuck said:

Didn't start either of the games and was brought on against Andorra for 30 minutes.  I'll feel bad for Tomori if he doesn't find his way into the England side for the World Cup.

I don't. He made his decision. No hard feelings as arguably he grow up there, but also not going to sweat it on his behalf if he ends up watching Qatar from home when he would've been a lock to start for us.

Edited November 1, 2021 by A_Gagne

[apbsmith]

I personally feel entire "controversy" being over hyped and analyzed by us. 

To summarize my thoughts:

1) Glad stuff about teamates being posted publically that will only create unnecessary controversy and negative energy has stopped. 

2) No one is above the flag. If the team feels it will help them achieve a common goal, it should not be an issue for someone coming back into the fold. 

3) Arfield is a professional but the reality is he still needs to show form. So hopefully he will continue to have a run of games, regain some quality form and potentially rep the flag again.

All the best to him, I'm sure it must feel good for him to start logging minutes again.

Edited November 1, 2021 by apbsmith