Patrick Metcalfe

[Obinna]

4 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

I hope he does well but I didn't see anything in his play with the Caps that made me think he has a high ceiling, but you never know. 

I agree with your assessment. I get the sense that if he goes far in this game it's going to be from hard work and effort more so than talent. 

[VinceA]

12 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I agree with your assessment. I get the sense that if he goes far in this game it's going to be from hard work and effort more so than talent. 

I think so too.

I also think if he has an international future it is with the Philippines, not Canada.

[Obinna]

3 minutes ago, VinceA said:

I think so too.

I also think if he has an international future it is with the Philippines, not Canada.

The odds are likely with you on that call, but we'll have to see what happens. For all we know a few years from now he makes his debut for Canada in a friendly at the age of 26, on the back of multiple seasons in the Norwegian top flight. 

He could also fail to make the grade at Stabaek, return to Canada to play in the CPL, and slip out of the game all together by that age. Hopefully not though!

[BearcatSA]

22 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I agree with your assessment. I get the sense that if he goes far in this game it's going to be from hard work and effort more so than talent. 

And we have seen a fair number of our guys do that in the lower league pro game, and I always have a lot of respect for them.  

[MM3/MM2/MM]

With Metcalfe being the highest rated Canadian free-agent now off the board, who is next? 

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, MM3/MM2/MM said:

With Metcalfe being the highest rated Canadian free-agent now off the board, who is next? 

Ricardo Ferreira lol

[Obinna]

In all seriousness, I think he was the last significant one. Bayiha, Tabla, Morgan, and Chapman all sorted themselves out in the recent weeks and months. Anyone else I could think of would be too far away from the National team to track and consider. Even Metcalfe is getting pretty low in the pool as it is. 

[Pottsy3]

9 minutes ago, MM3/MM2/MM said:

With Metcalfe being the highest rated Canadian free-agent now off the board, who is next? 

Not really any that are still significant to the NT. Adam Straith still hasn't signed anywhere, but his playing days may be over. Ryan Telfer is with T&T now but is still missing a club.  Canadian Messi is still only 25 but unless FCEd takes another chance on him, think he's just about done. Jakovic could be joining Straith in retirement, but I would like to know what the hell happened last season at Forge.

[Obinna]

Thought I should bump this thread, considering his club (Stabaek) are in the 2nd automatic promotion spot, with a 5-point lead on 3rd place. The regular season ends Oct 29th, so they have just 19 days to keep that lead, which seems likely. If they pull it off, we'll have another Canadian playing top-flight football!

I know Norway doesn't exactly have the best top division in European football, but I still think promotion would be a very positive development. For years we called Adekugbe from that division, and before that Olivier Occean was getting calls from that division as well. 

Metcalfe has 16 appearances since making the switch. Remains to be seen if he'd be leaned on that much in the top-flight, but something about this kid tells me it won't be a Theo Bair or Clement Bayiha situation for him. My gut tells me he'll be a regular at this level. Maybe he can even use that to force himself in the CMNT conversation, who knows?

Edit: Bair actually never played in the top division in Norway, it was the 2nd division (which is the level Metcalfe is at right now).

Edited October 5, 2022 by Obinna

[Pottsy3]

6 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Thought I should bump this thread, considering his club (Staebek) are in the 2nd automatic promotion spot, with a 5-point lead on 3rd place. The regular season ends Oct 29th, so they have just 19 days to keep that lead, which seems likely.

If they pull it off, we'll have another Canadian playing top-flight football. I know Norway doesn't exactly have the best top division in European football, but I still think promotion would be a very positive development. For years we called Adekugbe from that division, and before that Olivier Occean was getting calls from that division as well.

Metcalfe has 16 appearances since making the switch. Remains to be seen if he'd be leaned on that much in the top-flight, but something about this kid tells me it won't be a Theo Bair or Clement Bayhia situation for him. My gut tells me he'll be a regular at this level. Maybe he can even use that to force himself in the CMNT conversation, who knows?

Edit: Bair actually never played in the top division in Norway, it was the 2nd division (which is the level Metcalfe is at right now).

If he can get top-flight playing starting minutes, he certainly becomes a conversation. If Metcalfe is still playing centrally come next season, he's surely in the Liam Fraser breadth of callups. I generally believe that Julian Dunn would've at least been experimented in CanMNT if he were healthy and starting all season at HamKam (although in a position where we are in need).

[VinceA]

I think Metcalfe will probably be approached by the Philippines at some point soon.

 

Granted there's so many Canadians with Filipino heritage that should have been called up already and their federation has failed to do so, so who knows.

 

[Obinna]

Just now, Pottsy3 said:

If he can get top-flight playing starting minutes, he certainly becomes a conversation. If Metcalfe is still playing centrally come next season, he's surely in the Liam Fraser breadth of callups. I generally believe that Julian Dunn would've at least been experimented in CanMNT if he were healthy and starting all season at HamKam (although in a position where we are in need).

That's exactly how I see it. 

Stabaek have played mostly in the top-flight as well, even winning it as recently as 2008. They came 3rd in 2015 and finished 9th, 14th, 8th, 8th, and 15th (relegated) in their last 5 seasons.

Not exactly a Valerenga, but not that far off the likes of them, at least historically.  

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, VinceA said:

I think Metcalfe will probably be approached by the Philippines at some point soon.

 

Granted there's so many Canadians with Filipino heritage that should have been called up already and their federation has failed to do so, so who knows.

 

I would think so, but the younger Baldisimo hasn't played for them yet, let alone the older one. That makes me feel somewhat safe about Metcalfe. It reassures me that Philippines don't have their shit together. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

13 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Thought I should bump this thread, considering his club (Stabaek) are in the 2nd automatic promotion spot, with a 5-point lead on 3rd place. The regular season ends Oct 29th, so they have just 19 days to keep that lead, which seems likely. If they pull it off, we'll have another Canadian playing top-flight football!

I know Norway doesn't exactly have the best top division in European football, but I still think promotion would be a very positive development. For years we called Adekugbe from that division, and before that Olivier Occean was getting calls from that division as well. 

Metcalfe has 16 appearances since making the switch. Remains to be seen if he'd be leaned on that much in the top-flight, but something about this kid tells me it won't be a Theo Bair or Clement Bayiha situation for him. My gut tells me he'll be a regular at this level. Maybe he can even use that to force himself in the CMNT conversation, who knows?

Edit: Bair actually never played in the top division in Norway, it was the 2nd division (which is the level Metcalfe is at right now).

Bair promoted to top flight, scoring for Ham Kam, then we're not sure if he got an offer to stay with them.

He was still on loan so there could have been that.

Can't second guess about how it'd be for him now, but I do agree, we'd do well to have half a dozen guys in Scandinavian top flights.

[VinceA]

35 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I would think so, but the younger Baldisimo hasn't played for them yet, let alone the older one. That makes me feel somewhat safe about Metcalfe. It reassures me that Philippines don't have their shit together. 

Yeah they're a mess despite growing that program into a decent SE Asia power. 

Just off the top of my head you have the Baldisimo brothers, Aidan Daniels, Metcalfe, and Kadin Chung who are all eligible.

[Obinna]

45 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Yeah they're a mess despite growing that program into a decent SE Asia power. 

Just off the top of my head you have the Baldisimo brothers, Aidan Daniels, Metcalfe, and Kadin Chung who are all eligible.

Right. Forgot about Daniels and Chung. I would assume they'd be on the radar, along with Metcalfe, but I suppose it's possible they just haven't come across them yet.

They know of the Baldis, so you'd think it just be a matter of going on wikipedia or transfermarket, which anyone could obviously do. Maybe that's a project someone at the Filipino FA is dragging their ass on

And for all we know each of these guys (aside from the Baldis) have been in contact and said no thanks. Daniels is eligible for South Africa apparently, which may be just as unlikely as playing for Canada, but you never know what these guys are thinking. And Chung being in MLS may not be in a rush to switch allegiances at this time. Watching how Waterman got himself into the NT picture may give a guy like Chung some pause, perhaps. 

Ditto for Metcalfe, being on the cusp of a promotion. May not be in a rush.

And even for Philippians, they could be aware but not overly in a rush to bring any of them in. The diaspora is very widespread, and it could simply be a matter of these guys being low on the wishlist. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Obinna

[Dominic94]

1 hour ago, VinceA said:

Yeah they're a mess despite growing that program into a decent SE Asia power. 

Just off the top of my head you have the Baldisimo brothers, Aidan Daniels, Metcalfe, and Kadin Chung who are all eligible.

Tbh I don’t see how any of them play for Canada again, it’s unlikely they will ever be good enough. Baldi is the closest and even he is too far back IMO.

[MauditYvon]

Patrice Bernier, same position, played 2 seasons in Norway D2 between the age of 23-25.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Dominic94 said:

Tbh I don’t see how any of them play for Canada again, it’s unlikely they will ever be good enough. Baldi is the closest and even he is too far back IMO.

He's also 22 years old, which is too early to write him off. Different position, but Waterman was playing PDL ball at 22 years old. Now he's knocking on the door of Herdman's World Cup team. You just never know, which is why I always prefer these guys to remain CMNT-eligible until the picture becomes clearer.

Even Metcalfe at 23 years old (going on 24) has some time to develop into a useful player. We may look at such players and conclude they are not CMNT quality, but players will be aging out next cycle (Hutchinson for starters) and depth is always welcomed. Even with all the strides this program has made, I believe a midfielder starting regularly in the top Norwegian division is a potential depth player.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Obinna
added content on metcalfe

[Dominic94]

2 hours ago, Obinna said:

He's also 22 years old, which is too early to write him off. Different position, but Waterman was playing PDL ball at 22 years old. Now he's knocking on the door of Herdman's World Cup team. You just never know, which is why I always prefer these guys to remain CMNT-eligible until the picture becomes clearer.

Even Metcalfe at 23 years old (going on 24) has some time to develop into a useful player. We may look at such players and conclude they are not CMNT quality, but players will be aging out next cycle (Hutchinson for starters) and depth is always welcomed. Even with all the strides this program has made, I believe a midfielder starting regularly in the top Norwegian division is a potential depth player.

Our pool gets better every year, not sure they can keep up, reality is there won’t be many more waterman’s who make the NT if the pace of our improvement continues.

[BearcatSA]

I'm curious to see how things go for him next season if his side gets promoted.

[Obinna]

2 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

Our pool gets better every year, not sure they can keep up, reality is there won’t be many more waterman’s who make the NT if the pace of our improvement continues.

Fair point. At the rate we are producing players it makes guys like Metcalfe less likely to get an opportunity in the future. At the same time, guys like Metcalfe and Waterman stepping up are part of that trend of a strengthening pool, so depends on how we look at it. 

[Dominic94]

10 hours ago, Obinna said:

Fair point. At the rate we are producing players it makes guys like Metcalfe less likely to get an opportunity in the future. At the same time, guys like Metcalfe and Waterman stepping up are part of that trend of a strengthening pool, so depends on how we look at it. 

Waterman developed and stepped up into a position of weakness, Metcalfe hasn’t done that. 

[InglewoodJack]

13 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

Our pool gets better every year, not sure they can keep up, reality is there won’t be many more waterman’s who make the NT if the pace of our improvement continues.

I think it'll be the opposite actually- our NT is improving because our player pool is deepening, and the deeper it gets, the more opportunity there will be for players to make a legitimate career out of playing in Canada. 10 years ago, 23 year old Waterman would've had nowhere to play- but now we've got the CPL, he had a nice league to develop in, and then got really good, joined Montreal, and I think if he was a few years younger, there would be serious discussion about him moving to Europe. I don't think that Metcalfe is going to play for Canada, but if I had to bet on it, I'd bet that there's one player on the 2026 squad, 2030 at the latest, who is currently playing for a Canadian university, or another league that's lower than where you'd expect a promising young player to play.

[Obinna]

4 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

Waterman developed and stepped up into a position of weakness, Metcalfe hasn’t done that. 

Not yet. Hopefully he is a Waterman in progress