General Discussion on CMNT

[Corazon]

6 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

Biggest list of Canadians I’ve ever seen.

For comparisons - in 2019, we saw a total of 32 Canadians (2 goalies) play in the season.  Last season we saw a rise up to 41 Canadians (5 goalies).

Through 2 games this season we are already at 32 Canadians (2 goalies) with minutes.

Edited April 27, 2021 by Corazon

[Obinna]

15 hours ago, Corazon said:

For comparisons - in 2019, we saw a total of 32 Canadians (2 goalies) play in the season.  Last season we saw a rise up to 41 Canadians (5 goalies).

Through 2 games this season we are already at 32 Canadians (2 goalies) with minutes.

That's stellar, because we know at some point we are definitely going to see the following:

Tabla, Bair, Ricketts, Bayiha, Assi

And more than likely we'll see:

Morgan, Hasal, Pantemis, Montgomery, Choiniere

So at minimum we probably reach 42. There may also be players coming back from loan or perhaps an unforeseen surprise or two. We probably come shy of reaching 50 players getting MLS minutes this season, but what a mile stone that'll be when it comes! 

[Mikmacdo]

52 minutes ago, Obinna said:

That's stellar, because we know at some point we are definitely going to see the following:

Tabla, Bair, Ricketts, Bayiha, Assi

And more than likely we'll see:

Morgan, Hasal, Pantemis, Montgomery, Choiniere

So at minimum we probably reach 42. There may also be players coming back from loan or perhaps an unforeseen surprise or two. We probably come shy of reaching 50 players getting MLS minutes this season, but what a mile stone that'll be when it comes! 

I think Dunn will get a chance at some point. 

[Corazon]

In USL Championship there are a currently a few changes and a few unknowns.  Will update the stats chart as the season progresses.

New to USL Championship:

Adonijah Reid - Joining Miami FC

Jordan Hamilton - Joining Indy Eleven from Columbus Crew

Matthew Srbely - Joining Tampa Bay Rowdies from Toronto FC II

Remaining in USL Championship:

Aidan Daniels - Joining Oklahoma City Energy from Colorado Springs Switchbacks

Carl Haworth - Remaining with Indy Eleven

Dayonn Harris - Joining Tampa Bay Rowdies from Real Monarchs

Karl Ouimette - Remaining with Indy Eleven

Kembo Kibate - Joining FC Tulsa on loan from Rio Grande Valley Toros

Malik Johnson - Joining Real Monarchs from Tampa Bay Rowdies

Massimo Ferrin - Remaining with Loudon FC

Ryan James - Joining Birmingham Legion FC from Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Skylar Thomas - Joining Memphis 901 FC from Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Zachary Ellis-Hayden - Remaining with Oklahoma City Energy

Sean Melvin - Remaining with Colorado Springs Switchbacks

Moving to Major League Soccer:

Ashtone Morgan - Joining back with Real Salt Lake in MLS

Callum Montgomery - Joining Minnesota United FC in MLS

Jordan Peruzza - Joining back with Toronto FC in MLS

Tyler Pasher - Joining Houston Dynamo in MLS from Indy Eleven

Dayne St Clair - Joining back with Minnesota United FC

Moving to Canadian Premier League:

Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare - Joining Halifax Wanderers in the CPL from Saint Louis FC

Paris Gee - Joining FC Edmonton in the CPL from Saint Louis FC

Brian Wright - Joining Atletico Ottawa from Birmingham Legion

Unattached/Unknown/Other:

Alex Comsia - Remaining with North Carolina FC (Now USL League 1)

Drew Beckie - Currently Unknown

Emile Legault - Currently Unknown

Jordan Murrell - Currently Unknown

Jordan Schweitzer - Currently Unattached

Mamadi Camara - Currently Unknown

Mathieu Laurent - Currently Unattached

Andrew MacRae - Currently Unattached

Edited April 28, 2021 by Corazon

[SpecialK]

40 minutes ago, Corazon said:

Brian Wright - Currently Unattached

Signed with Ottawa 

[Stryker911]

What's the amount of guys we can call for this window? With 4 games in 11 days, could use an extra few bodies. Also dont know how they are going to make some tough cuts. Guys that I would like to see in June that weren't part of March are Cornelius, Kennedy, ZBG, Osorio, Buchanan, Akindele, David, and maybe Priso.

Edited May 2, 2021 by Stryker911

[narduch]

40 minutes ago, Stryker911 said:

What's the amount of guys we can call for this window? With 4 games in 11 days, could use an extra few bodies. Also dont know how they are going to make some tough cuts. Guys that I would like to see in June that weren't part of March are Cornelius, Kennedy, ZBG, Osorio, Buchanan, Akindele, and maybe Priso.

The only limitations are the CSA's budget.

[Aird25]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

The only limitations are the CSA's budget.

11 guys it is then 

[TGAA_Star]

I've been gone a very long time and even though I've somewhat stayed up on Canada well with that 11-0 thrashing they gave in FIFA World Cup qualifying...I have to admit Canada looks good so far. I mean they been getting results but to make this Octagonal, Canada is just too talented to not make it to the Octagonal. I mean they are practically loaded at every position. Not to mention this is as close to a golden generation of Canadian football that I've seen in probably the past 2 or 3 decades bar none.

 

Canada with the group they have: Suriname, Bermuda, Aruba and US Virgin Islands this group is pretty much favorable for Canada

 

The only real threat in this group right now is Suriname because we are tied on points but Canada is ahead on goal difference

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Stryker911 said:

What's the amount of guys we can call for this window? With 4 games in 11 days, could use an extra few bodies. Also dont know how they are going to make some tough cuts. Guys that I would like to see in June that weren't part of March are Cornelius, Kennedy, ZBG, Osorio, Buchanan, Akindele, David, and maybe Priso.

Have to agree. 

I cut Sturing, Corbeanu, Millar, Wootherspoon, Nelson, Ferreira...not for any performance reasons (except Nelson) but only because I would like to manage the squad to have those guys feature in the Gold Cup Squad.

[TGAA_Star]

6 minutes ago, Shway said:

Have to agree. 

I cut Sturing, Corbeanu, Millar, Wootherspoon, Nelson, Ferreira...not for any performance reasons (except Nelson) but only because I would like to manage the squad to have those guys feature in the Gold Cup Squad.

I have to admit um that is actually pretty smart

[TOcanadafan]

You put your strongest 24 (or however many allowed) on the WCQ roster after carefully considering all of the ‘what-ifs’ ... if that means having a teenager sitting on the bench for 4 games ‘just in case’, you have to do it.

[Kadenge]

3 games in June are crucial...need a tie at minimum vs Suriname  and Win the 2 match series vs Haiti or its the end of WCQ 2022. There is no way JH is going to take anything but his very best team. Not the time  to take a look at players unless there is an extended squad. There should be no balancing between GC and WCQ at least for our "A" players. The GC is where we should look at  assessing and increasing our player pool

[dyslexic nam]

8 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

3 games in June are crucial...need a tie at minimum vs Suriname  and Win the 2 match series vs Haiti or its the end of WCQ 2022. There is no way JH is going to take anything but his very best team. Not the time  to take a look at players unless there is an extended squad. There should be no balancing between GC and WCQ at least for our "A" players. The GC is where we should look at  assessing and increasing our player pool

The only thing I wonder about is the case of a dual national we are chasing, like Ayo.  It’s possible that it might make a difference if we were to call him up to WCQ vs the GC - even if it decreases the chance of getting more minutes right away.   In that case (and it would only apply to duals that are pretty much CMNT-ready) I could see an argument to find room for them in the WCQ squad even if they might not be the absolute best choice.    For a guy like Ayo, that could mean considering an attacking wing role in some games for one or two of our strikers (like Ayo and Larin).  

Maybe that approach doesn’t make sense to some folks but I definitely don’t want to lose out on a potential future starter for the sake of an only marginally better bench player.  But again - that is a very specific set of circumstances.  

[MtlMario]

2 hours ago, TGAA_Star said:

I've been gone a very long time and even though I've somewhat stayed up on Canada well with that 11-0 thrashing they gave in FIFA World Cup qualifying...I have to admit Canada looks good so far. I mean they been getting results but to make this Octagonal, Canada is just too talented to not make it to the Octagonal. I mean they are practically loaded at every position. Not to mention this is as close to a golden generation of Canadian football that I've seen in probably the past 2 or 3 decades bar none.

 

Canada with the group they have: Suriname, Bermuda, Aruba and US Virgin Islands this group is pretty much favorable for Canada

 

The only real threat in this group right now is Suriname because we are tied on points but Canada is ahead on goal difference

US Virgin Islands is not in our group, it's Cayman Islands

[TGAA_Star]

31 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

US Virgin Islands is not in our group, it's Cayman Islands

Sorry my mistake Cayman Islands but still Canada has a pretty favorable group overall

[red card]

57 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

The only thing I wonder about is the case of a dual national we are chasing, like Ayo.  It’s possible that it might make a difference if we were to call him up to WCQ vs the GC - even if it decreases the chance of getting more minutes right away.   In that case (and it would only apply to duals that are pretty much CMNT-ready) I could see an argument to find room for them in the WCQ squad even if they might not be the absolute best choice.    For a guy like Ayo, that could mean considering an attacking wing role in some games for one or two of our strikers (like Ayo and Larin).  

Maybe that approach doesn’t make sense to some folks but I definitely don’t want to lose out on a potential future starter for the sake of an only marginally better bench player.  But again - that is a very specific set of circumstances.  

Do or die WCQ isn't the place to debut a player who doesn't appear to be fit and has rarely played in the past 7 months. 

If any of these conditions continue into June, even a GC call up (if he accepts) isn't warranted.

[dyslexic nam]

27 minutes ago, red card said:

Do or die WCQ isn't the place to debut a player who doesn't appear to be fit and has rarely played in the past 7 months. 

If any of these conditions continue into June, even a GC call up (if he accepts) isn't warranted.

I totally get it.  But if there was a chance to bring him on against Aruba for the final few minutes, I don’t think it would affect our chances of qualifying in the least.  

Having said that, I am not up to speed on roster rules and how many we can bring total (and how many of those have to be consistent between the 2 to 4 upcoming WCQ games).  

[VinceA]

Do you guys think there will be overlap between June and the GC squads or will Herdman run two different 23 man squads?

[TGAA_Star]

46 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Do you guys think there will be overlap between June and the GC squads or will Herdman run two different 23 man squads?

My theory is most likely same 23 man squads for WCQ and GC as well mainly for continuity and building team chemistry

[TGAA_Star]

2 hours ago, Kadenge said:

3 games in June are crucial...need a tie at minimum vs Suriname  and Win the 2 match series vs Haiti or its the end of WCQ 2022. There is no way JH is going to take anything but his very best team. Not the time  to take a look at players unless there is an extended squad. There should be no balancing between GC and WCQ at least for our "A" players. The GC is where we should look at  assessing and increasing our player pool

Yes the game against Suriname is basically goin to decide in essence who not only wins this group but goes on to face Haiti most likely for the right to go to the Octagonal

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Kadenge said:

3 games in June are crucial...need a tie at minimum vs Suriname  and Win the 2 match series vs Haiti or its the end of WCQ 2022. There is no way JH is going to take anything but his very best team. Not the time  to take a look at players unless there is an extended squad. There should be no balancing between GC and WCQ at least for our "A" players. The GC is where we should look at  assessing and increasing our player pool

I agree in taking our best squad, so maybe my rationale needed to be explained further...because “the best” is still extremely debatable from spots 18-24, nevermind from 15.

So take me in.
Just think, is Corbeanu, Millar, Wootherspoon,Nelson, Ferreira, Sturing undisputedly better than Buchanan, David, Osorio, Kennedy, and Henry?...that doesn’t even mention our “captain” in Arfield - I for sure would take that 5 over the the latter 6 listed that appeared in March.

We have guys that weren’t in the senior squad, but showed better against arguably better competition in the COQ.

Ultimately I believe, JH doesn’t even know who his best 11 is - it’s literally tough right now. We have a lot of quality guys who are all performing/contributing in someway at their clubs. But have had limited to no looks for the NT coaching staff.

So for me, I take the approach as this is the last opportunity to finalize my 15-24 in anticipation of the Octo. Which means my game day squad turnover won’t be high. Yea you’ll say “but we aren’t there yet...we need to win the group”. My opinion we’ll see another Cayman Islands in Aruba, so there won’t be any need to play our “best IX (I.e Atiba rest). We’ll have our decider against Suriname, and our best  players will be there.

I’ve said we have the potential for our Gold Cup team to be a C team not a B one just based on our situation. More to our situation, out of likely teams to qualify for the Octo...we would be one of the least depth tested. With 3 possible match days, I feel squad rotation will be a decider, when you factor in injuries, cards, and just absentees. 

So I get the best team part, but the balancing act is the nature and reality of our situation. Osorio or Wootherspoon....I’ll take Osorio.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

5 hours ago, Kadenge said:

There is no way JH is going to take anything but his very best team. 

He'll take his best team and more. I think he may call 30 players or even more.

1) His long list for the Gold Cup is due in early June. If you assume the top 2 keepers are Borjan and Crépeau then guys like St. Clair, Leutwiler, Hasal, Pantemis and Breza might all be in the mix to get the call to evaluate who is the 3rd choice and 4th choice. (Borjan might be rested over the summer for the Gold Cup but yet again he may not as his personally and commitment to the #CanMNT is special).

2) General player rotation.

3) Insurance against players testing positive for COVID and injury.

4) Allow some new guys to get senior playing time during the Aruba match (Kennedy? Paton? Buchanan? St Clair? Gutiérrez ? Pasher? Is Lucas Dias ready to commit to senior #CanMNT? Is Flores interested since he could not join camp Poutine? ) as our goal difference is almost insurmountable.

5) Exposure for Ricardo Ferreira and fringe CanPL guys who are out of season. Bustos? Does Marco Carducci deserve a call once again?

It's an opportunity for Herdman to have a big camp.

 

[TGAA_Star]

Either way I would feature the younger crop of players for Gold Cup but obviously still have the star power needed in that Final 23 

But have the bigger guns sorta speak...so like the more experienced players well stars show up for the qualifiers to be played next month in June

[Kadenge]

2 hours ago, Shway said:

I agree in taking our best squad, so maybe my rationale needed to be explained further...because “the best” is still extremely debatable from spots 18-24, nevermind from 15.

So take me in.
Just think, is Corbeanu, Millar, Wootherspoon,Nelson, Ferreira, Sturing undisputedly better than Buchanan, David, Osorio, Kennedy, and Henry?...that doesn’t even mention our “captain” in Arfield - I for sure would take that 5 over the the latter 6 listed that appeared in March.

We have guys that weren’t in the senior squad, but showed better against arguably better competition in the COQ.

Ultimately I believe, JH doesn’t even know who his best 11 is - it’s literally tough right now. We have a lot of quality guys who are all performing/contributing in someway at their clubs. But have had limited to no looks for the NT coaching staff.

So for me, I take the approach as this is the last opportunity to finalize my 15-24 in anticipation of the Octo. Which means my game day squad turnover won’t be high. Yea you’ll say “but we aren’t there yet...we need to win the group”. My opinion we’ll see another Cayman Islands in Aruba, so there won’t be any need to play our “best IX (I.e Atiba rest). We’ll have our decider against Suriname, and our best  players will be there.

I’ve said we have the potential for our Gold Cup team to be a C team not a B one just based on our situation. More to our situation, out of likely teams to qualify for the Octo...we would be one of the least depth tested. With 3 possible match days, I feel squad rotation will be a decider, when you factor in injuries, cards, and just absentees. 

So I get the best team part, but the balancing act is the nature and reality of our situation. Osorio or Wootherspoon....I’ll take Osorio.

I agree that if it wasn't for injuries, TFC covid and France non-Euro travel, Oso, David, Kennedy & Henry would have been part of the March WCQ squad.  Tajon is making a strong case  playing first team footie. If  we can take a squad of 30 and play some vs Aruba  per@Olympique_de_Marseille  all those players could be included.  What's the chance of that though given  the CSA also has the GC to cover $$$. I just think it's highly unlikely we  see player overlap between WCQ/GC.