Herdman new head coach

[jpg75]

Why do you think it was misogynistic to question your credentials when you were hired?*

*He just stated that on a CBC News interview with Heather Hiscox.

[dyslexic nam]

With Tabla now committed to the national program, has any progress been made with respect to other high priority recruitment targets?

 

 

[Keegan]

5 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

With Tabla now committed to the national program, has any progress been made with respect to other high priority recruitment targets?

 

 

Many are asking that question so you’re covered. 

Have to say, not many interesting questions submitted.. most will elicit fluff answers. 

 

[dyslexic nam]

I am not on Twitter (*gasp*) so won't follow the discussion.  Hopefully there are other meaningful questions.

 

Some slightly tougher ones could include:

- What innovations will you be bringing to the team's style of play?

- Was there any fall out among the players regarding the way Zambrano was let go?

- Who do you see as our strongest XI?

 

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Can't blame the guy for going for it when the opportunity presented itself and would be good to see him succeed, but being honest:

How do you go about commanding the respect of seasoned international players when your own pro career was over before it began?

 

[jpg75]

20 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

Can't blame the guy for going for it when the opportunity presented itself and would be good to see him succeed, but being honest:

How do you go about commanding the respect of seasoned international players when your own pro career was over before it began?

 

I'm pretty sure his answer will go along the lines of having gained the respect of the women on the CWNT and that the Men will buy in or else they're misogynists.

[Admin]

28 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

Can't blame the guy for going for it when the opportunity presented itself and would be good to see him succeed, but being honest:

How do you go about commanding the respect of seasoned international players when your own pro career was over before it began?

 

By being good at what you do.

[LeoH037]

39 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

Can't blame the guy for going for it when the opportunity presented itself and would be good to see him succeed, but being honest:

How do you go about commanding the respect of seasoned international players when your own pro career was over before it began?

 

Lots of world class coaches were never good players, nor players at all...

[Blackjack15]

Anyone have the video of the full Q&A? 

Today he’s done like 4-5 interviews

TSN Radio, SN590TheFan, CBC News and this Twitter one 

They’re really pushing for ticket sales on the 16th, using John as a marketing tool. 

Pleased with some of the things he’s said  

Edited October 5, 2018 by Thomas

[SpecialK]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/herdman-no-time-players-see-canada-stepping-stone/

[jpg75]

Herdman joins Jay and Dan on Side Seats

https://www.tsn.ca/coors-light/video/coors-side-seats-john-herdman~1509108

[Blackjack15]

Worth the read

https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2018/10/12/canada-soccer-coach-john-herdman-working-hard-on-establishing-team-culture.html

Edited October 12, 2018 by Thomas

[BearcatSA]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 3:09 PM, Blackjack15 said:

Worth the read

https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2018/10/12/canada-soccer-coach-john-herdman-working-hard-on-establishing-team-culture.html

The only way you find out about how good your team culture is is when your team is facing adversity, especially when expectations start getting jacked up and your squad is perceived as underachieving.  It doesn't take much for "we" guys to become "me" guys in those situations, as what happened on a number of occasions in the past.  How Herdman handles this is the key to his tenure.

 

Edited October 14, 2018 by BearcatSA

[Obinna]

20 hours ago, Blackjack15 said:

Worth the read

https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2018/10/12/canada-soccer-coach-john-herdman-working-hard-on-establishing-team-culture.html

A few clicks later and I am watching Usain Bolt score his first two goals for Central Coast Mariners.

[RJB]

The only thing I'll say about establishing culture is that I think it's something coaches just say.  Kind of like when they say that a team needs an identity.  I suppose they both kind of make sense, but they are phrases born of too much punditry, when in reality what needs to happen is the players need to listen to the coach, they need to do as they're told, what they're told needs make them the best they can be, and then most of all they need to win.  Because culture and identity are completely meaningless if they never win.  Or don't at least improve.

I know that Herdman has to say something because we want to press, but lets not get too much into the media-speak.

And how many of us list changing the culture of the team as a priority... ever?  We want to win.

[BearcatSA]

 

4 minutes ago, RJB said:

And how many of us list changing the culture of the team as a priority... ever?  We want to win.

I did.  This has been a culture that has lacked in resiliency in the face of adversity.  A culture of underachievement, if you will.  Or worse (does 8-1 spring to mind?)

And with that, I want a winning culture.  I want a culture where the sum is greater than the individual parts which make up the team.  And at the very least, I want a culture where the team is consistently hard to play against and hard to beat, regardless of the calibre of the opponent and regardless of where the matches are played.

 

 

[Keegan]

9 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

 

I did.  This has been a culture that has lacked in resiliency in the face of adversity.  A culture of underachievement, if you will.  Or worse (does 8-1 spring to mind?)

And with that, I want a winning culture.  I want a culture where the sum is greater than the individual parts which make up the team.  And at the very least, I want a culture where the team is consistently hard to play against and hard to beat, regardless of the calibre of the opponent and regardless of where the matches are played.

 

 

Exactly.  We can argue about teams on paper all day but the reality is there are tons of talented teams.  What separates them is the culture and attitude.  We are better on paper than teams that have played in the cycle back to 97 but we haven’t been there, teams like ES and T&T are average on paper but have had more success than us in the past 15 years.

[dyslexic nam]

I think the clearest example of this was 8-1. Not that we would have won the game,but a different mentality and level of buy in might have prevented that kind of soul crushing loss.  

 

[Keegan]

6 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I think the clearest example of this was 8-1. Not that we would have won the game,but a different mentality and level of buy in might have prevented that kind of soul crushing loss.  

 

I agree but a different mentality wouldn’t have just prevented a soul crushing loss.. it could give us the result we needed.  We were unlucky with injuries but still had enough talent to organize and get the result.

[BearcatSA]

50 minutes ago, Keegan said:

I agree but a different mentality wouldn’t have just prevented a soul crushing loss.. it could give us the result we needed.  We were unlucky with injuries but still had enough talent to organize and get the result.

And that isn't the only example.  The behind the scenes stuff prior to the WC qualifier vs Honduras in Montreal in 08 and then having internal strife after the subsequent loss in Mexico all provide another big example.  The crappy Hex we had in 1996 for WC 98 stands out as another.  

All sides have turmoil now and again.  The bigger the egos, the bigger the clashes.  I get it.  So Herdman needs to show that he can get this side to ride out these inevitable rough seas because they are going to happen.

[LeoH037]

5 hours ago, Keegan said:

I agree but a different mentality wouldn’t have just prevented a soul crushing loss.. it could give us the result we needed.  We were unlucky with injuries but still had enough talent to organize and get the result.

The hardest thing to watch about that 8-1 trounce was the players giving up. They did not look like a team who had to play for their lives, it was a do or die moment, and a team with a never give up mentality goes down there and leaves everything on that field. They did not do that, they looked like headless chickens. It was pathetic.

Edited October 15, 2018 by LeoH037

[Joe MacCarthy]

^And maybe Herdman is the guy to install that never say die attitude.  Let's not forget the women when they heartbreakingly lost quite possibly the greatest women's soccer game ever against the US and they had to come right back and play the formidable France.  They were getting hammered but never gave up, listen to the commentary at the tail end of the game (starting at 153:05).  It's what our hockey teams are known for and is a trait that should apply to our soccer teams as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvnGXHFe5w

[RJB]

On 10/14/2018 at 2:00 PM, BearcatSA said:

 

I did.  This has been a culture that has lacked in resiliency in the face of adversity.  A culture of underachievement, if you will.  Or worse (does 8-1 spring to mind?)

And with that, I want a winning culture.  I want a culture where the sum is greater than the individual parts which make up the team.  And at the very least, I want a culture where the team is consistently hard to play against and hard to beat, regardless of the calibre of the opponent and regardless of where the matches are played.

 

 

Fair enough, I suppose I should have said, first priority.  But I'll double down on my position: I don't care about the culture of this team, as long as we win.  I've supported the MNT for a very long time, and am resigned to us being a minnow.  I don't care about culture, or identity, or guest speakers, I care about winning.

[BearcatSA]

19 minutes ago, RJB said:

Fair enough, I suppose I should have said, first priority.  But I'll double down on my position: I don't care about the culture of this team, as long as we win.  I've supported the MNT for a very long time, and am resigned to us being a minnow.  I don't care about culture, or identity, or guest speakers, I care about winning.

I guess it depends on the definition of the word culture.  For me, it encompasses a tough-to-beat mentality and when you have that, you can win more consistently in adverse situations.  That's how winning's done.

I don't care about guest speakers, either.

[apbsmith]

Last cycle's away game vs ES still rattles me so much....empty stadium vs El Salvador B-C team.... and 0-0. As much as 8-1 hurts, that EL Salvador 0-0 result was awful based on the opportunity.  IMO the team identity,culture,mental approach really hurt us that game. 

Much more optimistic with Herdman in charge, mentally 100%, tactically TBD. 

For some reason, we were given two gifts back to back cycles, CUBA at home (2014 cycle),  EL Salvador Away(2018 cycle), but only took advantage of the one. So it is is not out of the question another random crazy Concacaf story happens this cycle.  As simple as this sounds, I'm much more optimistic with Herdman in charge if an opportunity similar to what happened last cycle presents itself.

Edited October 16, 2018 by apbsmith