The Importance of Alphonso Davies

[OhCanadaOhBaby]

This is horrible, no doubt. However, I think with such little information and lack of transparency from Bayern with them calling it is mild but also saying he's out for a long time, we shouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet. As far as I know, no one here works for Bayern or is a cardiologist, so the best thing we can do is look ahead to the next window, assume we will be without him, and wish Phonzy all the best with recovery. 

It's bigger than our WCQ aspirations when it comes to the heart. Making random guesses about his timeline to return just adds to the hysteria and confusion that no one really needs right now(especially his friends and family). It doesn't really matter when he comes back now does it, as long as he's healthy. 

[prairiecanuck]

37 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

If Davies misses anything less than a month I’ll have questions…. The reality is that a diagnosis like this should be the end of his season or Atleast he’s out for a couple of months, 2-4 weeks of rest doesn’t cut it. This is literally life threatening.

Myocarditis is something that can occur from any viral infection or bacterial infection.  It's inflammation of the heart.  A bruise. People who get mono can suffer myocarditis.  Young people especially in minor cases often recover within a week or two.  These are people who have symptoms.  Davies by all accounts did not have any symptoms, he was just tested as protocol.  Literally a week from now he could have a scan and be cleared to play.   Speculating on severity is a pointless exercise.  

[Shway]

Seeking for the semantics.

Is it a heart issue? Yes
Is it an issue related to Covid 19? Yes
Can it be career threatening? Yes 
Did he get medical screening/treatment that the average person wouldn’t? Yes

I’m not debating just saying for the average person who is active, be mindful as we all have likely contracted Covid or have gotten vaccine but are not accessible to the treatment that professional athletes get.

Done.

[narduch]

1 hour ago, nfitz said:

There's a CBC article now - https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/alphonso-davies-covid-myocarditis-1.6314813

Covid sucks.

Who's for moving the January games to June?

I am.

I've actually been wondering what happens if/when an entire team tests positive before a match this window

[ShaneC06]

What awful news to wake up to. I hope Alphonso feels better. Credit to Bayern for catching this early and not later in the season. 

With that being said, I don't think losing Alphonso for this qualifying window is the worst thing to happen for Canada. Players get to step up and face a little bit of adversity. It is a big loss, but Alphonso didn't exactly lead the charge at the games in Edmonton last November. Let's hope for the best. 

[ShaneC06]

4 minutes ago, narduch said:

I am.

I've actually been wondering what happens if/when an entire team tests positive before a match this window

The fans step in and play! 

[JamboAl]

3 minutes ago, narduch said:

I am.

I've actually been wondering what happens if/when an entire team tests positive before a match this window

There was a UEFA Nations League game a couple of years ago where the Czech Republic had to bring in an entire new squad to play Scotland.  

[Gian-Luca]

https://www.tsn.ca/bayern-defender-davies-has-heart-muscle-issue-after-virus-1.1745554

"He'll sit out training until further notice. He won't be available, also in the coming weeks," Nagelsmann said in German.

"The ultrasound shows this myocarditis isn't so dramatic but it's a sign of myocarditis. Still, it has to heal and that will definitely take some time," he added.

Myocarditis is a mild, temporary condition in the vast majority of cases, according to experts.

Asked if the myocarditis was due to COVID, Nagelsmann said it's hard to tell.

"There are different reasons, especially viral load or the flu, for instance, that can cause cardiac problems," he said through an interpreter.

"That occurred pre-Corona to other players. Now the probability is higher if you combine Corona and top athleticism, that might cause other problems. But that's not relevant for us right now. It's not relevant to the treatment. It doesn't matter if Alphonso Davies had this from the flu or Omicron-Delta or whatever. That's not really the decisive factor.

"The situation is that it's absolutely awful, terrible. What can I say? A bad situation for us."

[narduch]

Just now, JamboAl said:

There was a UEFA Nations League game a couple of years ago where the Czech Republic had to bring in an entire new squad to play Scotland.  

That's a lot easier to do in Europe.

How many players would we expect to have on stand by and how quickly could they get here?

[RandomGuy]

I hope Davies has a quick and full recovery.

Sometimes people need a door to open to show what they can do. With Davis potentially not coming this or next window this will give an opportunity to someone else (Liam, Theo, Jebbison?) to show what they can do. 

Also it gives the rest of the team the chance to show that we are not just Alphonso Davies.

I am still confident that we will have a successful window and I can't wait for the games to start!

[JamboAl]

22 minutes ago, narduch said:

That's a lot easier to do in Europe.

How many players would we expect to have on stand by and how quickly could they get here?

If I recall in that case, their U-23s were together and they brought the whole squad plus a few who had retired from international duty.  They were expected to get thrashed but only lost 1-0 and found a few players in the process.  Not sure we have the same luxury.

[blueseeka]

I think Theo gets called

[CanadaFan123]

58 minutes ago, narduch said:

That's a lot easier to do in Europe.

How many players would we expect to have on stand by and how quickly could they get here?

I don't think it would be that difficult. We have a boatload of domestic players in the US/Canada. Hell, we had a taxi squad of 10 players in June. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

That's a lot easier to do in Europe.

How many players would we expect to have on stand by and how quickly could they get here?

Since a player pool is not a roster, you just keep calling up whoever might be available. There is no exception. 

Only the incapacity to present a minimum squad at a match, from a pre-selected roster, might be reason to request an exception. But that would mean that you'd have lost 15 of a 23 man roster. I am not even sure if you are obliged to play a keeper as a field player (think not), but otherwise, you play with 8 men healthy. 

It'd be a scandal of course, and it is not going to happen either. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

31 minutes ago, RandomGuy said:

Sometimes people need a door to open to show what they can do. With Davis potentially not coming this or next window this will give an opportunity to someone else (Liam, Theo, Jebbison?) to show what they can do. 

Also it gives the rest of the team the chance to show that we are not just Alphonso Davies.

Just what I was thinking, remember who was in the lineup vs Mexico in the Gold Cup.  That was another step in the confidence building for this team.  Guys had to step up because none of the stars were there.  That game showed that our core, backbone and depth was strong.  I do hope his absence will allow for somebody who hasn't really featured for the team to come in.

[EJsens1]

 

[jonovision]

Kind of unfortunate that a key piece of info (he got COVID in January, the likely cause of his condition) was relegated to his second tweet that many won't read.

[EJsens1]

 

1 minute ago, jonovision said:

Kind of unfortunate that a key piece of info (he got COVID in January, the likely cause of his condition) was relegated to his second tweet that many won't read.

Good point..here’s the follow up 

[trc2014]

I wonder how serious Akinola’s case was versus Davies.

[GasPed]

1 hour ago, EJsens1 said:

 

Good point..here’s the follow up 

I think a possible concern here is that he keeps getting MRI's and they keep showing this mild (and asymptomatic) inflammation.  And frankly, there are a lot of unknowns about the condition - e.g. Did he get it from Covid or from his booster or from something else?  Is mild myocarditis something to even be concerned about if it's asymptomatic, and for how long?  (I also wonder if that's what happened to Akinola - i.e. why he was out so long.)

[lenny]

5 hours ago, Floortom said:

to add to this discussion, many cardiac specialists have denounced the diagnosis of myocarditis of asymptomatic individuals through CMR only (Which is what Bayern did in this case). In fact there was a large open letter written by many top heart surgeons and specialists doing so as the belief is there’s  no evidence at all that these findings have any clinical significance

more about the issue here 

Interesting.

Perhaps Bayern's doctors have diagnosed him with 3-concacaf-games-in-one-window-before-an-important-game-against-Leipzig-Feb 5th-itis.

[prairiecanuck]

35 minutes ago, GasPed said:

I think a possible concern here is that he keeps getting MRI's and they keep showing this mild (and asymptomatic) inflammation.  And frankly, there are a lot of unknowns about the condition - e.g. Did he get it from Covid or from his booster or from something else?  Is mild myocarditis something to even be concerned about if it's asymptomatic, and for how long?  (I also wonder if that's what happened to Akinola - i.e. why he was out so long.)

I had a rather lengthy discussion with my brother who just had heart issues and a stent put in and he had just spoken with a cardiologist.  The heart muscle is a very good at healing.  Mild inflammation isn't going to linger on in perpetuity.  Davies will heal.  It could be 2 weeks, 4 weeks.  They just need to keep monitoring it.  My brother was incredibly fortunate in his situation.  Even the cardiologist said they almost never see what he went through without any damage.  He played hockey 2 and half weeks after his surgery because he had is follow up and the doctor said there was zero reason why he couldn't play hockey given his follow up.  Attaching covid to myocarditis doesn't bring any more unknows to the process or follow up.  He's going to be fine soon.  It's a shame it appears he will miss the window.

[prairiecanuck]

22 minutes ago, lenny said:

Interesting.

Perhaps Bayern's doctors have diagnosed him with 3-concacaf-games-in-one-window-before-an-important-game-against-Leipzig-Feb 5th-itis.

I'm going to be choked if he plays in that Leipzig game.  If he can play in that game, there's no reason he wasn't able to play 3 days or 6 days earlier. 

[johnyb]

3 minutes ago, prairiecanuck said:

I'm going to be choked if he plays in that Leipzig game.  If he can play in that game, there's no reason he wasn't able to play 3 days or 6 days earlier. 

I wont be, I'm expecting it so I have a month to prepare my mind.

[Alex]

It will be that much sweeter when we stick it to the Americans without Davies.