Olympic Qualifying U24 Tournament - Guadalajara Mexico - March 18 to 30 2021

[JasonDias]

On 3/13/2021 at 2:09 PM, trc2014 said:

When I see this thread bolded I wish it had an update to this bombshell.

no update

Edited March 25, 2021 by JasonDias
New info

[Gian-Luca]

I hope that three of the four are not goalkeepers and yet I strangely hope that one of the four are. 

[JasonDias]

2 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

I hope that three of the four are not goalkeepers and yet I strangely hope that one of the four are. 

Your assumption is correct

[Gian-Luca]

30 minutes ago, JasonDias said:

Your assumption is correct

In which case (and please don't feel you have to confirm this - probably best not to), I will assume via deduction that it was one of the Montreal contingent (it was either going to be them or someone from the Vancouver contingent since those are the only ones to the final 20 man roster who would have come over in larger groups) who got Covid so those four are out for the first game. I deduce Montreal since there are four of them in the roster, and one of the four is a keeper (there are five Whitecaps, and none of them are keepers).

So if I am correct, that means Pantemis, Tabla and most troubling, Bassong & ZBG have to miss the first game. Presumably Godinho starts at rights back now for the first game, not sure who plays left back (Thomas M-G?) Very little cover at the back either way for the first game, can only make 5 subs if we happen to sub the keeper.

At least, I'm assuming that this tourney is doing 5 subs, given the pathetically small roster sizes in light of the pandemic (running counter to the way everybody else is doing tournaments and games) maybe they aren't even allowing that either.

Edit - just saw the edit to your post - hopefully that means that the other three (whoever they are) join the team and the roster doesn't feel so skimpy on game one.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Gian-Luca

[trc2014]

1 hour ago, JasonDias said:

Here's the update. 

The 4 in quarentine are unable to train with the group until and including the 19th. They will be training separate from the group (only allowed fitness drills) until then. They will all miss the first game. 

edit - That being said, the 3 that continue to be negative are completing rapid tests every day so those 3 might rejoin the group as early as Monday if Mexican government has no issue. 

Thanks for the update Jason.  Regarding the fourth individual who first tested positive, did his follow-up test come back positive?

Edited March 14, 2021 by trc2014

[JasonDias]

23 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

Thanks for the update Jason.  Regarding the fourth individual who first tested positive, did his follow-up test come back positive?

Yup, that player at minimum won't join the team for training until after the 19th. 

I haven't been probing too much. My hunch is that we will get a formal update from Mauro probably on Monday/Tuesday. At the same time I feel like he might not want to let other teams know haha

[Gian-Luca]

For people who want to watch the last time Canada was in the Olympics, just found that the full 1984 QF match against Brazil is up on youtube:

Canada goal (the one they allowed at least) scored at the 20 minute mark of this second video:

PK Shootout here (you can see Tino Lettieri holding "Ozzie the Parrott" at the start of this last segment, for those who don't get the reference):

 

[Gian-Luca]

3 minutes after Canada scored, they scored a 2nd goal that would have made it 2-0. The controversy is long remembered from us old timers. The 2nd goal is off a free kick which arguably shouldn't have been given as it doesn't look like any contact is made on Randy Ragan (although the quality of the footage isn't great - though I can't complain as I haven't seen this play in about 37 years), although a Brazilian player notably lunges at him from behind with absolutely no hope of reaching ball which may have caused him to whiff on the shot as he avoided the player, so I can actually see why the foul was given. The subsequent goal was scored by Gerry Gray, who is kept onside by about 8 Brazilian players but is somehow ruled offside by the American linesman. That would have stood as the winner taking Canada to the semis.

Hopefully if any of our young lads are watching this on-line in Mexico, they can take some inspiration from it!

[lenny]

7 hours ago, Macksam said:

this is what you decided to write 

That's correct, Do-Your-Own-Dentistry-Research Guy.

[narduch]

Didn't all the teams carry extra players. We should be able to swap in someone if necesary.

[SoccMan]

6 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

3 minutes after Canada scored, they scored a 2nd goal that would have made it 2-0. The controversy is long remembered from us old timers. The 2nd goal is off a free kick which arguably shouldn't have been given as it doesn't look like any contact is made on Randy Ragan (although the quality of the footage isn't great - though I can't complain as I haven't seen this play in about 37 years), although a Brazilian player notably lunges at him from behind with absolutely no hope of reaching ball which may have caused him to whiff on the shot as he avoided the player, so I can actually see why the foul was given. The subsequent goal was scored by Gerry Gray, who is kept onside by about 8 Brazilian players but is somehow ruled offside by the American linesman. That would have stood as the winner taking Canada to the semis.

Hopefully if any of our young lads are watching this on-line in Mexico, they can take some inspiration from it!

The Olympic soccer tournament at that that time was not an under 23 tournament it was a regular open age tournament. That Canada lineup was our full national team. If I remember correctly the way the Olympic tournament worked in terms of eligibility was that countries were not allowed to use players who had played at the previous 1982 World Cup. Therefore, if your country had played in the 1982 World Cup none of those players were eligible to play in the 1984 Olympics. Canada having not played in the previous World Cup were able to use any senior player they wanted. Brazil on the other hand were not able to use any player who had played in the 1982 World Cup, but still as we know even back then like today Brazil can probably field like a number of different national teams and probably still do well in any tournament . Therefore, Canada taking Brazil to penalties in such a major game at the Olympics was very impressive, and like was mentioned should have won that game because Canada’s second goal was definitely not offside, if that goal counts Canada wins that game. The vast majority of those Canadian players were all starters and playing in the old NASL which was still around at that time .

[Shortdutchcanuck]

2 hours ago, narduch said:

Didn't all the teams carry extra players. We should be able to swap in someone if necesary.

I'm not sure you can just swap in and out when you want.  Correct me if I'm wrong but I think those extra players are there if you need to swap players in and out of the tournament completely.  So would it make sense to replace ZBG or Bassong for the whole tournament just because they're going to be out one game?  Unless the rules have changed this year (which would make sense, I can't believe they didn't go to at least a 23 considering the situation)

[narduch]

28 minutes ago, Shortdutchcanuck said:

I'm not sure you can just swap in and out when you want.  Correct me if I'm wrong but I think those extra players are there if you need to swap players in and out of the tournament completely.  So would it make sense to replace ZBG or Bassong for the whole tournament just because they're going to be out one game?  Unless the rules have changed this year (which would make sense, I can't believe they didn't go to at least a 23 considering the situation)

Ya I assumed swapped out completely.

For sure it would depend on the player.

But we have so little info. I've noticed most of the other teams have been posting updates.

Edited March 14, 2021 by narduch

[Shway]

3 minutes ago, narduch said:

Ya I assumed swapped out completely.

For sure it would depend on the player.

But we have so little info. I've noticed most of the other teams have been posting updates.

You are able to swap players out due to injury (or in this case - sickness). But my understanding it has to happen before the tournament, and the players have to be from the provisional rosters. (Farsi, Abzi, and who was the other guy?)
 

So it’s possible, that it might make sense to swap the player out completely. It’s not the fact that they will miss one game, but more so they won’t be able to train with the group for two weeks. Same logic used for the TFC guys who I assume tested negative but have to quarantine due close contact. 

I hope it’s not Bassong or ZBG, but wouldn’t mind if Abzi or Farsi enter the squad. 

 

[narduch]

Isn't Corbeanu with the team?

[Shway]

4 minutes ago, narduch said:

Isn't Corbeanu with the team?

That’s who the third guy is right, I wasn’t sure. Weird how he wasn’t included in the final squad - but I understand it considering he hasn’t played against men yet.

[Shortdutchcanuck]

1 minute ago, Shway said:

That’s who the third guy is right, I wasn’t sure. Weird how he wasn’t included in the final squad - but I understand it considering he hasn’t played against men yet.

I don't remember what interview I heard it in but the plan is for Corbeanu to be with the senior team for Bermuda.  They brought him down to Mexico to start training early with the Olympic team and possibly in case someone like Brym or Bair gets hurt.  In that case they might insert him into the u23s but sounds like they'd prefer him to move on when senior team gets together

[Dominic94]

13 hours ago, JasonDias said:

Here's the update. 

The 4 in quarentine are unable to train with the group until and including the 19th. They will be training separate from the group (only allowed fitness drills) until then. They will all miss the first game. 

edit - That being said, the 3 that continue to be negative are completing rapid tests every day so those 3 might rejoin the group as early as Monday if Mexican government has no issue. 

So we’re down 4 for Friday ? Or are we down 1 ?

[Gian-Luca]

4 hours ago, SoccMan said:

The Olympic soccer tournament at that that time was not an under 23 tournament it was a regular open age tournament. That Canada lineup was our full national team. If I remember correctly the way the Olympic tournament worked in terms of eligibility was that countries were not allowed to use players who had played at the previous 1982 World Cup. Therefore, if your country had played in the 1982 World Cup none of those players were eligible to play in the 1984 Olympics. Canada having not played in the previous World Cup were able to use any senior player they wanted. Brazil on the other hand were not able to use any player who had played in the 1982 World Cup, but still as we know even back then like today Brazil can probably field like a number of different national teams and probably still do well in any tournament . Therefore, Canada taking Brazil to penalties in such a major game at the Olympics was very impressive, and like was mentioned should have won that game because Canada’s second goal was definitely not offside, if that goal counts Canada wins that game. The vast majority of those Canadian players were all starters and playing in the old NASL which was still around at that time .

I'm not sure how eligibility worked for that tourney. My recollection was similar to what you stated, but I looked it up just now on wikipedia and it says that players couldn't have had more than five "A" caps (regardless of what age they are). Which would make sense for teams like France, Brazil and Italy (none of whom had the 1982 World Cup stars on their team and all went to the final four regardless), but got to figure that this rule didn't apply to Cameroon because Roger Milla was on the Cameroon squad that Canada beat in the preliminary round and I can't imagine that he'd only play 5 times for Cameroon by then (he'd been paying for Cameroon since 1973 and played in the 1982 World Cup). So I wonder if that rule was only applied to the South American & European teams or something.

[SoccMan]

1 hour ago, Gian-Luca said:

I'm not sure how eligibility worked for that tourney. My recollection was similar to what you stated, but I looked it up just now on wikipedia and it says that players couldn't have had more than five "A" caps (regardless of what age they are). Which would make sense for teams like France, Brazil and Italy (none of whom had the 1982 World Cup stars on their team and all went to the final four regardless), but got to figure that this rule didn't apply to Cameroon because Roger Milla was on the Cameroon squad that Canada beat in the preliminary round and I can't imagine that he'd only play 5 times for Cameroon by then (he'd been paying for Cameroon since 1973 and played in the 1982 World Cup). So I wonder if that rule was only applied to the South American & European teams or something.

Ya but still an incredible accomplishment for that team and how well they did in that Olympic tournament. It was no surprise that basically that same national team with more or less the same players  ends up qualifying for the 1986 World Cup , truly Canada’s first golden generation of players. Now hopefully finally after so many years since those guys brought some glory to Canadian soccer we are on the cusp of some great things with the players we have today and we can  one day consider them a golden generation as well .

Edited March 14, 2021 by SoccMan

[toontownman]

2 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

So we’re down 4 for Friday ? Or are we down 1 ?

Potentially 4 but could be just one depending on if 3 continue to not test positive and what mexico allow.

Downside if true is the 1 must be a pretty important part of the team or we would have replaced them.

[narduch]

Well I guess Raposo and Metcalfe aren't part of the 4 in quarantine 

 

[JasonDias]

I suppose I can share that it's 2 GK and 2 Fwd/Mid. It's was a fwd/mid that tested positive. They already have 3 reserves that have temporarily joined the training with the main 20 squad but haven't been fully confirmed to be replacements. The positive player will likely be replaced. 

Also some of the European based players will need to leave by the 29th to join their clubs. Which isn't a problem as the semi-final is essentially the most important game.

Edited March 14, 2021 by JasonDias

[Dominic94]

46 minutes ago, JasonDias said:

I suppose I can share that it's 2 GK and 2 Fwd/Mid. It's was a fwd/mid that tested positive. They already have 3 reserves that have temporarily joined the training with the main 20 squad but haven't been fully confirmed to be replacements. The positive player will likely be replaced. 

Also some of the European based players will need to leave by the 29th to join their clubs. Which isn't a problem as the semi-final is essentially the most important game.

So even if we make the final were short lol. 
 

So we now know who’s the game 1 starter, hopefully Nogueira is up to the task. 
 

gotta feel for Ballou, Breza and the other 2. 
 

Can you confirm that Farsi and Tc are the other replacements ?

for those who don’t know Abzi is in Mexico with them. 
 

edit: what are Lucas’s initial thoughts on the team and the quality of the players ? Tactics, etc.

edit 2: I have deduced that Ballou is the  positive test and he will be replaced.

we know is a F/M, we know part of the Montreal shipment was compromised, so Ballou will not start his redemption here.

 

I know you won’t confirm the player but can you confirm if it was a false positive or not ? Or did it miss it ?

Edited March 14, 2021 by Dominic94

[JasonDias]

10 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

So even if we make the final were short lol. 
 

So we now know who’s the game 1 starter, hopefully Nogueira is up to the task. 
 

gotta feel for Ballou, Breza and the other 2. 
 

Can you confirm that Farsi and Tc are the other replacements ?

for those who don’t know Abzi is in Mexico with them. 
 

edit: what are Lucas’s initial thoughts on the team and the quality of the players ? Tactics, etc.

edit 2: I have deduced that Ballou is the  positive test and he will be replaced.

we know is a F/M, we know part of the Montreal shipment was compromised, so Ballou will not start his redemption here.

 

I know you won’t confirm the player but can you confirm if it was a false positive or not ? Or did it miss it ?

Before we make any crazy assumptions lol I didn't make any mention that it was the Montreal contingent. The positive test came from one player who caught up with 3 other players on a layover to Mexico. 2 of which were goalies and two of which were forwards/mids. Montreal group came together as one.