Joel Waterman

[N1ckbr0wn]

Knowing the Watermans personally, I couldn’t be more happy for him and his family!!!

[dyslexic nam]

From the sounds of things, a couple of long term defensive injuries should see him get lots of playing time.  

[Lansdude]

Had an interesting couple minutes where he wended his way out of a press and selected the right pass out of trouble, then a couple plays later dawdled on the ball and turned it over in his final third giving away a decent chance to New England. Like his confidence but he's still figuring out how much time and space he has on the ball.

[toontownman]

Generally wasnt troubled. Probably very thankful for that VAR decision. He looks fine but the litmus test is whether he can continue to learn and grow through the odd mistakes.

Binks was standout (first goal aside). Can we invent a canadian grandma for him?

[youllneverwalkalone]

[costarg]

Good game from Joel.  Had one shaky dear in the head-lights moment out there where he just seemed to freeze and the a Rev just ran up and took the ball away from him, where he hardly even challenged or slowed him down, but his partners bailed him out luckily. 

Great that he got the assist.  He seems to be playing with confidence and fits in. Mind you it kinda helps when you have Fanni & Binks who are playing like monsters to your left and ZBG on your right. 

[Shway]

4 hours ago, costarg said:

Mind you it kinda helps when you have Fanni & Binks who are playing like monsters to your left and ZBG on your right. 

CB next to Goalies are required to be fearless. He turned his back on that Bunbury goal. 

 

[cronaldo7]

Great to have a young Canadian CB get minutes in a good league

This is what the CPL is all about. And I am thrilled.

Gets an OPPORTUNITY to show what he’s about in our national league and has taken advantage of it.

We have come a long way (FINALLY!!!!) as a footballing nation.

[DavemTFC]

14 hours ago, BFBF said:

The Canpl will bring more defenders to the national team. It is much easier for MLS teams to give an opportunity to an 18-20 year old attacker than defenders because defenders usually develop later. 

In the MLS, young defenders sit on the bench and don't get on the field (save a few). But young forwards get sub appearances etc... The Canpl is actually quite heavy on the 18-25 year old Canadian defenders. Of all positions to make progress from the Canpl it is defenders and goalkeepers (later developers).

I actually think it's easier for domestic defenders/mids to break through as starters in a way since MLS teams tend to spend big on attacking players, making it near impossible for domestic forwards and playmakers to make the step from substitute to starter

[dyslexic nam]

1 hour ago, Mister99bottles said:

I'd say the gap between CPL and MLS is minuscule compared to MLS and Liga MX. An average CPL player can be one of the best in MLS tells you something. 

So after getting banned under you old account, you immediately start with the same schtick that got you barred?  Kinda dumb dude. 

[Macksam]

18 hours ago, toontownman said:

Generally wasnt troubled. Probably very thankful for that VAR decision. He looks fine but the litmus test is whether he can continue to learn and grow through the odd mistakes.

Binks was standout (first goal aside). Can we invent a canadian grandma for him?

He's only 18 so 5 more years here and voila. 

[Norrin Radd]

1 hour ago, Macksam said:

He's only 18 so 5 more years here and voila. 

Hasn't he played at the youth level for England? If any of those were official matches that would disqualify him from ever representing Canada - barring the discovery of a Canadian Granny.

[Bdog]

49 minutes ago, Norrin Radd said:

Hasn't he played at the youth level for England? If any of those were official matches that would disqualify him from ever representing Canada - barring the discovery of a Canadian Granny.

Thought it was only at the senior level that you can get cap tied from official matches. 

[N1ckbr0wn]

56 minutes ago, Norrin Radd said:

Hasn't he played at the youth level for England? If any of those were official matches that would disqualify him from ever representing Canada - barring the discovery of a Canadian Granny.

Can’t he file his one time switch if it was only for youth teams? 

[Norrin Radd]

1 hour ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

Can’t he file his one time switch if it was only for youth teams?

If he played an official match at the youth level, he would be eligible to file a on-time switch to any country that he was eligible to represent at the time of his first official youth cap. If he wasn't eligible to represent Canada when he first played for England he will never be able to gain eligibility under the current rules. I believe Gershon Koffie wanted to play for Canada but he was ineligible based on this rule.

[BFBF]

10 hours ago, DavemTFC said:

I actually think it's easier for domestic defenders/mids to break through as starters in a way since MLS teams tend to spend big on attacking players, making it near impossible for domestic forwards and playmakers to make the step from substitute to starter

But what team has been patient enough to let a young defender come through? I can’t think of a Canadian homegrown defender in the MLS. Yet we still have had a few forwards come through. I see your point, in theory it should be easier, but the MLS teams aren’t patient enough or trusting enough with their academy defenders. 

[Bison44]

11 hours ago, DavemTFC said:

I actually think it's easier for domestic defenders/mids to break through as starters in a way since MLS teams tend to spend big on attacking players, making it near impossible for domestic forwards and playmakers to make the step from substitute to starter

Sure but its hard for that last CB on the roster to even get a sniff of the field.  Didic made the gameday roster plenty at SKC, even got into a couple cup games but never got into a MLS game in 3 years.  Montgomery last year, same thing.  A coach is not as inclined to sub his CB late in a game to give a young guy a run out like he is with young forwards or mids.  Look at Buchanon, Wright etc, they never broke through to starters but at least they got some sub appearances to show something.  

And for keepers its even worse.  A guy like Bush or Mannone will play every game.  Crepeau, Pantemis, StClair have/had roadblocks in front of them.  

[baulderdash77]

I think your right.  I posted it in another thread but I think the CPL will have the largest effect on the depth of our defenders and keepers.

CPL teams are just not going to spend limited budget and foreign player spots on internationals when there’s going to be young Canadians to take the spot and also accept the wages (while living at home a lot of times).

Playing time will result in improvement and exposure which will bring the depth.  But I think it will be most felt for CB, FB and GK positions.

[CANMNT_SUPERFAN]

16 hours ago, BFBF said:

But what team has been patient enough to let a young defender come through? I can’t think of a Canadian homegrown defender in the MLS. Yet we still have had a few forwards come through. I see your point, in theory it should be easier, but the MLS teams aren’t patient enough or trusting enough with their academy defenders. 

Doneil Henry perhaps???... Correct me if i'm wrong, lol

Edited March 2, 2020 by CANMNT_SUPERFAN

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

2 hours ago, CANMNT_SUPERFAN said:

Doneil Henry perhaps???... Correct me if i'm wrong, lol

I feel for Henry.  He was very much at a Championship level when the first big injury came. 

As far as lapses of concentration go, you never become world class making that many but as defenders get older, and play at a high level regularly, they usually decrease.  And if they are only once in while, and the rest of your game is physical and solid, you can play at that high level.  

Edited March 2, 2020 by WestHamCanadianinOxford
spelling

[BFBF]

4 hours ago, CANMNT_SUPERFAN said:

Doneil Henry perhaps???... Correct me if i'm wrong, lol

I agree, Henry and Cornelius are the two closest. But both came through on terrible teams (at the time). Henry moved on, and Cornelius came in as a bit of an established player due to his national experience. MLS has roadblocks to all positions...

[BearcatSA]

3 hours ago, BFBF said:

I agree, Henry and Cornelius are the two closest. But both came through on terrible teams (at the time). Henry moved on, and Cornelius came in as a bit of an established player due to his national experience. MLS has roadblocks to all positions...

Despite being naturally left-footed and thus having an advantage on the left sided CB spot, the potential for Cornelius to be sitting on the bench during many MLS matches this season may be quite high considering the investment the club has put into the other international CBs they have brought in (Godoy, Khmiri, and Veselinovic).  As I said in the Jakovic thread, CB is such a fluid situation for our NT right now but I sense that the coaching staff have their favourites and will continue to use them ahead of others even if those particular players are seeing little playing time at club level.  However, Cornelius didn't feature in the Iceland friendly, with Miller chosen ahead of him (injury?), and he's going to have to pick up his game pretty quickly with the Caps if he's going to be a first choice CB starter there going forward.

Like everyone, Waterman has to keep proving himself at club level and keep showing improvement, avoid major mistakes but not dwelling on them if those gaffes do happen (that's a problem with Henry, imo:  when he makes one mistake, it usually mushrooms into more in a short period of time).

I look forward to watching his future matches.

[Mikmacdo]

Pretty crazy that a CPL guy might be playing the most minutes at the highest level of our talent pool. 

 

[DavemTFC]

On 3/1/2020 at 11:15 PM, BFBF said:

But what team has been patient enough to let a young defender come through? I can’t think of a Canadian homegrown defender in the MLS. Yet we still have had a few forwards come through. I see your point, in theory it should be easier, but the MLS teams aren’t patient enough or trusting enough with their academy defenders. 

Fair point actually, Henry seems to be the only one in the last decade or so to really become starter level quality. I think that has more to do with Canada just not having quality center backs vs the US who have had tons of NT-level CB's come through MLS, not to mention players like Marshall and Hedges who have barely had a sniff at the international level despite being two of the best CB's of the last decade

We've been pretty good at getting DM's to MLS starter/all-star level though (Will J, Kaye, Piette, hell even Osorio is more a CM than an AM)

[costarg]

22 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

I feel for Henry.  He was very much at a Championship level when the first big injury came. 

As far as lapses of concentration go, you never become world class making that many but as defenders get older, and play at a high level regularly, they usually decrease.  And if they are only once in while, and the rest of your game is physical and solid, you can play at that high level.  

Agreed.  I feel Henry totally fit into the Championship League.  He was doing great until the injury.  His confidence and judgement seem to have taken a hit since then.  He sometimes seems to hesitate as opposed to letting the instinct, experience and muscle memory kick in.  Easily explainable however. Most likely he just feels he's one bad stretch from another injury so he's constantly aware of his physical limits.  Would be sad if that was indeed the case, and i wouldn't be surprised if it was.