Canada Pre-World Cup "friendlies" thread: news, gossip and speculation.

[Unnamed Trialist]

3 hours ago, EJsens1 said:

Quite a few games here 

Is Mexico exempt from Nations League? 

[RS]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Is Mexico exempt from Nations League? 

No, they have games against Suriname and Jamaica the following week.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Just now, RS said:

No, they have games against Suriname and Jamaica the following week.

Six-game window? What do they accomplish with that, it's zero planning mentality. 

The point is to properly plan for the WC. The US plays at home for cash then wonder why they're so fragile away. I'll be happy as long as we are being efficient and clinical prepping for the group stage. 

[RS]

1 minute ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Six-game window? What do they accomplish with that, it's zero planning mentality. 

The point is to properly plan for the WC. The US plays at home for cash then wonder why they're so fragile away. I'll be happy as long as we are being efficient and clinical prepping for the group stage. 

It's actually a five-game window. The match vs. Paraguay is in August.

It's still a lot, though. Basically cashing in on Mexican-Americans as usual.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Six-game window? What do they accomplish with that, it's zero planning mentality. 

The point is to properly plan for the WC. The US plays at home for cash then wonder why they're so fragile away. I'll be happy as long as we are being efficient and clinical prepping for the group stage. 

🤑

[Free kick]

On 4/12/2022 at 1:33 PM, EJsens1 said:

Quite a few games here 

Yes. Quite a few games indeed and they are all played in the the US.   I mentioned it before that if they had they way, they would play all their games (including WCQ) in the US.  I find that this is just wrong.  You represent Mexico not just Mexican Americans.

Edited April 14, 2022 by Free kick

[TOcanadafan]

Corrupt Mexican officials need to get paid.

[Ruud]

52 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

Corrupt Mexican officials need to get paid.

And travel and stay in nice hotels 

[Ally McCoist]

3 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Six-game window? What do they accomplish with that, it's zero planning mentality. 

The point is to properly plan for the WC. The US plays at home for cash then wonder why they're so fragile away. I'll be happy as long as we are being efficient and clinical prepping for the group stage. 

They will heavily rotate. Hard to believe they are playing all their starters in each of these games. 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by Ally McCoist

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Free kick said:

Yes. Quite a few games indeed and they are all played in the the US.   I mentioned it before that if they had they way, they would play all their games (including WCQ) in the US.  I find that this is just wrong.  You represent Mexico not Mexican Americans.

I think this is an ignorant statement.
Theres a lot, and I mean a lot of Mexicans living in USA who see them just as that , and less Mexican-American. There’s a lot that are even aliens, and FMF is aware of this.

I’ve said it before no other countries have this unique relationship/connection.

But they are making more money, and so are able to charge more than if they were working or living in Mexico. 

Some of that money typically funnels back to the federation, and their programs that they can continually sustain.

 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

1 hour ago, Ally McCoist said:

They will heavily rotate. Hard to believe they are playing all their starters in each of these games. 

 

Including a possible cap-tie for Flores if the tabloids can be believed.

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, Shway said:

I think this is an ignorant statement.
Theres a lot, and I mean a lot of Mexicans living in USA who see them just as that , and less Mexican-American. There’s a lot that are even aliens, and FMF is aware of this.

I’ve said it before no other countries have this unique relationship/connection.

But they are making more money, and so are able to charge more than if they were working or living in Mexico. 

Some of that money typically funnels back to the federation, and their programs that they can continually sustain.

Possible consequence: perpetually stalled programme. 

One factor: they lose the advantage of Azteca and wonder why, many of their own players are not even used to it. Not only from playing in Europe, from not playing back home.

Fans in Monterey or Puebla see the NT less than fans in Florida or Texas, makes zero sense. You say money funneling back to the federation, true. Perhaps things like the Mexican women's league have benefited. But the men's programme is stalled.

Then when they play official matches vs the US, they lose in the same scenarios they have success in with friendlies. Interesting really: so the programme is not benefitted on a sporting level by playing in the US, it is only financial (if that).

In any case: you need to play in the circumstances that are most challenging or difficult for you. We are playing in a warm Arab country in the WC? Go play in North Africa or the Middle East to prep. We are playing Morocco? Let's play a N African team, but in North Africa, that is a true test. Not Tunisia in Montreal, with their players at end of season, tired from the travel, with no fan support. Sure, as they are qualified for the WC they will play seriously, but still, it is only a partially valid test.

To prep Croatia and Belgium, no question for me that it may be different. A European side in the top 20 presents a challenge home or away, but what we really want is to test ourselves against superior European talent on paper with similar style, more technical with a strong midfield, in both cases.

Edited April 13, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[RS]

9 hours ago, Shway said:

I think this is an ignorant statement.
Theres a lot, and I mean a lot of Mexicans living in USA who see them just as that , and less Mexican-American. There’s a lot that are even aliens, and FMF is aware of this.

I’ve said it before no other countries have this unique relationship/connection.

But they are making more money, and so are able to charge more than if they were working or living in Mexico. 

Some of that money typically funnels back to the federation, and their programs that they can continually sustain.

 

There's no way the FMF schedules every single friendly in the United States due to some some sense of altruism or brotherhood with expats in the USA. Come on.

It's literally only about the amount of money they can extract from stateside crowds vs. those in Mexico. 

[Shway]

19 minutes ago, RS said:

There's no way the FMF schedules every single friendly in the United States due to some some sense of altruism or brotherhood with expats in the USA. Come on.

It's literally only about the amount of money they can extract from stateside crowds vs. those in Mexico. 

But I never said that either. 

More so the fact that they know the USA is a home away from home for a lot of their people, so it’s makes sense and isn’t unreasonable.

I do know, we as Canadians shouldn’t be talking or having concern with where they play their friendlies because we have done the same thing, plus more. Remember they have played all their CNL and WCQ on home soil….we haven’t. 

So yes, it’s about taking advantage of the money, and less about isolating their team from their people. 

[Ivan]

8 minutes ago, Shway said:

But I never said that either. 

More so the fact that they know the USA is a home away from home for a lot of their people, so it’s makes sense and isn’t unreasonable.

I do know, we as Canadians shouldn’t be talking or having concern with where they play their friendlies because we have done the same thing, plus more. Remember they have played all their CNL and WCQ on home soil….we haven’t. 

So yes, it’s about taking advantage of the money, and less about isolating their team from their people. 

Because of Covid, otherwise we would have.  But this seems too obvious, did I misunderstand you?

[RS]

1 hour ago, Shway said:

Remember they have played all their CNL and WCQ on home soil….we haven’t. 

How is this even close to the same situation?

[Shway]

1 hour ago, Ivan said:

Because of Covid, otherwise we would have.  But this seems too obvious, did I misunderstand you?

Prior to Covid, when we played our friendlies it was predominantly in the USA if we were hosting. 

2015 - Icelandx2 in Orlando, Guatamela in Fort Lauderdale, & Ghana in DC
2016 - 6 friendless not one hosted
2017 - 5 friendlies, 3 of which we were host, of those 1 game was in Houston against El Salvador in Houston
2018 - 1 friendly which we were host to New Zealand in Spain
2019 - 1 arranged training match in the USA, vs T&T.
2020 - 3 games in January against Iceland, and Barbados (x2) [Covid wasn't covid yet, because the Victoria friendlies were scheduled.]

Add to the fact that our WCQing was typically over by the hex. 

37 minutes ago, RS said:

How is this even close to the same situation?

I digress on that specific point, I was confused....I thought we played a home CNL game at Bradenton prior to 2020 (we did, it just wasn't our home game).

However my overall sentiment still stands. 

[Razcal]

On 4/11/2022 at 10:52 AM, SpursFlu said:

Turf now is so good there really isn't any risk of injury. If the game is more in the tradition of a friendly I don't think it will matter. If the game is meant to prepare the team for an immediate game or competition I could see it being an issue as you would want to recreate what you're preparing for as much as possible 

According to numerous studies this is untrue.

Turf has a higher lower limb injury rate than grass.

[Razcal]

Feels like everyone's dance card is filling up but ours.

Sure would like to see some announcements soon.

[SpursFlu]

56 minutes ago, Razcal said:

According to numerous studies this is untrue.

Turf has a higher lower limb injury rate than grass.

Yah its a serious issue.. I can't even remember the last time I played on grass and me and every soccer player in Canada have major hip problems 

The same people who harp on about turf are the same people who rage when they hear the word soccer and have likely not kicked a ball in 20 years 

Edited April 13, 2022 by SpursFlu

[Ivan]

1 hour ago, Shway said:

Prior to Covid, when we played our friendlies it was predominantly in the USA if we were hosting. 

2015 - Icelandx2 in Orlando, Guatamela in Fort Lauderdale, & Ghana in DC
2016 - 6 friendless not one hosted
2017 - 5 friendlies, 3 of which we were host, of those 1 game was in Houston against El Salvador in Houston
2018 - 1 friendly which we were host to New Zealand in Spain
2019 - 1 arranged training match in the USA, vs T&T.
2020 - 3 games in January against Iceland, and Barbados (x2) [Covid wasn't covid yet, because the Victoria friendlies were scheduled.]

Add to the fact that our WCQing was typically over by the hex. 

I digress on that specific point, I was confused....I thought we played a home CNL game at Bradenton prior to 2020 (we did, it just wasn't our home game).

However my overall sentiment still stands. 

Okay, I get your point, but you said CNL and WCQ, which we definitely would have played on home soil (we actually played CNL on home soil), not friendlies.

[El Hombre]

49 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

Yah its a serious issue.. I can't even remember the last time I played on grass and me and every soccer player in Canada have major hip problems 

The same people who harp on about turf are the same people who rage when they hear the word soccer and have likely not kicked a ball in 20 years 

I don't understand this argument.  Whether or not you've been injured playing on turf has no bearing on this.  We're talking about having a friendly with a top 10 or top 20 country.  Like it or not, the vast majority of those countries would prefer to not have games on turf.  Whether it is because of ignorance or elitism or science that they believe this doesn't matter.

Further to that, most top 10 or top 20 nations aren't begging for friendlies.  They can pick and choose.  Rarely will they choose to fly such a distance to play on turf when other options are available.

[Shway]

11 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

Further to that, most top 10 or top 20 nations aren't begging for friendlies.  They can pick and choose.  Rarely will they choose to fly such a distance to play on turf when other options are available.

This. 

When did we become Americans, and be so oblivious and entitled while negating the simple facts?

[Razcal]

1 hour ago, SpursFlu said:

Yah its a serious issue.. I can't even remember the last time I played on grass and me and every soccer player in Canada have major hip problems 

The same people who harp on about turf are the same people who rage when they hear the word soccer and have likely not kicked a ball in 20 years 

There have been numerous studies that have shown this.

What's the argument here?

[frmr]

19 minutes ago, Shway said:

This. 

When did we become Americans, and be so oblivious and entitled while negating the simple facts?

When we won Concacaf.