Step one starts now
The blur of a World Cup year has past. Now what?
We have a roster for the Nations League games this month. By now, you have likely read 10 different takes on Tom McGill’s surprise inclusion, Dominick Zator’s opportunity or Joel Waterman’s exclusion. I’ll spare you an 11th.
If, by chance, you haven’t seen the roster yet, here it is:
GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Tom McGill | ENG / ENG / Brighton & Hove Albion U-21
GK- Dayne St. Clair | USA / Minnesota United FC
CB- Derek Cornelius | SWE / Malmö FF
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / GD Chaves
CB- Dominick Zator | POL / Korona Kielce
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Galatasaray SK
FB- Alistair Johnston | SCO / Celtic FC
FB- Richie Laryea | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Porto
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Ismaël Koné | ENG / Watford FC
M- Victor Loturi | SCO / Ross County FC
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
F- Ayo Akinola | CAN / Toronto FC
F- Charles-Andreas Brym | NED / FC Eindhoven
F- Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern München
F- Cyle Larin | ESP / Real Valladolid CF
That’s a lot of familiar names from the World Cup and, to me, that’s the most interesting thing about this. It tells us a lot about what John Herdman is thinking as he enters 2023.
It’s a cruel year, in many ways. Even putting aside the mess that is the CSA v Players dispute, it’s hard to get focused on the competitions in front of the team, after finally getting to the top of the mountain 355 days ago.
It feels a bit like going out to the pub the weekend after the most epic keg party of all-time. Sure, you’ll go, but all you’re going to talk about is how much fun last weekend was. No one will much care about the night you are on*.
(*Forgive me. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. I have old party memories on the mind).
That’s a mistake. In many ways, this season is more important than last year was. Everything Canada did in 2022 (after March 27) was gravy. The fact they went oh-for at the World Cup and no one seemed to care speaks to that. They had a free pass.
They don’t — or, at least, shouldn’t — any longer. There needs to be pressure on this group to not just make up the numbers in 3.25 years, but to challenge to get out of their group.
That starts with winning things in Concacaf. If they can’t do that then there’s little point talking about the World Cup. You really are just there to take up a host spot then.
Based on this line-up, it’s pretty clear that Herdman agrees. This isn’t a let’s-look-at-the-kids-we-got-lots-of-time roster. No, it’s a we-want-to-win-the-Nations-League kind of roster.
To do that they need two wins this month. They have the players to get that done. So, do it.
Finally, some may scoff at the idea that they should care about the Nations League. Yeah, no. We’re Canada. We’re not at the point where we can fluff off a competition. When you haven’t won anything (on the men’s side) in 23 years it’s time to end that and this is the competition that is in front of us now.
So, let’s get at it.
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