yyys123
Geregistreerd op: 08 Jul 2019
Berichten: 945
|
 Geplaatst: 10-07-2019 06:57:20 Onderwerp: ment and different th |
 |
|
|
| These have been trying times for Canadian Mens soccer. A struggling national team, and likewise Canadian Major League Soccer franchises have tested the patience of the most ardent support of the game in this country. Tuesday night at our National Soccer Stadium in Toronto told a different story: attractive play, highlight reel goals and a winning experience. The Canadian men gave head coach Benito Floro a winning home debut in a 3-1 victory over CONCACAF rival Jamaica. It was all-around a fun night for the Canadian faithful. Baby steps and hints of progress. To say its been a rough two years for the Canadian Mens National Soccer team would be an understatement. The players, program and supporters all deserved a night as such. A 16-match winless streak dating back to the 8-1 World Cup qualifying humiliation to Honduras in San Pedro Sula in October 2012 has cast a cloud of negativity over our Mens Soccer program. A seemingly never-ending goalless streak, soul searching and an absolute loss in confidence in the players and leadership has made for an all-time difficult time for the program. A losing mentality can be contagious. But that negative demeanour was nowhere to be found at Canadian camp over the last week heading into Tuesdays win. There was passion, energy and excitement around the team getting back at it for a long-anticipated home date. It was the mens first home date in 2014, and just the third match on home soil in the last two years. The players are well aware of all the negative talk about the team, individually and as collective. They felt they had something to prove. The win wont take away the sting of 8-1 but sets the tone of where this group plans to go. Its time to move forward. The players can now do so with confidence and reasoned belief in their new manager. The move by the CSA to bring in Floro was a calculated one; a man of vast experience looking for a new opportunity. How the marriage would work out was up for great debate. Much work was to be done, and many questioned whether Floro would be up for it. The initial returns are showing steps in the right direction. His players are speaking of tactics and compartmentalization in approach: something entirely different than recent years when survival and keeping heads above the water always seemed the goal. The new coach won over the crowd by bringing on Canadian and local soccer legend Dwayne De Rosario, as well as defender Karl Ouimette, who lost his sister to cancer earlier this month, for second half appearances – an appropriate touch and show of understanding by the manager. As for game-play, Floro has a clear vision how he wants his team to play. From attacking perspective, the initial returns speak to improvement. Its about making the most out of what he has. Canada will not win through individual ability: it must be a team approach, top-down. The intelligence and purpose of the Canadian attack against Jamaica was something unlike we have seen out of the Mens program for quite sometime. Canada may not be blessed with the natural goal-scorers of yester-year, but the team has pace. The ability to attack down the wings and move off the ball accordingly was refreshing. Tosaint Ricketts led the line well and looks a much more active player than in the past. His goal came off a mistake from goalkeeper Andre Blake, but the Canadian striker put himself in position to finish. It was a standout performance from the Israel-based player. Ricketts goal was the clincher after Canada scored three unanswered en route to victory. The other two goals were of the highest quality. Patrice Berniers corner finding David Edgar on the top of the 18, who volleyed home for a spectacular goal, rivaling Terry Dunfields wonder-strike against Ecuador in 2011. Marcel de Jong scored the other on a picture perfect free kick. Top goals, no matter what league or side youre watching worldwide. Atia Hutchinson remains the pulse of the team, outstanding again Tuesday night. The Besiktas player is a step above, and can be argued he could start for any CONCACAF nation. Hutchinson stands of evidence this country can still produce players of such high quality and deserves any and all the praise he gets. The team with speed around him takes advantage of his poise, composure and overall gifted ability to read the game. Hutchinson remains the centerpiece, and with Julian de Guzman, Patrice Bernier and the absent Will Johnson around him, make for a formidable middle of the park. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the play of goalkeeper Milan Borjan. Multiple top saves and intervention helped keep Canada in a position to win on home soil. His positioning was sound and shot-blocking ability was equal to the task. The defensive line was shaky in front of him and will need work growing as a unit. Toronto FCs Doneil Henry played at right-back and provided size and strength on the outside. Henry needs more polish at the position but was an interesting look for a player used to playing centre-half. Borjan is without a club at present time. He, along with de Guzman and Adam Straith need club teams as soon as possible. It need not matter the inexperience in the Jamaican team or the lack of preparation time for the visitors. Its the result that matters. Its time to turn the corner from the negative narrative to developing something positive. That only comes through results. Belief in Benito and better days ahead for the program is paramount looking ahead to the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying in the not-so-distant future. Its important for the Mens program to gain prominence on the Canadian sports landscape. Canada has become a leader in the womens game in terms of development and fan support. The success of the womens game has been a boon for the Canadian Soccer Association. But the Mens program on a global scale will always be the primary, long-term moneymaker and the barometer by which a countrys soccer success will be judged. It was unfortunate young boys club teams didnt flock out Tuesday night as girls club teams do for the womens program. It all comes from perception. When the perception of the mens program turns to one of success, we can expect similar fandom to follow. So some headlines the night before tickets went on sale for the 2015 FIFA Womens World Cup is well-taken by the CSA and the Canadian soccer community. Its a big year for Canadian soccer and there is no reason the Mens team cant be part of the headlines. The goal is all programs finding on and off-field success. Progress should be embraced as it comes. Tuesday was just that. More baby steps. Gareth Wheeler can be reached at:@WheelerTSNgareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca Air Max 270 Damen . The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics finished their recent trek at 3-1 on Monday in Salt Lake City when Rajon Rondo made a key jumper with 24.1 seconds remaining, as Boston held off the Utah Jazz, 107-102, at EnergySolutions Arena. Air Max 97 Schweiz .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players. http://www.schuheairmaxschweiz.com/air-max-90-outlet-schweiz.html . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Air Max 95 Weiß Schweiz .com) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak. Nike Schuhe Schweiz . Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker scored 63 seconds apart in the first period for the Coyotes, who handed the Kings their third straight loss and took over sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference. Mike Smith made 36 saves.Rob Blake remembers what it was like to get the call from Hockey Canada to play in the world championship the day after his season with the Los Angeles Kings ended. Blake donned the red-and-white Maple Leaf five times at the tournament over his career, winning gold twice. This spring hell be making those calls as Canadas general manager for the world championship that takes place in May in Minsk, Belarus. Because its an Olympic year, Blake and his staff -- Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers, Brad Treliving of the Phoenix Coyotes and Brad Pascall of Hockey Canada -- might have some different challenges convincing players to commit. But the 44-year-old Kings assistant GM knows what to sell. "I cant stress how important the opportunity to win is," Blake said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I convey to them what the world championships is all about. ... You look at your career and it goes by pretty fast. Theres not a lot of opportunities you have to win something." Blake represented Canada at the world championship in 1998, months after playing in the Nagano Olympics. "Being in that position and having won a couple of those tournaments, you can relate those stories to (potential players)," Blake said. Canada, like many other teams at the world championship, is expected to have a young roster in Minsk because its an Olympic year. Not only does that likely rule out the players who won gold in Sochi (Corey Perry was the only 2010 Olympian to play at the worlds), but Treliving said there are other complications. "Its a little bit unique in the sense not only from an Olympic year and the guys that went over and played, but even from the NHL schedule and the compactness of the NHL schedule, for everybody, including those who didnt go over and play," he said in a phone interview. Four years ago, Canadas group at the world championships included 18-year-old Evander Kane, 19-year-olds Matt Duchene and John Tavares and 20-year-old Steven Stamkos. Expect similar youth this time around. "I think its going to be very similar to the teams in the past," Blake said. "The young guys are the ones that make an easy commitment. They dont have the family commitment, the kids commitment and different things that as you get older you might have involved in this type of decision. I think, typically, younger guys are the ones and then you surround them with the right veterans and you can have some success." One thing Blake, Hextall and Treliving have in common is theyre all general managers of their organizations AHL affiliate, giving them some experience with younger players. Blake is in his first season as Kings assistant GM, replacing Hextall, who took the same job in Philadelphia. Treliving is in his seventh season as the Coyotes assistant GM. "Blakeys been around the game a long time," Hextall said. "Hes a very patient guy, hes methodical and hes very sharp. I know he had a hand in a world championship team in the past, so Im sure that little bit of experience helps him." Along with Pascall, Hockey Canadas vice president of hockey operations and national teams, those men will have conference calls over the next few weeks to discuss putting together a coaching staaff and then a projected roster.dddddddddddd That process has already begun. "I think youve got to look at teams that are not likely to make the playoffs and see whats available and at least get your mind going and start thinking about line combinations and checkers and energy guys and scorers," Hextall said in a phone interview. "Its never too early to start thinking." The immediate next step for the management team is to zero in on coaches. Ralph Krueger, who served as a coaching consultant in Sochi, and Kevin Dineen, who coached the womens team to gold and will be behind the bench for the mens under-18 world championships next month, have been speculated as possible options. Either would fit with what Blake said in general terms hes looking for. "I think part of that staff should have some experience overseas, whether it be coaching over there, coaching an international tournament at some time or being involved on a staff," he said. "Its a different tournament, its not the same as over here. I think some of that experience in scheduling wise, knowing some of the teams and tendencies of those countries and obviously with the setup and that all being different than North America, its nice to have somebody with some experience on that." Part of this tournament is getting experience, for the players, coaches and members of the management staff. Blake, Hextall and Treliving are all legitimate candidates for head GM jobs in the not-too-distant future. Experience already gained in NHL front offices is key now. "I think you learn, its one thing to build a team over a long haul and what you have to do is use everything youve learned over the long haul to try and put a team together for the short term," said Hextall, who played in the 1987 Canada Cup and the 1992 world championship. "I think its more lessons Ive learned from NHL experience that Ill be able to lend a hand in trying to help Blake and Brad build this team." Getting this job also raises the possibility that Blake could be GM of Team Canada at the 2018 Olympics, if NHL players participate. Steve Yzerman has already said its time for someone else to fill that role after winning back-to-back gold medals. "Thats a long ways down the line," Blake said. This tournament is not a long ways down the line, as Canada opens play May 9 against France. Blake already has some preliminary lists of potential players and will go through the process in the next few weeks of scouting and evaluating for those spots. Hell get some help in that regard not only from Hextall, Treliving and Pascall, but former NHL defenceman Steve Staios, who is the teams director of player development. Staios is then expected to assist the coaching staff on and off the ice in Minsk, perhaps similar to what Kruegers job was in the Olympics. Everything worked for Canada there, and even though the worlds in an Olympic year tend to be something of an afterthought, theyre far from that for those in charge of trying to win gold. "Any time you go and compete as Team Canada, the expectation is to win," Treliving said. "Obviously thats the expectation, thats the challenge for us and the goal for us putting this team together." Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Cheap NBA Jerseys Wholesale NHL Jerseys Wholesale MLB Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Wholesale NCAA Jerseys Wholesale Football Jerseys Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' ' |
|
