Canada’s World Cup qualifier: Coach sees room to improve
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica –
Canada could also be on the verge of World Cup qualification however coach John Herdman continues to be searching for enhancements.
Within the lead-up to Thursday’s match in opposition to No. 42 Costa Rica, Herdman mentioned he spoke to the crew management group about “staying away from the event.” And whereas the Thirty third-ranked Canadian males have received six straight in qualifying, which incorporates victories over the Twelfth-ranked U.S. and No. 13 Mexico — he believes there’s extra within the tank.
“We’ll benefit from the recreation collectively however we’ll not get carried away,” Herdman informed reporters. “So (we) come again to a little bit of humility within the coaching classes this week the place we recognized some areas from January we weren’t pleased with, areas the place a few of our stats had dropped under a line that we thought was acceptable for our crew.
“So we have labored exhausting this week on the method, the method of bettering. And people enhancements will carry us by the sport hopefully.”
However whereas wanting to verify his gamers deal with getting higher — with Herdman citing recreation administration as a doable space of progress — somewhat than pondering the “enormity of an event,” he made it clear that this Canadian crew has greater targets than simply attending to Qatar 2022.
Herdman mentioned he confirmed the crew a two-minute video from his first camp on the helm in Murcia, Spain, in 2018.
“(It) introduced them proper again to that second the place as a bunch we mentioned we’d qualify ΓǪ and I believe each man is aware of what’s in entrance of him. They’re within the front-row seat. Their fingers are on the steering wheel. They will do that. They will really do greater than that simply qualify. And that is the thrilling bit. And I believe that is the actual motivator.”
Canada (7-0-4, 25 factors) has been the shock bundle in CONCACAF qualifying, topping the ultimate round-robin desk forward of Mexico and the U.S. (each 6-2-3, 21 factors) with Panama fourth (5-4-2, 17 factors) and Costa Rica fifth (4-3-4, 16 factors).
The highest three groups on the conclusion of the present worldwide window will characterize North and Central America and the Caribbean in Qatar. The fourth-place finisher will tackle a facet from Oceania in an intercontinental playoff to see who joins them.
After Costa Rica, the Canadian males host No. 62 Jamaica on Sunday at Toronto’s BMO Discipline earlier than wrapping up qualifying play March 30 in opposition to No. 63 Panama on Panama Metropolis.
“We have three missions, we have three separate teams of men which are clear on this recreation, the sport in Toronto and the sport in Panama. Every one in all them has large significance for this program,” mentioned Herdman.
The Canadians need to end first in CONCACAF qualifying, exhibiting they really belong. And a continued stand up the rating ladder — Canada was ranked 94th when Herdman took over in January 2018 — might assist in relation to the World Cup draw.
A win Thursday and Canada is in. A draw can even suffice if Panama fails to beat Honduras or Mexico wins or ties the U.S. on Thursday. One other clinching situation could be if Panama ties or loses to Honduras and Mexico beats the U.S.
The Canadian males have certified for only one World Cup — in 1986 in Mexico.
Herdman constantly refers to his crew as “new Canada,” saying “It is not about two or three gamers.”
Requested about key moments for the crew, Herdman reeled off an inventory — beating the U.S. 2-0 in Toronto in CONCACAF Nations League play in October 2019 in Toronto, posting a 1-0 win in Haiti in a qualifying match final June, exhibiting the squad’s depth on the Gold Cup final summer time, and Alphonso Davies’ highlight-reel aim in a 4-1 qualifying win over Panama final October in Toronto.
“I believe it obtained the nation to imagine that we will do that,” he mentioned of the Davies aim, which confirmed off the Bayern Munich’s star’s tempo, power and willpower.
As for Costa Rica, Herdman famous its home league has been suspended for the final two weeks to permit the nationwide ream to arrange for Canada.
“The Costa Rica I noticed in November (when Canada received 1-0 in Edmonton), I believe goes to be very totally different to the one we will expertise in San Jose,” mentioned Herdman. “They usually’ve solely misplaced one match in San Jose.”
“They have an enormous function, which is to remain alive (in qualifying),” he added. “My group of males, they know they’ll qualify on this recreation and that is what we got here to do.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 23, 2022
