Your opinion on U20 and Olym player selections

[Free kick]

I have noticed on some occasions when the subject of Olympic qualifying comes up, some will consider or mention the names of U20 players as shoe-in ( or worthy of consideration) for the Olympic team. Considering that the Olympic qualifying tourny and the WYC will occur in the same soccer calendar year, would it be wise to call up a player like Ian Hume for example for both events? The concern being the players professional career development and the fact that clubs are more and more raising their swords when it comes to national team duty.

Given that i have previously had little sympathy for the clubs on these matters, I don't know how I would react if I were managing a club and having a national team call up one of my players not once but twice in the same season. Do you thinks that it is the CSA's responsibility to not push the envelope too much when it comes to Club versus country? also consider, how much time away from the club that this would amount to and how the extensive travel would affect the player's club performance.

Any thoughts?

[beachesl]

What a mess!

It's tough balancing on mulitple levels. It's probably one of the things that a national soccer association and its different coaching staffs have to be very skilfull at if a country, especially like Canada, is to have success generally. It'll be an interesting stretch from September (US Virgin Islands, OlyQ) through to November (against El Salvador in OlyQ in mid-Nov, to World Youth at end of Nov). IF WCQ is starting in Jan or Feb and the OlyQ final Round in Mexico around same time, then maybe have two streams of separate players:

1. "U-20's": Use US Virgin Islands game as early training camp for World Youth. Then have one friendly in Middle-East just before YWCin the UAE.

2. "U-23's": Use entirely different older team for El Salvador OlyQ games in mid-November. This may be a risk, as failure to call guys like Hume may cost us series, but I think that priority has to be doing well at World Youth's over Olympic Qualification. In addition, going on to Mexico OlyQ Final Round in the winter (and maybe Athens in August if successful) would be a mixed blessing, as it may impair ability to do well in WCQ's if present Concanaf Qualifying proposal is maintained.

These suggestions are not written in stone, just ideas. The important thing is that it is planned and done with logic and appropriate communication. Please.

Sorry for the abbreviations, it's the only way I can deal with this mess.

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change
the subject. -- Winston Churchill

[Gian-Luca]

Well, now that both Tam & De Guzman have not been called to the Gold Cup so that can remain with their clubs, I think this eases the burden. Therefore I think both these players should be called to the first Olympic qualifying series against the US Virgin Islands. And from reading interviews with De Guzman, I suspect both players will see the significance of Olympic qualifying (even if they don't think the Gold Cup is that great of a concern in comparison to establishing themselves with their new clubs).

With Hume, I think calling him to all three might be pushing it (ie. Gold Cup, Olympic 1st round qualifying & U20 World Cup). Perhaps he could miss the US Virgin Island series. I will still push for Ali Ngon to be called back into the Olympic program as long as he continues to play really well in the A-league, and Wyn Belotte, who right now is totally available.

Atiba Hutchison is another player that can be used for both teams & since he's not on the 18-man Gold Cup roster, I suspect he will be.

Even the wolf can learn. Even the sheep can turn. Even the frog can become at last the prince. - Peter Hammill, Over (1977)

[Gordon]

I really think that the U-23 team will be approached hap hazzardly out of necessity and you will see it sacrificed for the good of the U-20s and the Senior team. I don't think we will see much of guys like DeGuzman, Hume, Nsaliwa and Hutchinson if they are in club season. I suspect that we will see out of season players, players in between or on the cusp of both programs. Bellote might be an exception if he doesn't have a team. I just think that the clubs will not be happy about releasing players who are on more than one Canadian team this year and next. Guys like Friend and Dunfield will bear the load while DeGuzman and company make only occasional (if any) appearances. It will still be a decent team, but I don't think we will see the strongest possible. I hope I am wrong.

The opinions expressed above are just that.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Gordon

I really think that the U-23 team will be approached hap hazzardly out of necessity and you will see it sacrificed for the good of the U-20s and the Senior team. I don't think we will see much of guys like DeGuzman, Hume, Nsaliwa and Hutchinson if they are in club season. I suspect that we will see out of season players, players in between or on the cusp of both programs. Bellote might be an exception if he doesn't have a team. I just think that the clubs will not be happy about releasing players who are on more than one Canadian team this year and next. Guys like Friend and Dunfield will bear the load while DeGuzman and company make only occasional (if any) appearances. It will still be a decent team, but I don't think we will see the strongest possible. I hope I am wrong.

The opinions expressed above are just that.

I think your right. With players like De Guzman, Klukowski, Hume, and Canizales who have had a taste of senior team duty, I doubt that they will be as enthused about the olympic adventure given that it will mean ruffling the feathers of their employers and missing important club matches. I suspect that what we will see from our olympic side will be U23 A-league players, the Scandinavian based players, the Odd US collge player and maybe a guy like Dunfield.

Also consider that they olympic qualifying tourney is along one and that only two teams qualify from this region.

[DJT]

I guess it's a good thing that we won't be at the Pan-Am Games.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by DJT

I guess it's a good thing that we won't be at the Pan-Am Games.

True, but you could also argue that: While one may question the quality of our talent beyond the first and second team options, there remains plenty of players in Canada whose developement would benefit immensely from playing in this kind of competition. You could come up with such a a sqaud if we wanted to. It might not be a very good one but I think everyone benefits from playing against the likes of Brazil regardless of what team the opposition fields