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Posted by
Steve Bottjer,
March 16, 2013 |
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Email Steve Bottjer
Twitter @BottjerRNO |
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As was the case for the majority of his first season in Major League Soccer, Patrice Bernier has been a sterling performer in his first two matches of the 2013 MLS campaign. As a lynchpin and key player in a pair of impressive road wins against Seattle and Portland the 33 year old has shown no signs that he is slowing down.
There has been plenty of talk since Canada was eliminated from qualifying for the 2014 World Cup of long time Canadian national team stalwarts bowing out of International duty to make way for the next generation of Canadian players who will likely make up the core of the national team side for the 2018 and 2022 qualifying runs.
That idea makes a lot of sense in theory. However, with Canada having been drawn into a tough looking Group A with Martinique, Mexico and Panama for this summer’s Gold Cup tournament, you can also make a strong argument for bringing back a solid core of veteran players with the most prominent young players sprinkled in for the experience and to get their feet wet at a major senior men’s competition.
Should whoever is at the helm of the Canadian team for the Gold Cup opt for the latter approach, you would have to think that Bernier would a strong contender for one of the midfield spots on the Canadian squad.
Interestingly, Canada last week announced its 21 player roster for an upcoming pair of Men’s International Friendlies against Japan and Belarus in Doha, Qatar on March 22nd and 25th respectively. While veteran midfielders Julian de Guzman and Atiba Hutchinson have been called up for the two games, Bernier was not.
According to the Brossard, Quebec native, the fact that he wasn’t called up has more to do with the MLS schedule than any fatigue on his part with respect to playing with Canada at the International level.
“I’m still available (to play for Canada) but the game (against Japan) is on March 22nd and I have an Impact game on the 23rd. And then there is another game on the 25th. The MLS season does not fit with the International schedule,” Bernier told reporters following the Impact’s training session on Friday. “If I get called up, I get called up. Right now my main concern is playing here (with Montreal).”
While his main focus at the present time is on helping the Impact to build upon their very impressive start to their second season in the North American top flight, Bernier was quick to indicate that he would be excited to be part of Canada’s Gold Cup squad later this summer.
“If the Gold Cup comes calling, I have never said no. And I wouldn’t start now,” Bernier said. “If the call comes, it is always an honour to represent the Canadian National Team.”
Several other prominent players of his generation – Julian de Guzman, Kevin McKenna, Dwayne De Rosario – achieved significant milestones with respect to national team appearances last year. In a similar vein, Bernier would also be more than happy to be able to achieve a national team milestone of his own at some point this year.
“Maybe there will be a few games left (for me with the national team). I am hoping to get to fifty (caps). Right now I am at forty-nine. That would be a great tally for a Canadian player, as we haven’t always played that many games in the past.”
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