While there were a few players who were surprise additions to the Canadian Men’s National Team’s squad for Canada’s first two World Cup qualifying matches to be held during the first week of September, one name that immediately stuck out and then almost just as immediately made complete sense was that of Ante Jazic. With CMNT Head Coach Stephen Hart having opted to work a large number of younger players into his team since he was named as the team’s full-time Head Coach in December 2009, the 35 year old Jazic initially looked like an odd selection until one considered the very significant International experience he brings to the table.
At Canada’s first training session ahead of the team’s first World Cup qualifying match on Friday at BMO Field, Jazic admitted that the national team call-up was a surprise to him as well.
“Actually it was (a surprise). Obviously at my age - 35 years old - you think your national team days are behind you. But Stephen (Hart) called me and said that he needed some leadership and Marcel (de Jong) was out, as I believe his his wife is having a baby. So I was happy to come in and help out in any way that I can. I'm not sure (where I will be playing). Today was the first practice. I assume it will be full back, but you never know. If I can help out in any way, I'm willing to play anywhere,” said Jazic from the Canadian National Team Training Camp in Alliston, Ontario, just north of Toronto.
With 25 caps to his name and having participated in six previous World Cup qualification matches, Jazic brings not only significant CONCACAF experience, but also the veteran experience of a player who has excelled at the club level in the MLS with Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy, as well as in Europe with distinguished clubs such as Rapid Vienna and Hajduk Split. Hart recently highlighted Jazic’s impressive form this season with Chivas USA and the native of Bedford, Nova Scotia believes his recent success in the latter stage of his career has been due to a number of factors.
“There are multiple factors. The new coaching staff at Chivas USA - Robin Fraser and Greg Vanney - they have been great and, with the system we play, we try to play a style of soccer that requires the fullbacks to get forward. I enjoy playing and that is a big part of it, just the joy I have for the game. And the second factor is the conditioning coach we have at Chivas USA, Jim Liston. He has been unbelievable with the older guys and keeping us fresh and having a program for us. So it's kind of strange, but I feel better at 35 than I did three years ago. Which is kind of scary, but age is just a number, right?”
And while he did not suit up for Canada at the most recent Gold Cup, Jazic does not foresee any challenges integrating himself into the Canadian squad given the fact that Canada and Chivas share a similar philosophy in terms of playing style.
“It's almost the same. It's funny - the same coaching points that Stephen was making in training today are the same coaching points our coaches are trying to make at Chivas. We're trying to play good soccer and that's what Stephen is trying to do as well.”
As a veteran fullback, Jazic believes that he can bring leadership to a Canadian team that is about to embark upon a slate of always pressure-filled World Cup qualifying matches.
“I have been around the block and there are other guys who have as well - Dwayne, Kevin McKenna. I think we have a good mix of young guys and leadership. So I'm looking forward to these matches and hopefully we can find some stability in the team and start playing well and getting some confidence. And we'll go from there.”
When asked what he thinks is the key to performing well in the always tricky and unpredictable CONCACAF region, Jazic believes that mental attitude is the vital ingredient when dealing with all of the factors that will be out of Canada’s control when they play matches in Central America and the Caribbean.
“I think it is just attitude. Coming out and being ready from the first whistle and playing for ninety minutes and staying focused and keeping the concentration up. Going to some of those countries and playing, the fields aren't going to be the best - some of them are literally cow patches - so it is not going to be easy to play there. So I think the most important thing for us is going to be our attitude and, if we have the right mindset, we should be fine.”
Outside of terrible quality pitches, sometimes dubious refereeing and bouts of gamesmanship from opponents, playing under tropical temperatures is another challenge that Canada has had to learn to deal with. As a player who regularly competes in very warm climates during the summer months of MLS competition, Jazic believes that Stephen Hart has been right to emphasize a possession game as a way to counteract that issue.
“The main thing is to possess the ball. You do not want to be chasing the ball in that type of heat, so, for us, keeping the ball and making them do the running will be a big factor for us. But it's also attitude and just battling through the heat. It's not easy to do, especially in the humidity. But if we can possess the ball and make them do the running, we'll be fine.”
While many pundits expect Canada to breeze through their opening round of World Cup qualifying due to the fact that they are playing against three lower ranked opponents from very small countries, some have pointed to Puerto Rico as a possible difficult challenge given the fact that the majority of the team plays together very regularly via the Puerto Rico Islanders club team. Jazic believes that the cohesion that comes from playing together regularly is not something that should be easily discounted, but he is also confident that Canada’s superior quality will win out when push comes to shove.
“I would say that it is an advantage for them that they are together on a daily basis. We don't have that luxury, but, saying that, we have a lot of quality in the side and a lot of the guys have been playing together for a long time. So I'm not too worried about that, but obviously, in an ideal world, you would love to be together every day, which isn't possible at this level. They have that luxury, but I think our quality is much more than their's and we just have to come with the right mind frame and execute our plan and we'll be fine.”
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