Even with the Canadian Men’s National Team 2-0 in World Cup Qualifying thus far and with Canada having defeated the team’s next opponent 4-1 in Toronto in September, Canadian National Team Head Coach Stephen Hart is still not about to take the St. Lucians lightly, nor is he treating Tuesday’s fixture as an opportunity test out young players or to rest starters for a match against a perceived more difficult opponent in Puerto Rico on October 11th. According to Hart, there can only be one priority at this point and that is to earn three points.
“We need the points. We can't say that one team is weaker and that we will be resting and looking ahead to the second game in this part of the competition. We've got to go in there and play this game and come away with some sort of result. And then I will worry about Puerto Rico,” said Hart today via conference call ahead of his team’s third World Cup Qualifier in St. Lucia on Friday.
With St. Lucia so far down in the world rankings, Hart was asked how he is managing the possibility of Canadian player complacency against a team made up of amateur and semi-pro players.
“I don't think there will be any complacency on the part of the players. They understand the importance of the game and they will be playing away from home. So I don't expect them to be complacent at all. They know we need to get maximum points out of the game and it's a matter of, as I said earlier, controlling and dictating how the game will be played.”
Hart indicated that the team’s training sessions ahead of the World Cup qualifier have been going well and that the squad has been practicing with a focus on both their strengths and weaknesses.
“We have specific things that we knew were our strengths when we first started the camp and that we wanted to continue polishing those strengths and playing to those strengths. But we also needed to recognize where we had some weaknesses or deficiencies and that it is very important for the team to play a balanced game, and to also recognize those areas that we need to put maximum concentration onto.”
With Tuesday’s fixture being a rematch against the team that Canada opened this round of World Cup qualifying against in a match in which the Canadian team received mixed reviews for their performance, Hart was asked if Canada learned anything from the previous game that they would be able to put to use in the away match against the St. Lucians.
“I think that what I have said about the last time (we played St. Lucia) was that I wasn't happy with the first half. In the second half we settled down and we did what we were supposed to do. I think now that have gotten the sort of nervous tension of an opening game out of the way, I expect them to settle down early and to dictate the pace and speed of the game and to basically be in control of the match in those situations where we are supposed to be in control. It was just nervous energy (the last time out) as they wanted to prove themselves to the Canadian fans. It was an opening World Cup qualifier. But I think all of that is out of the way now.”
Canada's Men's National Team trained at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St. Lucia ahead of 7 October's FIFA World Cup(tm) Qualifier. Via CanadaSoccerTV.
Regardless of whether or not Canada will be able to deliver an optimum performance over the full ninety minutes, Canadian soccer fans will see a team that will likely look quite a bit different from the one that lined up against St. Lucia in September. With team leaders Atiba Hutchinson and Kevin McKenna both injured and with defenders Andre Hainault and Mike Klukowski also out due to fitness concerns along with McKenna, Canada will field a back line that is likely to look quite different from the two that helped Canada to concede only a solitary goal in the team’s first two fixtures. As for Hart, he was not yet ready to name a captain for Tuesday’s match and, furthermore, did not want to go into specifics as to the makeup of his probable readjusted back line.
“I don't want to do the scouting for the other team. We have players in camp and we are going to adjust as best that we can. We still have to sit down and finalize the starting squad for tomorrow. And who will be the captain will depend on who starts. So I'm not yet ready to announce that.”
One player who looks set to make his World Cup qualifying debut is 21 year old defender Adam Straith, who is back with the Canadian team after not playing in the 2011 Gold Cup or in the team’s last two matches against St. Lucia or Puerto Rico.
“He's looked good in training and I expect him to go out there fully concentrated and to do his best in terms of what is asked of him. I'm sure he will feature at some point.”
Hart was also full of praise for the two newest young players on the Canadian squad, but, at the same time, he was neither ready to completely commit to playing either Ashtone Morgan or Joseph Di Chiara, nor willing the discount the possibility of either or both seeing the pitch in Canada's next two matches.
“They have trained well. But this is an environment where we are in World Cup Qualifying and not an exhibition series. Any sort of playing time they get will be to utilize them. They do have the ability and they have shown that with their clubs. It's just a matter of whether they can step up to the next level. Even in the training amongst ourselves, things are happening a little bit faster than they probably anticipated. And, of course, there is the learning curve. It's not a club team. They have to pick up on things very quickly in terms of what we are trying to do and what their roles and responsibilities are with their line and with the team. So it's a big jump for them and I have to be patient and show confidence in them. If I think I am in a situation where I think we are comfortable, I'll not hesitate to give them some playing time. But they've certainly trained well and I couldn't ask anything more of them at this point."
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