Canadian men getting 1st look at coach
Changes underway in Canada men’s program under new coach
While John Herdman’s first squad as Canadian men’s coach assembles in Spain next week in advance of a friendly with New Zealand, the players have already got a taste of the new regime.
As coach of the Canadian women’s team, Herdman was known for his attention to detail and the culture of his squad. And with just three training sessions expected before the game in Murcia, the ball is rolling.
“There has been a lot of preparation,” Herdman said Monday. “I’ve spoken to every player that has been selected, as well as players that weren’t selected. I’ve had a chance to connect with a leadership group and started some preparations for that team of people.
“I’ll move into another group of what we call unit leaders. They’ll be meeting with me (Monday) online, on video conference, where we work through tactics and overview of our culture. So there’s some significant work happening.”
That includes giving the players access to “new online platforms” that allow for preparatory videos and communication with the coaching staff “in ways that are pretty novel for them.”
While mental performance consultant Alex Hodgins is still part of the Herdman inner circle, he will not be in Spain. Former Canadian international Robyn Gayle, who is supervised by Hodgins, will be there. After retiring, she joined Herdman’s staff with the women’s program as a staff member “focusing on effective team culture.”
For Herdman, who shifted to the Canadian men from the women in early January, the goal is to establish what he calls a new high-performance culture.
In doing so he has surveyed the players for what needs to be changed to revive a men’s program currently ranked 89th in the world.
Rather than treating the Spanish gathering as a pre-friendly camp, Herdman sees it as a chance to “connect and reframe and be clear about how we’re going to approach things.”
To face No. 121 New Zealand, Herdman has summoned a blend of experience and youth.
Experience comes in the form of Atiba Hutchinson, Milan Borjan, Dejan Jakovic, Samuel Piette and Tosaint Ricketts, who account for 249 of the 419 caps spread among the 22 players.
Herdman said, after discussions with their clubs, he opted to leave Vancouver Whitecaps teenage midfielder Alphonso Davies and Cardiff City winger Junior Hoilett with their teams. Both will feature in the future, he stressed.
The roster also includes three newcomers to the senior squad: 20year-old centre back Derek Cornelius (FK Javor Ivanjica, Serbia), 20-year-old fullback Marcus Godinho (Hearts, Scotland), and 18-year-old winger Liam Millar (Liverpool, England).
Millar, who is playing regularly with the Liverpool under-23 team, has drawn good reviews.
“Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s exciting to see a player that’s plying his trade and getting consistent game time even at that youth level, which isn’t easy,” said Herdman.
The Canadian men will face the U.S. Virgin Islands in September, Dominica in October and St. Kitts & Nevis in November in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying.