Coach says there is much more Canadian talent out there
Octavio Zambrano looks across Canada and wonders about the soccer talent that has fallen through the cracks.
Zambrano, head coach of the Canadian men’s national team program, says it’s his mission to find it.
“This is a vast country,” said Zambrano. “We have an influx of immigrants daily, thousands of them — and most of them from countries that love soccer and soccer is their main sport.
“We would be shorting ourselves if we don’t delve into this well of talent that comes from abroad,” the Ecuador native added. “These are legitimate players — the majority of them, I am sure, grateful to have been given the opportunity to come to a great country like Canada, for themselves, for their families.
“Just like Alphonso Davies, just to name one. I think there are many more out there. We need to find them.”
Born in a refugee camp in Ghana to Liberian parents, Davies moved to Canada with his family when he was five. Today, the 16-year-old Vancouver Whitecap is a teenage soccer sensation — and wearing the Maple Leaf.
Davies, with three goals in four matches, won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. He also earned the Young Player Award and was named to the tournament Best XI.
Davies, who did attend Canadian age-group camps, did it all in his second, third, fourth and fifth matches for Canada after gaining his citizenship.
The young star will be missing Sunday when the 96th-ranked Canadians faces No. 99 El Salvador in a friendly at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium. He is suspended after being red-carded in Canada’s 2-0 win over Jamaica in September.
Put in charge of the men’s side of Canada soccer in March, Zambrano essentially inherited someone else’s plan and budget.
He has presented his own blueprint and should learn in November what road map he will be given for 2018.
He looks forward to a year which he calls a “clean slate.”
“I can’t wait to see if all these initiatives that I have put forth, (that) they are given the OK for us to proceed. And then I can tell you Canada will just take a quantum leap if that happens.”
Seven months into the job, Zambrano is eager to put his stamp on things. He is not one for standing still.
“I think we could go faster. I feel like I could do more and should do more.”