WILL WORLD CUP HISTORY BE KIND?
90 minutes away potentially from a dream Round of 16
When the #CanMNT Believer-In-Chief met the media Thursday he talked of an ‘LA calm’ in preference to more of that Vancouver ‘Circus.’
Heaven forbid there must be a World Cup going on. Apparently. Getting proper sleep the evening before a Honduras v Canada match in one of the world’s most dangerous spots; San Pedro Sula is murder. Excuse the pun.
Jesse Marsch is channeling his very best Rudyard Kipling 19th century self there. Kipling a renowned journalist, author and philosopher once remarked about, ‘treating the two separate imposters equally’.
These are world football master of distraction levels here Jesse. I’m not sure the self-ordained Special 1, José Mourinho would even attempt tp pull that one
LA Calm exactly 4 days after the Swiss Cheese of a performance and all that despondency and disappointment which has followed in preference to a desperately needed week plus rest and reset for the most injured and banged up squad still in this. One of the most banged up squads in World Cup History at that.
That ‘Vancouver Circus’ deserved at least one more show under the BC Place Big Top.
“Down to the Bare Bones” is not an exaggeration. It’s actually an underestimation of matters. Canada’s incredible medical team plus those 3 super surgeon dudes from the Vancouver General Hospital deserve the World Cup Medical Trophy.
Orders of Canada all round – what say you Mr. Carney?
To the action on the pitch briefly. No analytical x/g anorak merchant is me. The only thing I’m capable of breaking down is the car or toaster.
Even Roy Orbison could observe #CanMNT need to be at their Aggressive 2024 Copa América selves on the LA pitch come noon o’clock local Sunday. Jesse rightfully observing a pacifism versus the Swiss.
Referring to an oranges@halftime TEAM990 radio chat back in fall 2009 with NHL Icon Steve Yzerman where the wise owl talked of observing NHL x EPL similarities when watching Premier League matches at home.
Yzerman went on to mention his wish to imbed football type routines in his role as Executive Director of Team Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Well that worked out alright
Watching and observing the #CanMNT at summer 2024’s Copa América the team played in large part like a hockey team sans skates. Fast, powerful and relentless in the wide areas, suffocating the middle and making good use of their physical selves. A very risky approach which paid many dividends.
Ali Ahmed, Tajon have been ineffective. Schaf & Millar out wide to start. Schaf digs the big moments. Was often lights out at 24’s Copa América. Kyle the Piledriver needs a breather.
Mr World Cup Clutch wouldn’t if the match was July 3rd in VAN Jesse old chap.
Start Promise or Tani. Promise far more physical, far more demanding of the highly promising duo. Again, excuse the pun there
You don’t want a part of this World Cup’s legacy to be the first co-host sent packing now do you Believer-In-Chief.
I’m not going to get into the banged up and injured. There’s too many of them.
But I will repeat ad nauseum, as I have done since original squad announcement day… World Cup History tells us till we are blue in the face do not dare taking injured, unfit players to World Cup Tournaments.
Tears, and floods of tears it ends in.
As for Bafana, Bafana it’s there first venture into the unknown knock out stages too. Managed by the charismatic 74-years young Hugo Broos. Ex Belgian international who has all those emotions and experiences from Mexico86 in his back pocket. A Belgian run to the Semi Final which came completely unstuck owing to a very certain Diego Armando Maradona.
AKA D10S. God to the un-initiated there. And no DAM didn’t self-ordain himself. His disciples did.
A 4th World Cup, South Africa in Bosnia Territory Ranking wise. Matters not a jot.
I ain’t going to pretend I’ve been scouting Bafana Bafana since the later stages of AFCON qualifying. I do though know of the ominous attacking midfielder Relebohile Mofokeng – wears, how he plays a #10. Get Mofokeng off his game and you disrupt South African rhythm.
They play a sort of 4-2-3-1 inverting to a 4-5-1 out of possession.
Now here’s their X-Factor.
They will have the crowd on their side. Not quite la Bombanero during a Boca v River Plate Superclásico - so where do you reckon the neutral septics allegiances will be? [septic’s, be the shortened form in cockney rhyming slang for Sceptic Tank [Yank].
LA Calm Master of Ceremonies, is João Pinheiro the Portugeuse referee assigned and tasked with maintaining that calm for 90 minutes. Pinheiro officiated May’s PSG v Bayern UCL SF 2nd Leg.
Let’s dearly hope he doesn’t pull a Ronaldo and go seeking all the limelight.
My last bon mots, or mal mots in this case go to dear old pal, Impact and Reggae Boyz legend, Lloyd Barker. Who made a brilliant point about Phonzie’s deep and forlorn disappointment at not getting on the pitch in his adopted football home, Vancouver.
Channel that given chance on the LA pitch and it will be curtains for Bofana Bofana and Morocco or Holland for our #CanMNT boyz.
Cheers
@NoelPButler
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