Nuke Soccer

Hart era set to begin in Jamaica
Canada’s men’s national team will enter a new era on Sunday January 31 as Stephen Hart takes charge of his first official match since being named permanent head coach in early December. Hart’s Canadian squad is set to face off with CONCACAF rival Jamaica in an international friendly match. The Canada-Jamaica match is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 pm ET from the Jamaican National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

“I am trying to use 2010 as a platform to increase the player pool and create healthy competition within the squad for places. Of course, everybody wants results, but right now the results could be placed on the back-burner in preference to finding players who can be part of the future for Canada. Jamaica is a unique opponent because they are so strong at home. It will be good experience for our younger players.”

The international friendly match with Jamaica will kick-off the 2010 season for Canada’s men’s national team. In 2010, the Canadian coaching staff will be looking to schedule a number of matches as it evaluates and builds the squad in advance of 2012, the beginning of Canada’s two-year qualifying process for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. As part of the 2010 schedule, the Canadian Soccer Association is in negotiations with several nations to secure opponents for matches to be played at home in Canada.

The Canadian squad, which is primarily made up of players from North American and Scandinavian-based clubs, has been training together in Sunrise, FL since January 18. Coach Hart is using the camp and upcoming friendly to observe several new faces at the international level as well as familiarize the entire squad with his tactics and methods. No fewer than seven players received their first national team call-up during the Florida camp, five of whom will travel to Jamaica for Sunday’s friendly.

Canada completes its Florida camp on Friday January 29 before traveling to Jamaica later that evening. Hart will lead Canada through a final training session on Saturday morning in Jamaica ahead of Sunday evening’s match.

Canada and Jamaica are familiar foes, having met five times since 2006. Canada won the most recent meeting between the two sides – a 1:0 victory in the opening match of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In Kingston, Canada will face a Jamaican squad drawn mostly from domestic based clubs. Like Canada, Jamaica is looking to provide its younger players with valuable international experience as it builds toward the next FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in two years.

BY THE NUMBERS
Five players could potentially make their first appearance with the national team this January 31. Those five first-time players are forward Randy Edwini-Bonsu of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, goalkeeper David Monsalve of FC Inter Turku, defeneder Nana Attakora of Toronto FC, midfielder Massih Wassey of FC Schalke 04 II, and midfielder Carlos Rivas.

Goalkeeper Pat Onstad is the most experienced player with 56 appearances at the national level. Onstad, 42, won his first cap back in 1988 when he was still just 20 years old. Dwayne De Rosario (52 appearances) and Julian de Guzman (42 appearances) are second and third on the list for international experience.

Active goal leaders Dwayne De Rosario and Ali Gerba – both with 15 goals apiece – will make the trip to Jamaica. The duo is closing in on all-time leaders Dale Mitchell (19), John Catliff (18) and Alex Bunbury (16).