“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 18 January. 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 29 January 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.
Fans can follow the match on the new CanadaSoccer.com twitter feed at www.twitter.com/CanadaSoccer_. A full match report will be featured on CanadaSoccer.com following the completion of the match Sunday night.
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.
Photo by Wolf Ruck / OSA
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