The drama of Friday night's Canadian World Cup roster reveal was not in the 26 players named for what has all the makings of the most important tournament for the sport in this country. No, the real drama begins this weekend when Canada's biggest, home-grown superstar, Alphonso Davies, returns home to Edmonton and an about-to-be soccer-mad nation gets a better idea of his health.
For all the lofty hopes attached to coach Jesse Marsch's team for a World Cup opener now just two weeks away at Toronto Stadium, the status of the Canadian captain remains the hot talking point. The pageantry of Friday's Canada Soccer announcement, complete with banners representing the 26 players hanging from Toronto's CN Tower, was the tease. And now as that June 12 opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina looms, the health of an injury-riddled Canadian team is a massive part of its story.
And it's Davies, who skipped this week's training camp in Charlotte to remain in Germany at his club, Bayern Munich, to continue treatment on his injured hamstring, who is top of mind. Much as the narrative of Sidney Crosby's status dominated the narrative of the Canadian hockey team at the Milan Olympics, so too will the recovery of Davies with this motivated group of soccer players primed to participate in a World Cup on their home soil.
Will Davies Be Ready for the Opener?
Will he be ready for the opener on June 12 in Toronto? Seems unlikely, as Marsch acknowledged this week. What about the June 18 contest against Qatar, the first of two in Vancouver? From there and beyond, we shall see.
"Alphonso is a big personality and a big player for us and we just want to make sure we are setting him up to succeed, that we are all collaborating in this return-to-play process," Marsch told TSN during Friday's roster reveal show. "We haven't even seen him. We have to get Alphonso here and see exactly where he is."
Marsch noted that Davies has been on the pitch in Munich this week, an encouraging development. How that translates into his readiness for the three big June matches that await will be a talking point for days.
"The whole feeling around the team is positive," Marsch told TSN, referring to Davies and other hobbled Canadian players. "Guys are getting healthy, guys are training hard, guys have put a lot into the fitness this week. A lot of guys look sharp. Everybody understands that we want to really do a good job of putting all the energy in all the right ways to be the best team we can be this summer."
What's Next for Canada?
After spending this week in Charlotte, where the intent from Marsch was to train in the heat to best prepare for what he hopes will be a World Cup that extends into July, the team shifts north to Canada for a pair of "send off" friendly contests. The first goes Monday in Edmonton against Uzbekistan, followed by a Friday date in Montreal against Ireland.
"We came down here more than anything to really run these guys and get them fit so they're ready for high-level matches," Marsch told TSN. "But it's time to get to Canada. We're excited to see the people in Edmonton. The players have such good memories of those matches they played up there in the cold and the snow. We're really excited to get on Canadian soil, to be with our fans, to feel the energy. This team is ready to go. They're so proud to be part of this national team."
The 26-Man Canadian Roster
- Goalkeepers: Dayne St. Clair, Max Crepeau, Owen Goodman.
- Defenders: Alistair Johnston, Derek Cornelius, Richie Laryea, Niko Sigur, Joel Waterman, Luc De Fougerolles, Moise Bombito, Alphonso Davies, Alfie Jones. (Five of nine returning from Qatar roster.)
- Midfield: Stephen Eustaquio, Ismael Kone, Tajon Buchanon, Mathieu Choiniere, Ali Ahmed, Nathan Saliba, Liam Millar, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg, Jonathan Osorio.
- Strikers: Jonathan David, Kyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Promise David.
What to Expect in Two Weeks
With a roster thick with recovering players, Marsch acknowledged what seems obvious: This is a team that will have to build towards top health and form as the tournament unfolds. That said, the coach acknowledged that key roster decisions were made with the mindset of bringing the best players even if they had to work their way into better physical condition.
"Will we be 100 per cent with every player (when the tournament starts?) No," Marsch told TSN. "But we feel like we have enough guys that are playing at a high level, that are in really good form and are ready to push to get the result that we need. We know that with six days in between each match, we have time that we can build momentum and get stronger as the tournament goes on. We named this squad because we really think these are our best players and that they will be ready to go."
