Quick Post-Game Thoughts: Honduras vs. Canada

That could have very well been one of the worst matches I have ever seen the Canadian National Team play. They didn't even show up in that 8-1 thumping Honduras put on them.

Where do I start? I start off with the appalling finishing by Tosaint Ricketts in the early stages of the game. He missed a couple of great chances to get Canada some early goals in this match, and it very well could have changed the dynamic of the match. But terrible play in the final third for Canada wasn't even the biggest issue. The defense, normally pretty dependable for Canada, completely fell apart. Simple defensive errors and marking issues really did this team in. Add in the constant loss of possession in the midfield and you've got a concoction of disappointment. With a spot in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, you would expect the Canadian team to show some sort of fight, right? Instead, the players completely let themselves, the supporters, and the entire country down with the joke that they call a performance. It reminded me of when Toronto FC played the New York Red Bulls on the last match-day of the 2009 MLS Season. TFC played terribly, lost 5-0, and missed out on the playoffs. I was reliving that pain when watching this Honduras/Canada match.

The players deserve the brunt of the blame, but some of the blame must be passed to Head Coach Stephen Hart, and the rest of the coaching staff. In my opinion, Stephen Hart has made some big mistakes in this match. He failed to motivate the players in the importance of this match and the implications along with it, and his team selection and formation was a bit questionable. I think it’s time for him to part ways with the Canadian Soccer Association. I don’t see how he can keep his job after that debacle. It was nice knowing you, Stephen Hart.

Canada’s elimination from World Cup Qualifying has some other effects as well. From a business point of view, there will be no more games in Canada, missing out on potential revenue for the CSA. Also, the elimination is a hindrance on the growth of soccer in the Canadian sporting landscape. It will now be harder to attract fans to soccer in Canada. Having 17000+ fans in BMO Field for Canada matches is very nice, but imagine if Canada actually made it to the hex? More people will definitely take notice of Canadian soccer if Canada made a decent run to the World Cup.

I’ll touch on one last point. Does Canada have the talent to at least make it to the hex? Perhaps, they were one point away from qualifying for it. But do they have the talent to COMPETE in the hex? My answer is no. Canada is not as talented as some of the Central American countries, and they are nowhere near as good as the USA or Mexico.

Maybe it’s time for the Canadian Men’s National Team and CSA to give a long, hard look at themselves and find out what it takes for them to get to the Hex, and eventually, the World Cup.