Cup Conundrums: Canada's Quest and Ghana's Game
In this episode of PSP, host Nii Wallace-Bruce and Akwesi from AfriCaaans go around the world in 80 minutes. In fact, we split the discussion into two halves!
Part 1 of the discussion spans global football, starting with the World Cup qualifiers where Argentina, Iran, Japan, and New Zealand have secured spots in the 2026 United World Cup hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico The conversation also covers the ongoing CONCACAF Nations League (18:35), highlighting Panama's unexpected knockout of the USA. Focusing on Ghana, the Nii and Akwesi go back to their diaspora roots, delving into the Black Stars' recent performance (1:23), coaching strategies, and defensive solidity, despite missing the African Cup of Nations.
The talk extends to the challenges faced in recruiting dual-national players (8:24) and the impacts of global football academies like Right to Dream on national team prospects (14:00). Finally, the episode analyzes the outcomes of the CONCACAF Nations League finals, the implications for Canada and the USA, and Canada's upcoming Gold Cup objectives (24:09).
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Opening and closing music courtesy of Jeremiah Alves - "Evermore".
Transcript
Welcome back to another episode of PSP.
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:There's football in all
corners of the globe.
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:We're starting to see things shake
out in the World Cup qualifiers,
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:Argentina, Iran, Japan, and New Zealand.
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:Will all be going to United World
Cup, hosted by the United States of
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:America, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
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:There are still a number of spots to
be filled in the 48, country slate.
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:It's gonna be the first of this
kind, so we'll look forward to seeing
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:how that goes down, especially with
everything else going on in the world.
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:But in addition to the world that
qualifiers, there's also this small
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:matter of the Conka Nations League
featuring the three World Cup hosts that
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:I mentioned, and Panama, who are, not
only punching out their weight, but they
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:are knocking out teams namely the us.
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:to take us through that and a lot
more, we've got from Africa's fc.
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:You can find the work of Awei over on
Blue Sky and the ex will definitely
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:have a lot to chat to him about.
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:So let's bring him in.
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:How you doing?
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:Africaaans FC: I am doing all right.
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:How are you doing today?
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:PSP: doing pretty well.
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:March is always a lot
happening in football.
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:club football, international windows
interesting to see things shake out.
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:you and I both have Ghanaian
heritage, so let's zoom in.
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:We're crisscrossing the Atlantic in
this episode and we'll probably get in a
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:few different stops along the way, but.
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:start off with Ghana's Black stars.
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:They missed out on the next African
couple nations, is a bit of a
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:shock and probably a bit of a wake
up call for the administration.
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:But in the latest window, they enjoyed,
five nil winner of Chad if, and then they
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:beat Madagascar three nil and they topped
their calf World Cup qualifying Group.
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:They look like they're
heading towards the World Cup.
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:What did you see from the
black stars in this window?
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:Africaaans FC: I think I saw them
embody more of an identity as a
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:team pushing the ball forward.
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:It's, you saw with Otto Auto, it
seems as if he was trying to platoon.
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:I.
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:His strikers, whether he wanted
to start Jordan up top or start
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:Antoine up top or even get, Inaki
Williams up top figuring them out.
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:I think he got a good
balance, we did beat Chad.
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:Chad is not a world beater and
to my Chad friends I'm sorry.
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:You just aren't like I was telling you
about my brother is feeling like every
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:guardian is of the black stars are back.
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:I let me see them in another window
because what I've seen is great, but my
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:bar has been so low for them that beating
a team convincingly Isn't registering
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:on my level yet, but I think they looked
good offensively pushing the ball.
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:putting in Yaki out wide helps
a lot in terms of dealing with
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:their wingers and that space.
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:Antoine is physical but good, and Jordan,
as much as I don't always appreciate how
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:he plays for the national team, you can't
deny the shift he's put in here, right?
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:He has nine over nine goal contributions
over all of World Cup qualifiers.
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:He has definitely put in a shift whether
he had the armband or not, and so he has
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:certainly been living up to expectations
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:And so I think that can't go unstated,
but the team is looked good offensively
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:and they're not fully healthy yet,
which is both exciting and also
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:curious what Ada will do when he has
a fully healthy team, who he calls
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:who he leaves off, the players they're
calling up are getting the job done.
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:as a Ghana fan, that's
all you can ask for.
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:PSP: Yes.
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:when you look at the last window,
you talked about offense, but
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:they did keep two clean sheets.
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:that was a problem in the African
nations qualifiers They just
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:couldn't keep the ball out and there
wasn't much thrust going forward.
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:So they had addressed the attacking issue.
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:they kept the ball outta the net.
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:That's gotta be a good.
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:sign look at Alexander Juku, playing
under Jose Moreno in Turkey with Fach
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:and Mohamed Salisu in Monaco, playing
regularly out there, would you say
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:defense is becoming more solid nowadays?
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:Are you still concerned
against tougher opposition?
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:Africaaans FC: I think I'm still gonna
be concerned against tougher opposition.
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:you mentioned the defenders and they
haven't had KU in a long stretch, so
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:having him health has really turned well.
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:I don't know how I feel
about their goal keeping yet.
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:I know they just had two clean sheets,
but next window they'll play Chad
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:and I think Ro so that'll be a better
test of their clean sheets and their
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:goalkeeping ability with a little bit
more firepower come the other way.
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:health to me is the big thing.
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:This team has just not been able
to be healthy with their top 23.
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:I think we know their top 40 players are.
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:I don't know who Odo sees as his
top 23, but having GCU back helps.
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:Having Sally Sue back certainly does help.
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:Even having Gideon Mensa back helps
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:Even Thomas parte being healthy,
he missed the last window.
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:Or wasn't there fully for the last
one, having him back and contributing
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:is great for the Ghana team.
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:So getting some health in the back seven,
back eight, however you wanna look at
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:it, I think only helps solidify cohesion
communication on the pitch matters.
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:Knowing your players' tendency matters
especially at international play
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:where You have a week, maybe two
weeks tops, and you have to get your
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:system down familiarity does matter.
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:as they get healthy, it'll help them.
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:you saw the dividends of that in
their back line as they got two clean
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:sheets against Madagascar and Chad.
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:PSP: Yeah, that's a good point about the
short turnaround where players are coming
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:in from the different club situations
and they only have a few days to prepare.
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:We're gonna hold that thought
'cause I wanna ask you about
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:that in another sphere.
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:But looking at the group that Ghana
is in, RO is one of the upcoming
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:opponents and they've given Ghana
trouble in the African couple Nation.
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:They infamously eliminated them
from a previous tournament.
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:You've still got Molly out there.
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:You've still got Molly.
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:Who was the biggest threat in that
group with the full gangs remaining.
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:Africaaans FC: It'll, it's an odd
thing to say Ghana is their biggest
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:threat, and this is by no means an
insult to the other five teams, but
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:in their games that they've lost, it's
not as if Ghana has played poorly.
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:They've just been atrocious finishing.
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:We've seen I had a screenshot I put
on YouTube where it's in Yaki Williams
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:in front of a quarter of a net open,
and the goalie's on the other side,
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:and somehow the goalie makes the save,
the misses they've had have been.
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:Comical you have to laugh.
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:You can't even be frustrated.
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:You're just laughing at
how the group is going.
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:Molly has disappointed me.
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:I expect more from them
in World Cup qualifiers.
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:Unfortunately, they're not able
to string any wins together.
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:They'll get a draw, a win.
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:Like right now is a good run of
form for them, but it's a draw,
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:a win, and then a draw, right?
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:Ghana's been able to run away with it.
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:And Curos is a side that they do have
the confidence, they have beaten a Ghana
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:aside, might I add with a center back
end goal in, in that infamous game.
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:I don't think Ghanaians are
gonna take, Curos lightly.
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:They are the closest team to them.
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:based off of geography in, in the
group, Curos is that biggest threat.
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:If Ghana wins their next two games,
they're pretty much off to the World Cup.
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:And so that Curos game, because.
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:Big because they are the
closest team to them.
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:So I think if you're Ghana, you beat
Chad Nick's window and then the showdown
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:against ros, you send a message, hopefully
you finish that window with six points
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:and then breathe a little easier.
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:They did what they have to do
and Ros is doing as much as they
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:can to stay and keep the pace.
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:right now Ghana is their biggest
threat because we've seen two sides
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:in the World Cup qualifiers, the
side that fought back against Molly.
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:We saw the side that went toe to toe
with Central African Republic, but we
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:also saw the side that lost to ros.
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:And so they have to be better in terms
of being mentally up for the games.
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:And if they're able to do that, there's
few teams in this group, let alone in
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:Africa, that can compete with them.
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:There are better teams
in Africa, no doubt.
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:But If they are mentally there, then there
are a few teams that will really play
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:with them on the pitch because they have
fortitude, but don't always, tune into it.
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:because of that, they'll have days,
frequently look at Afghan qualifiers.
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:You'll have a whole series where it seems
like they were mentally checked out.
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:So I think for them, they
are their biggest foes.
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:the biggest threat to themselves.
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:if it's another team, it would be
Ros because they've been able to
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:string together results to stay
in striking distance, and they
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:just need one win against Ghana.
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:And the group becomes much more
complicated for the black stars.
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:PSP: Yes.
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:complicated has been modus operandi
of the black stars in recent years.
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:another thing that has been complicated
for this team or this program, if you
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:will, has been getting players to play for
the black stars, Let's talk about that.
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:I'm not talking about the likes of Alfonso
Davies, because he was born in Ghana.
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:It was either gonna be Liberia or Canada.
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:Africaaans FC: I'm glad you're
saying this because I'm so tired
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:of fighting with Ghanaians Ghana
was never an option for him.
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:I know he's Ghana born, and I
acknowledge this, but Liberia or Canada.
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:I don't know why.
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:Canadian Ghanaians are always he could
have been, no, he was never going to be
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:It's okay though.
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:PSP: Yeah, he was born
in Ghana by circumstance.
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:it's a blessing his life has
transformed the way it has.
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:we're very blessed to enjoy
his career the way it has been.
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:I'm talking about the
likes of, Memphis Pi.
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:I'm talking about on the, on a smaller
scale, gentleman from Man City, he's
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:playing for Belgium instead of Ghana.
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:Africaaans FC: Jeremy Doku.
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:PSP: Thank you.
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:we could list a starting 11 of people
who could have played for Ghana, but
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:opted to play for other countries.
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:Give us your thoughts on that,
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:Africaaans FC: I find that with dual
nationals, It's not, I have this example
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:with Canadian dual nationals, I said
this on my podcast, two years ago, right?
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:Everyone wants them to come.
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:I use the analogy of having a barbecue,
at the house, everyone wants to host it.
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:But no one ever talks about how you
haven't paid your light bill, right?
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:You haven't mowed the lawn in the back,
you haven't cleaned out the driveway,
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:you haven't bought the food or anything,
but you want people to come to your
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:house because your house is there.
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:when they don't come you're mad and
insulted because they chose not to go.
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:But you never look at your own backyard
and say, we're not ready to host this.
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:Maybe that's a bit of a problem.
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:when it comes to Ghana And dual nationals.
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:every situation is unique
and different in that sense.
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:You have, Ghana was making headlines
before:
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:seems like they just went to transfer
window and said, second nationality Ghana,
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:would you like to play for us please?
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:they got the likes of everyone
turik Lampi just changed over,
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:Muhammad Ali came back to Ghana,
Eddie and Kechi chose not to come.
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:Callum Hudson Nado chose not to come.
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:sometimes they try to reach out
to these players, but you have
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:to remember your reputation is
what we've last seen from you.
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:And so if there are young players, right?
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:How were the young players when they.
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:Try to play for you at a young
age, were they treated well?
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:Not to say that you have to treat
them exceptionally well, but
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:were they treated like players?
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:I know stories from Ghana's fa, I know
stories from Jamaica's fa where it's
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:a player came, they had to, they were
told pay this money, or they have to
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:pay their flights and weren't paid back.
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:the smallest network
within football is players.
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:Yes, there are many
teams and players talk.
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:if you have a bad experience within a
federation, and I'm not saying that's the
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:only reason, like I said every experience
is different and unique, but there are so
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:many different things that can factor in.
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:What I find is, and what I tend
to say and what I believe is I
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:think recruitment is never linear.
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:And so I.
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:Always checking in with players,
whether they decide to come
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:and play for you or not.
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:Always having the door open, always
being willing to talk, check in,
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:see how they're doing, how they're
progressing, keeping those doors open.
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:I think that matters in the long
run, but if you're a player,
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:it's where's your opportunity?
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:Where is your opportunity to play?
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:international football is at a smaller
clip than playing club football at a high
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:level, You only get the top 26, 23 players
that are able to do it consistently,
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:can they see a future for themselves?
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:Maybe it's more opportunity.
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:Maybe it's on the marketing aspect,
with Ghanaian players and every
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:country is like this, if they choose
to play for you, you're excited.
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:if they don't, you'll say, oh, they
weren't committed to us or something.
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:But it's a very varying degree
of answers and possibilities.
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:What I find with Ghana is there's more
behind the scenes that doesn't get talked
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:about versus just ultimately a player
decides they're gonna play free or not.
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:Because there is a reason
why, Mohamed Salisu took that
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:long to play for Ghana, right?
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:And it's been rumored around
and people have talked about it.
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:But stories like that, and what I'm
inferring to is just the idea of, paying
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:into be on teams like young players
having been told, you wanna be part of
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:this side or you wanna be part of this
camp and you're not born domestically.
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:There is a feed to come in.
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:And there are stories about that
throughout all of African football.
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:That's not a Ghana issue itself,
but I'll use that as an example.
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:If something like that happens
and you call them for the national
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:team, when they are all of a sudden
reaching a level, it's, I can
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:understand a player who is hesitant
or wants to take his time because.
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:I wanted to represent you and
you put up roadblocks and now
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:you want me to represent you.
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:How do I know that will still be
there or will you change your mind
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:So it varies from different players,
but for me it's the consistency.
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:If you are consistent in your approach,
you're not gonna get every player,
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:But if you are cordial, who you are
will always travel more than what you
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:are who you are will always be the
conversations that players will have,
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:and that will always be the metric
they decide where they want to take,
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:PSP: Yeah.
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:those are words to live by, not
just international football.
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:Who you are is, that's your reputation and
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:Africaaans FC: Indeed.
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:PSP: So you carry yourself a certain
way, that's how the market will react.
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:wanted to continue the conversation
on African football There's a couple
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:of Canadians with Ghanaian heritage
are playing on the continent.
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:Rich Lare is, a famous example, and then
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:Africaaans FC: Yep.
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:PSP: Premier League you had Quesi Poku.
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:Do you feel like they would've had
the opportunity to play for Ghana
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:Africaaans FC: I think it comes down, and
this regime for Ghana is very interesting
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:in terms of how they're recruiting.
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:I think they're starting to do a better
job of looking outside of the country.
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:I think there's young players everywhere.
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:For example, if you want to talk
Canadians, TJ Tahi who's playing for, the
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:Canadian Premier League out in Vancouver,
he just got called up and played a
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:camp for the U twenties for Ghana.
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:And so it, it's interesting watching
it from that perspective and seeing
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:the Canadian response as well as
the Ghanaian response to that.
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:I think they're getting better at
finding, I think in Africa some,
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:for some countries, there's still
a bit of a stigma when it comes to
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:North American football as it stands.
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:Whether they look at the MLS, I can
understand why The GFA would look
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:at, the MLS and say, we have players
there, but they weren't built there.
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:Patrick Agman just got
called up for the us.
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:He's Ghanaian dissent, he's in the us.
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:I don't think they would've looked
at him because they would've
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:thought we have better nines.
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:We'd rather bring someone
from the Ghana Premier League.
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:We'd rather look and see, hey, maybe we
can find another striker who's playing
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:somewhere in Europe because we think
that's a higher level than North America.
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:Will you get the Joseph Paint
stills who will come through?
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:Yes.
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:Will you get the Usman Bukari
who went there as well?
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:Yes.
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:But I think, at Ghana, football will
look at North American football with
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:a stigma, thinking it's not up to a
level, even though there are players
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:who have played at youth levels,
players who have played at at.
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:Senior team level levels.
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:Jonathan Mensa was there for a few
years they don't necessarily trust that
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:infrastructure for developing players.
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:not sure if those
players would've made it.
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:When you look at Questi Pokus in
Canada, Richie Lares, they are
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:starting to broaden their net because
if you look at their women's sides,
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:you have to find players everywhere.
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:people wanna represent their heritage.
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:They wanna be connected to
their history and their roots.
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:And so giving players the
opportunity, and as I said before,
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:recruitment isn't linear, so
maybe you get them in for a camp.
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:If Tariq doesn't get as many opportunities
for Canada, but he continues to grow as
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:a player, maybe that turns into a player
that the GFA looks at and says, Hey,
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:why not bring him in for a camp, have
him play for Ghana, and now he maybe
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:has a future with us moving forward.
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:Not to say that they're waiting
for one or the other, but you
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:gotta keep as many doors open.
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:But I think right now they're more open
to it than they would've been when Richie
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:was coming up and even Quesi Poku as he
was developing and playing for Canada.
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:PSP: a possible bridge in my mind is
in San Diego Stay with me because San
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:Diego Sea, are part of the right to
dream family and the right to dream
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:Ghana.
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:Can you see that family of clubs
being a benefit to the black stars
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:Africaaans FC: There's always the
possibility because the right to Dream
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:Academy opens up movements that was
the whole debate with clubs, right?
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:The man cities the Red Bull Clubs were
moving players a little bit easier.
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:Partnerships with clubs allows
you to move players with less
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:of a burden in that sense.
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:So I think there's
always that possibility.
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:San Diego climate wise could
also fit well for a player in
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:Ghana or player who's training in
Ghana to go over the San Diego.
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:I think temperature wise though,
there'll be a little bit of a drop.
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:It won't be as drastic as,
say, sending them to Canada
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:So I think there's always
gonna be possibilities.
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:It's always gonna come down to who
becomes the first and can they.
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:Then create that pathway, right?
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:Muhammad Kadu is a right to dream player.
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:when they see him, it's okay,
let's see what the next one is.
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:for that connection in San Diego to
work, you'd need A player from right to
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:dream to go to San Diego FC and ball out.
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:once they see that, then it becomes
a bit more eyes going there.
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:But once you do that, what ends
up happening is maybe those
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:players don't have that bridge
to go to San Diego quickly.
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:There's no point in bringing
it to the factory to bottle it.
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:You might as well take it for yourself.
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:And that's where you'll see more
European clubs, saying, let's get these
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:players now versus waiting having to pay
another transfer fee If you invest in
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:them slowly now, maybe by the time they
develop, we get to sell them on, or they
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:develop into a great footballer and that
brings more value to the club as well.
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:So I think there's a possibility you
need to see a player make that step
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:and show their talent in, San Diego
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:PSP: We will see how that evolves Let's
stay in Southern California we had
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:the Conka Nations League, and finals.
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:at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
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:Los Angeles and Canada had one win.
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:They had one loss, they lost to
Mexico, two nil in the semifinal.
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:Royal Double was the killer for the
men's national team, they were able to
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:knock off the US in the third place.
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:Playoff.
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:The US ended up in that game by
virtue of losing to a late winner
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:from Panama in the semi finals, and
came away from the window with zero.
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:Win.
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:If you think things are bad for Canada,
look at the us it's perspective What
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:did you see in the Conga Nations League?
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:final and final.
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:Africaaans FC: I think there's
a lot of talking points.
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:I think if you are a Mexican or
a supporter, It's great to see
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:them put together consistency.
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:they won the Gold Cup, two years ago.
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:Now they've won a nations
league and they're coming in to
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:another Gold Cup ready to roll.
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:So you're starting to see the
pieces of that Mexico of old
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:where they dominate on the pitch.
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:When, we can talk about Panama here.
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:I think Panama have pound for pound
the best coach in the Federation.
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:for what he has done with that
program, punching above their
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:weight is one thing, and that it's
been my concern with the team.
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:I feel they can push out another
cycle but they need a youth movement
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:to Supplement the roster Thomas
Christensen has been one of the best
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:tactical coaches in this region.
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:And what he's been able to do with
Panama, I think speaks volumes to him
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:as a coach, but also the players able
to punch above what many perceive
371
:as their weight and their level.
372
:Panama becomes a side that's always
gonna give top teams trouble.
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:They are a top team in the region.
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:Canada, on my post match, I said it
was the game many Canadians wanted,
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:just not in the matchup they wanted.
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:Playing the US in the third place, a lot
of them were us hoping that they would
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:play against the US in the final, or they
got the us they just didn't get the final.
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:with Canada, there's a lot of
talking points with Canada.
379
:It's a, it's another trophy
that you weren't able to get.
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:They now have to turn to the gold Cup.
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:I feel that.
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:The Mexico game was interesting
for Canada because they played good
383
:enough where they weren't terrible,
but they were nowhere near good.
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:Mexico.
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:Conceding one minute into the game doesn't
help your chances, but allowed Mexico to
386
:sit back and play on the counter where
they were more dangerous and effective.
387
:Canada, whenever they got the ball
into dangerous positions, they
388
:weren't able to convert or even test.
389
:I think at the end of the game,
they ended with one shot on goal.
390
:that's with seven corners, about
four to five indirect free kicks
391
:they had opportunities, but
couldn't test the goalkeeper.
392
:So it left a lot of Canadians feeling
just deflated beating the US Just
393
:based off what the climate is in
North America with both countries
394
:is something Canadians always take.
395
:They will never pass up the opportunity
and, but I think for them, I.
396
:It's a good win.
397
:Especially building up to the World
Cup and Gold Cup It's good for
398
:supporters trying to get more of
the casual, viewers to invest into
399
:this team going to the World Cup.
400
:And for the US it's tough to evaluate
because they were so injured.
401
:This was a disappointing display,
they were down to their fourth,
402
:fifth, and sixth striker They didn't
have their starting fullbacks.
403
:I.
404
:And their goal keeping Matt Turner
though has been playing around,
405
:has just not been solid in being a
second goalie in the Premier League.
406
:So for Tino, this is a bit of a step back.
407
:I know there's a lot of yelling to me.
408
:I'd say for the United States, let
them get healthy and see what they
409
:look like then, both can, and the
US I fight are better teams that
410
:are built for that transitional,
pressing, turning them over and scoring
411
:transition game versus a possession type
412
:And so Mexico was able to take that away
from them when they went up one N the US
413
:were dominant on the ball throughout both
games, but have one goal to show for it.
414
:So I think there's
definitely talking points.
415
:There's learning points from every team.
416
:I think though it's magnified because
it is the Nation's League finals.
417
:for the US this is the first
time they've not even podium,
418
:they've won the previous three.
419
:Mexico, this is their first time
winning after being a finalist twice.
420
:Panama.
421
:This is their first time being
semifinals in Canada, their
422
:second time at the semifinals.
423
:But always a win and a loss.
424
:Unable to come away with any
trophies definitely a loss here,
425
:but things teams can go back to
drawing board, both for the Gold Cup.
426
:Then also preparing for the World Cup.
427
:They'll definitely have to
go back to Dryboard for that.
428
:PSP: And we have the matter of the
Gold Cup coming up later this summer.
429
:Alfonso Davies not be
there after he picked up a.
430
:Injury to his knee in the third place.
431
:Playoff game.
432
:are
433
:To see the likes of Steven Ista here
given FC Porto in the Club, world Cup,
434
:Alistair Johnson, should be there.
435
:Africaaans FC: Possibly
depending if there's room.
436
:PSP: Yes.
437
:Africaaans FC: right now I think
Tejon Buchanan possibly, depending
438
:on what he does in the summer.
439
:'cause he is still an interplay.
440
:So for sure, you aren't gonna see
three players and possibly four de
441
:depend on moves from Jonathan, David,
Jonathan David, and ter Johnson.
442
:PSP: Jonathan David will
look good at Arsenal.
443
:I'm just saying a club that is
crying for a strike room for some
444
:reason, did nothing about it in
January I'm not a bitter Arsenal fan,
445
:Africaaans FC: No, not at all.
446
:PSP: Not all.
447
:Not all.
448
:He's, fit in, he speaks French and
have strong French connections.
449
:But
450
:Africaaans FC: Yes.
451
:PSP: what's the past mark
for Canada at the Gold Cup?
452
:Is it winning the Gold Cup?
453
:making the final,
finishing ahead of the US
454
:Africaaans FC: If it was finishing
ahead of the US we would have many
455
:opportunities but I think since the
:
456
:something that they could stamp down
and say, we have arrived as a team.
457
:Which is why I think since that
World Cup, since:
458
:been saying they need a trophy.
459
:They need to show this team has
arrived not only as a top four nation
460
:in the region, but maybe one of the
top two or three, I haven't changed
461
:how I feel, they weren't able to
get a trophy at the Nation's League.
462
:I think they need to win the Gold Cup.
463
:Would I accept finishing in the finals?
464
:I would accept it, but they need to
win a trophy here, just because odds
465
:are this will probably their best
on best competition that they'll
466
:have outside of playing friendlies.
467
:Leading up, I know they have
Romania, they have whales, they
468
:have the Canadian Shield in June
where they'll play TiVo and Ukraine.
469
:But in terms of playing CONCACAF teams,
but also in Saudi Arabia, because anything
470
:for the money, they are, they need to
stamp their validity in the region.
471
:a trophy first place does matter for them.
472
:And I think you can see that they
are, they're chasing it a little bit.
473
:You could see in their
disappointment against Mexico.
474
:Some could argue they came into that game
with too much bravado and it backfired.
475
:I think they were out coached tactically.
476
:that was one of Marsh's bad games in
terms of saying the lineup to all the
477
:talking points that came afterwards.
478
:So when it comes to the Goal Cup, I
think they need to go and chase and try
479
:to win it because The next meaningful
games will be at the World Cup.
480
:winning the Gold Cup, is imperative
481
:PSP: Yeah, it's definitely an objective.
482
:it's been 25 years since
Candice won the World Cup.
483
:Jesse MAs should have the team training
at the LA Coliseum Holger's Heroes
484
:Holger oh 16 did back in those days.
485
:Africaaans FC: Yep.
486
:PSP: be interesting to see if they
can replicate that this summer.
487
:Quai I'll give you the final word.
488
:What else did you see in the window
just gone that your interest?
489
:Africaaans FC: you've given
me the entire world, sir.
490
:I work best in sandboxes.
491
:there's a lot I can go with.
492
:looking at canon, the aftermath, football,
social media is the most positive place.
493
:everyone's levelheaded there.
494
:No one ever yells about
ridiculousness, ever, right?
495
:If a player happens to tear their ACL,
it's not the federation's fault or the
496
:player's fault or the club's fault I'll
look at this from a Canadian perspective.
497
:There's still a lot of questions.
498
:I think Jesse Marsh has about 90% of
his roster that he wants to bring to
499
:the World Cup in his mind, penciled in.
500
:I think there are holes to look at.
501
:Fullback and Winger depth And the pairing
striker for Jonathan David, because Kyle
502
:LN has had about a year's worth of games,
the only striker not named Jonathan
503
:David to score for Canada was Tanya Lui.
504
:in their last game.
505
:They have not gotten a lot of
contributions outside of Jonathan David.
506
:So who's gonna be that
scoring depth matters.
507
:And I think that's what makes.
508
:The Gold Cup and their Friendly's.
509
:A little bit curious who they're
looking at in terms of that, because
510
:I think you can play around with
the pool or you can just say, I'm
511
:waiting for everyone to be healthy.
512
:And that's the other thing.
513
:I think from a fullback depth
standpoint, they are not healthy.
514
:Right now, Candace fullback
depth is Alistair Johnston.
515
:That's the tweet.
516
:That's their depth.
517
:They have to play a central midfielder
as a right back, and they play.
518
:Alistair Johnson left back, and that
was the first time he ever did it.
519
:So from the Canadian
perspective, it's depth.
520
:They have to look at their squad
depth and find answers for that.
