Canada's WC Group Qualification 2008

First off, the following couldn't be more true. From sportsnet user peter_mtl (in the comments section of this article)...

I find it pathetic that Canadians won't be able to watch their own national team on live television when it begins the next round of World Cup qualifying. I can understand if Sportsnet Ontario elected to show the Blue Jay game but why do Canadians in other regions have to be deprived of watching their team at the expense of one of 162 Toronto games this season? The NATIONAL soccer team is surely much more national in importance than the TORONTO Blue Jays. What is the point of having multiple Sportsnet channels if not for a situation like this? This game didn't come out of nowhere. We knew years ago that Canada would be playing qualifying games in August/September of 2008.

Now, back to the news at hand. Canada announced its squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Jamaica on August 20. Fifa has Jamaica ranked 108th currently while Canada sits at number 79. Both of which have been dropping lately. From the rankings, it may appear that we are clearly favorites, but that might not be the case. The rankings do little to tell the whole story. And Jamaica is a quality team that has been to the big show in 1998, whereas we haven't been since our lone venture in 1986. However, that is probably insignificant with regards to the current squads. Jamaica has played well lately, twice tying a Trinidad and Tobago team that participated in World Cup 2006 and routing the Bahamas in WC qualifications. They also have Marlon King up front, who is a top quality striker in England and who was just loaned to Hull for the season. The contest will be that much tougher once you add the fact that Toronto has a significant Jamaican population who will likely turn out for the game.

As for the Canadian squad that was picked, the only notable omission was striker Olivier Occean, who has been leading his team, Lillestrom, in scoring in the Norwegian Tippeligaen. (Jaime Peters, Wil Johnson, Ante Jazic, and David Edgar being others). Though, we should have more than enough offense with Hume, Friend, and Gerba. Gerba has been on fire lately for Canada and it would be a shock not to see him on the field at some point on Wednesday. Rob Friend probably deserves to be up there with him given his dominance in 2nd division German soccer last year. He finished second in the league with 18 goals for his club Borussia Mönchengladbach. Iain Hume would probably add more pace off the bench if they needed it.

The center of midfield is an interesting position. Typically Dwayne De Rosario plays there for Houston with a big offensive upside. Gold Cup MVP Julian de Guzman has also showed flashes of brilliance pushing forward in this position, even though he is supposed to be a defensive midfielder. De Rosario could played on the wing to allow for a stronger defensive core in the middle of the field. To muddy things up, you have Atiba Hutchinson and Adrian Serioux who could both legitimately compete for that spot. Issey Nakajima-Farran or Tomasz Radzinski are candidates for the wing who have excellent speed.

In defense, Stalteri will captain the team and should probably be playing wide. Mike Klukowski's play has really impressed on the left side recently, especially against the Brazil friendly in May, and he should fill in the other wing. Kevin McKenna's work with helping promote Cologne to the German to tier and MLS all-star Jim Brennan's efforts for Toronto FC should be enough to place them in the middle of defense.

Making a goalkeeping choice will be a tougher call. Pat Onstad has played well in both the MLS and his appearances for Canada recently. Over the last year he has taken the reins on more than a few occasions due to injuries to Toronto FC's number one keeper Greg Sutton. It should be Onstad's position to lose.

My starting 11
Onstad
Stalteri Brennan McKenna Klukowski
Radzinski Hutchinson de Guzman De Rosario
Friend Gerba

CANADA ROSTER (from Sportsnet.ca)

Goalkeepers: Greg Sutton, Hamilton, Toronto FC (MLS); Pat Onstad, Vancouver, Houston Dynamo (MLS).

Defenders: Mike Klukowski, Oshawa, Ont., Club Brugge KV (Belgium); Kevin McKenna, Calgary, FC Koeln (Germany); Jim Brennan, Toronto, Toronto FC (MLS); Richard Hastings, Vancouver, Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Scotland).

Defender-Midfielders: Daniel Imhof, Smithers, B.C., VfL Bochum (Germany); Adrian Serioux, Toronto, FC Dallas (MLS), Paul Stalteri (capt.), Brampton, Ont., Tottenham (England).

Midfielders: Julian de Guzman, Toronto, Deportivo La Coruna (Spain); Issey Nakajima-Farran, Calgary, FC Nordsjlland (Denmark); Atiba Hutchinson, Brampton, Ont., FC Copenhagen (Denmark); Patrice Bernier, Brossard, Que., FC Nordsjlland (Denmark).

Midfielder-Forwards: Tomasz Radzinski, Toronto, Skoda Xanthi (Greece); Dwayne De Rosario, Toronto, Houston Dynamo (MLS).

Forwards: Ali Gerba, Montreal, Milton Keynes Dons (England); Rob Friend, Kelowna, B.C., Borussia Moenchengladbach (Germany); Iain Hume, Brampton, Ont., Barnsley FC (England).