Fitkul.cz | Diskuse

od **lw789** » čtv 20. zář 2018 2:24:50

Much was expected of Canada at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Jamaica.The young Canadian soccer team had performed well on a pre-tournament tour of Europe, returning home unbeaten against quality opposition. The squad had never lost two games in a row.And while coach Rob Gales team was denied two of its top weapons — midfielders Dylan Carreiro of Dundee and Fraser Aird of Glasgow Rangers — when their Scottish teams refused to release them for the tournament, there was good depth. Teenage striker Cyle Larin went No. 1 in the MLS SuperDraft during the tournament. Ten players on the roster were on the books of Canadian MLS clubs, with several having already made their first-team debut.Gale had faith in his squad, having worked with many of them for the last three years. But he knew that not many had played much competitive soccer in the leadup to the CONCACAF event. And five games in 12 days would be a big ask in the heat, humidity and uneven pitch in Montego Bay.Plus Canada had not taken part in the world under-20 championship since it hosted the event in 2007, exiting without scoring a goal or registering a point. And rival teams were making strides in CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.Despite a good start, the tournament quickly went south. The Canadians were eliminated from contention Monday when they lost 2-1 to Cuba and Honduras beat Haiti 3-2.All our kind of worst fears about what potentially could happen or affect the players have come to fruition, unfortunately ... Its been a poor display of who we are as a group, said Gale.Where these boys have been fantastic in the past in tournament football, for any number of reasons and the boys are struggling themselves to put their finger on it, this week, at this moment of time, they didnt have the energy and the resolve and that character to get themselves out of moments of a game that would turn the course, he added.Canada opened on a positive note, downing Haiti 3-1. A 2-0 loss to two-time defending champion Mexico was perhaps not unexpected.A 3-2 loss to El Salvador on a stoppage-time goal was a dagger through the heart. Then the bottom fell out with the loss to Cuba, with Canada conceding the opening goal on a flubbed clearance. When Honduras beat Haiti later that day, Canadas dream of reaching the U20 World Cup were shot.Canada (1-3-0) wrapped up play Thursday with a meaningless game against Honduras.Panama and Mexico topped their groups to reach the final and automatically qualify for FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand this summer. The second- and third-place teams in each pool will play off to see which two teams join them.For Gale and his staff, its time to review and reconsider. Their job is long-term development and this tournament, however painful, has been a learning step for their young players.The good news for Gale is that his players responded in the second half of games.For Gale, Thursdays finale outing was about sheer effort and pride, that has been lacking in some individuals and also as a collective, at times, when the going got tough in the conditions, the heat and everything else.Obviously theyre down and theyre disappointed that they havent represented themselves as they would have wanted. But youre as good as your next game and in football you have to get back on the horse. And if they want to make a career out of it, theyre going to have many many difficult moments and its how you respond.Gale was encouraged by the opening win over Haiti. He knew the margin of victory could have been more had his group retained its focus but he saw it as a lesson learned.Mexico was next, the toughest game on the schedule. The Mexicans were well-rested after a 9-1 romp over Cuba.We refreshed the pack but unfortunately a couple of players had just tough tough days at the office, said Gale. To be fair to the boys, they dug in again. The second half we were much much better.Down 1-0, they had chances to tie it up but were punished on a late counter-attack.Mentally, the team was in good spirits going into the El Salvador game. There had been positives against Mexico.But extreme heat took its toll on a Canadian team inexperienced at this level and in the conditions. Watching from the sidelines, Gale could see his team stray from its game plan just minutes into the contest.It becomes not about football then, its about digging in — the heart and desire to work you way through it.Down 1-0 and 2-1, the Canadians rallied to tie the game, only to fall victim to a 94th-minute goal off a set kick.It was just a mental lapse, said Gale. Very disappointing ... But with a young group of players, that happens in football.Against Cuba, an unfortunate individual error led to a fifth-minute goal and the Canadians were behind the eight-ball again.Down 2-0 at the half, the Canadians cut the lead to 2-1 and had chances to score while the Cubans played a delaying game that descended into farce. The stretcher comes on seven times, Gale said with disgust.Unfortunately thats the reality of CONCACAF, he added. Any time you give a team oxygen or life, where theyre ahead, they can wind it down and it can cost you.Under that extra pressure, players started second-guessing themselves, said Gale.Finding the character and heart when the going got tough just deserted us here. And thats tournament football. It can happen.This is the first cycle of players Gale has had since under-16. Now the plan is to grow a squad from the under-14 level.Jamaica is a valuable, if painful, lesson. Theres no immediate and short-term fix, said Gale.The young Canadians are talented but lack experience under pressure, the coach says.Missing Aird and Carreiro, his longtime captain, did not help.If there was one thing that we needed a little more of at this tournament, it was character, said Gale.He notes with frustration that Carreiro had not played a minute at Dundee during the tournament.I think thats disgraceful for a coach to hold a player back from international football and the experience and to not play him at all.Aird played sparingly at his club during the tournament.Still, Gale says there are no excuses for what happened in Jamaica.We havent performed and adapted as well as other countries in key moments of key games. And thats been the difference.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Wholesale Falcons Super Bowl LII Jerseys . But the young forward is more than willing to shed a little blood if thats what it takes to make the team this season. "It caught me pretty good, dazed me for that shift, but I didnt want to be off the ice for too long," he said after practice, his lip still bleeding a little despite the plastic stitches holding it together. Isaiah Oliver Super Bowl Jersey . -- Chris Tillman paid no attention to the Baltimore bullpen as it started to stir in the ninth inning. http://www.falconssuperbowljerseys.com/. Yet coming off consecutive series losses at St. Louis and Pittsburgh, Los Angeles needed some sort of spark as August approaches. The Dodgers found it in the ballpark of their biggest rival, and left the Bay Area in first place following an emphatic three-game swing. Womens Falcons Super Bowl Jerseys . The Canadians led for much of the game before Argentina forced overtime in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. Canada weathered the storm after squandering a lead with a series of made shots. "Its a fantastic win for our country with 11 first-time Canadian national team members," said head coach Roy Rana. Falcons Super Bowl Jerseys From China . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Keeping The Captain? Brian Giontas agent Steve Bartlett told La Presse on Tuesday that the Montreal Canadiens want to keep their captain - an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - in the fold, while sources tell the paper that the two sides will start talks this week.In our NBA Draft Wrap Edition of The Three Man Weave, Duane Watson and Will Strickland from TSN 1050s "1 On 1 With Will & Duane" select with the first pick in the Weave To Achieve Draft Montreal-based writer and co-host of HoopsLounge.com Marc Griffin. Well decide upside, potential, "bouncebackability", projects and projections after a wild night in the borough of Brooklyn. What grade does Raptors President & GM Masai Ujiri get for his first draft in Toronto? Griffin: Incomplete. Watching Ujiri talk about Bruno Caboclo, he seems like a GM "once bitten, twice shy" after not stealing The Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo in the draft last year. Im really befuddled by this. I spoke to my man Mota Elb (@MotaElb) who played in the same Brazilian League as Bruno. Mota said hes a good talent, but not a great talent compared to who hes facing down there. Its a very odd pick at #20 with guys like Shabazz Napier still on the board. ...But in the end, "In Masai We Trust". International scouting is something Ujiri is exceptional at, so we have to wait and see with this one. Strickland: Is "Work In Progress" a real grade? I have to issue an incomplete. Pretty sure anytime you hear that your first round draft pick is "two years away from being two years away", it doesnt instill fan confidence in the quality of the selection. The Brazilian Kevin Durant, Bruno Caboclo, will have the opportunity to prove all the naysayers wrong as Ujiri wont stash him away in Europe, bringing him to Toronto to begin the process now. Watson: Incomplete. While the selection of Bruno Caboclo left everyone scratching their heads, it remains to be seen if he will be the next Kevin Durant or the next Rafael Araujo. Ujiris track record at the helm of the Raptors has earned him the benefit of the doubt. How DeAndre Daniels and Caboclo pan out in the short term will define Ujiris grade. With a Canadian going #1 in the NBA Draft for the second year in a row, what does this say for the future of basketball in Canada? Griffin: I love the moment when ESPN put up banners of Wiggins, Stauskas, and Ennis, while Bill Simmons & Jalen Rose called out Americas youth to pick up their game or start playing hockey. It was a backhanded compliment to how much basketball has grown in Canada. This is not a flash in the pan; this is not a fluke. People talk about these guys as the leaders of a "Golden Generation", but I believe its something bigger than that. Canadian kids are putting down hockey sticks and picking up Naismiths game. The stats dont lie. Scouts like Tariq Sbiet are saying that our youth programs are just chalk full of excellent, high level players. Were looking at the start of movement towards Canada becoming a dominant basketball country. And the basketball globe finally has our attention. Strickland: If having the #1 pick in two straight NBA Drafts coming from above the 49th Parallel doesnt convince the rest of the hoops world that there is major talent in Canada, nothing will. With this great wealth of talent comes a greater responsibility, however. As Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph and other young Canadian NBAers find success in the league, the pressure on them to grow national pride for the sport will come only as a result of competing and possibly winning a medal on the global stage by or before the 2020 Olympics. Watson: It says that Canadians have the ability to go #1 just as other nations athletes can, the talent is there. The Canadian Basketball program has to develop its team to get the players to commit and play together, developing international experience in order to become a contending basketball power. After three Canadians were taken in the first 18 picks, why were no more selected? Griffin: International trade law. Nah, Im really not sure. There were 8 Canadians Draft eligible (which is amazing in its own right) and most of them will receive summer league and camp invites. Khem Birch could have possibly stayed in school another year, but hindsight is 20/20. Yet, I cant harp on this enough: Melvin Ejim will have a solid NBA career if given the opportunity in the right system. He just needs a little faith from a GM who doesnt measure talent by height alone. Overall, I expect to see the undrafted guys busting their butts this summer to land that roster spot. Now with so many Canadians in the leaggue, there is that motivation and beacon of hope here to actually live that hoop dream.dddddddddddd Strickland: If weve learned anything, it should be that this talent assessment and drafting thing is far from an exact science. Canadian hoops fans should respect the fact that there was top heavy Canadian content in this draft, with 3 of the 4 selected overall out of 8 eligible going in first 18 picks. Perspective matters. Even still, its hard to fathom that the player of the year from one of the top conferences in the country in Melvin Ejim wasnt selected at all. Watson: While only three Canadians were taken in the first 18 picks, Dwight Powells second round selection made four for a record amount of Canadians taken in the draft. It is another landmark moment for Canadian basketball, slowly showing that Canada is becoming a hotbed for hoops talent. Which team came out best in the Draft? Griffin: Orlando. I elicited the help of draft wunderkind Phil Boileau (@SportingPhil) on this one. The Magic picked up two starters who fill immediate roster needs. No one else did that. Aaron Gordon is a monster talent with athleticism, versatility, and an NBA frame. Hell figure out the league quick. Likewise, Elfrid Payton looks like a steal at #10. Small school, great hair, big heart. And hes really driven. ...Phoenix made my sneaky favorite pick of the draft taking Tyler Ennis at #18. Hes a perfect fit for their system. And for Ennis to learn from Goran Dragic who learned from Steve Nash, thats pretty damn fitting. Strickland: With obvious, easy bake nods to Cleveland and Milwaukee, as well as a dark horse pick in Phoenix, the Orlando Magic got a bigger, stronger, faster more athletic Shawn Marion in Aaron Gordon at #4 and a serious sleeper in Elfrid Payton to help Victor Olidipo harass NBA backcourts. Whether Duane Watsons buddy Jacque Vaughn is the man to lead them to great heights may be in question. But there are some serious pieces in the Magic Kingdom again, including the monster double-double machine Nikola Vuvevic. Orlando could make a 2013-2014 Washington Wizards-leap toward respectability next season. Watson: Bostons youth movement took another solid step with the addition of Marcus Smart who couldve been a lottery pick in last years draft and James Young, who stood out for the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Championship game. Two players who can step in right away and help turn around the Celtics. Danny Ainge wins again. Which team fared the worst in the Draft? Griffin: Philadelphia. Go ahead and send me hate mail. Joel Embiids medical dossier scares the living tar out of me. Hes extremely talented, yes, but two stress fractures and a broken foot is red flags, loud sirens, and Sam Bowie flashbacks for me. Plus his small frame and the plopping motion of his feet as he runs, I dont like the equation at all. Listen, I think hes an all-world talent in a league that lacks dominant BIGS, but this is too huge of a risk at the #3 spot in a very deep draft. I wish him well and hate all the memes already. But talk to Anthony Bennett, Embiid has a tall mountain to climb after all these setbacks. ...On the positive side, I absolutely love Phillys new Ben Franklin logo. Yup. Thats the silver lining here. Strickland: Ok, Ok, Ok!!! Who gets to play the bad guy and say the Raptors? That said, it wont be me! Sam Hinkie doesnt care whats said about his picks for the Philadelphia 76ers. If your asset management strategy is a Fran Fraschilla quote (see: Caboclo, Bruno), may the long-suffering Sixer fan base get Tylenol and Pepto instead of pizza or burgers every time a team scores 100+ on them... and may Mr. Hinkies domicile, email address and cell phone numbers be unlisted. Watson: Oklahoma City Thunder. For a team that proved in the NBA Playoffs it needed support for their dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook, they missed the boat. The collective response to Steven Adams being drafted last year was collective disbelief. But the Kiwi panned out to be an All-NBA Rookie Second Team selection. However, at #21 this year, Mitch McGary is a duplicate of last years pick. The Thunder has built themselves on draft picks, but Sam Presti and company whiffed on this one. The Three-Man Weave contributors are co-hosts of TSN Radio 1050s 1-on-1 with Will and Duane, Will Strickland (@WallStrizzle1) and Duane Watson (@byDuaneWatson) and guest first-round draft pick Marc Griffin (montrealmarc). Cheap Nuggets Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys Cheap Clippers Jerseys Cheap Lakers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Cheap Rockets Jerseys Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Pistons Jerseys Cheap Team USA Basketball Jerseys ' ' '