[Paulinho]

After watching today's game between Paraguay and England and listening to post-game comments by S.G. Eriksson, it looks like Owen Hargreaves can cancel any vacation plans. He's likely going to Japan/Korea as a cover for England's injury prone midfield or possibly for choke-prone G. Neville.

I know minutes after I post this, bloodthirsty fiends that consider Owen some sort of Judas will lambast me for bringing this up. The reason I did is because in the last month or so, we've done nothing on this forum but discuss how bad the state of Canadian football is. Well, if a player of Hargreaves' calibre can be born in Canada, then maybe things aren't as bad as we think. Maybe we don't need such radical change. If CSA wasn't riddled with grossly incompetent employees, he'd be playing for Canada now and we'd have a world class player on our NT.

Whatever anyone else may think of Owen, I hope he does his hometown proud.

 

[Krammerhead]

Yes we can hope to develop more players of Owens calibre and have them choose to play for other countries as well, and blame their decision on incompetent CSA employees.

 

[Paulinho]

Yes we can hope to develop

You're kidding, right? A player leaves country at 16, goes to the what is one of the best youth academies in the world, and you have the chutzpah to say Canada developed him?

That's why he's a good player? Because of the excellent coaching staff at Calgary Foothills FC? Because our gov't invested loads of cash in him? Please. Had Owen stayed in Canada until now, we'd have another Dasovic or McKenna on our hands. If the kid was to play for the country that actually developed him, he would've played against Argentina today, not Paraguay.

 

[Krammerhead]

If Canada didn't develop him why is he such a big deal then? Might as well not even mention him then.


I'd take Dasovic and McKenna over him any day.

 

[Paulinho]

If Canada didn't develop him why is he such a big deal then? Might as well not even mention him then.

Because he was born here? Because he lives here in the off-season? Because he's Canadian? Because he proves that a great football talent can be born in a nation rather indifferent to the sport? Because he could've played for us? Because many Canadian kids will grow up idolizing him regardless of what country he plays for? Because everyone who knows him tells me he's actually quite a nice lad?

 

[Krammerhead]

Nope, none of those reasons sounds good enough.

 

[Jarrek]

Because he was born here? Because he lives here in the off-season? Because he's Canadian? Because he proves that a great football talent can be born in a nation rather indifferent to the sport? Because he could've played for us? Because many Canadian kids will grow up idolizing him regardless of what country he plays for? Because everyone who knows him tells me he's actually quite a nice lad?

Because he was born here?

Ok, we will give his parents credit for that. But I'm sure he regrets not being born in England.

Because he lives here in the off-season? Because he's Canadian?

Off Season! Wow ... which is like what? Two days long? I think it's pretty much safe to say that he will make Europe his new home. Not that there is anything wrong with that, as other players born in Canada have done the same. It's just more logical for some of our top stars to live there.

Canadian? Well what does Owen consider himself? I never really heard him say that he's Canadian lately. I never saw him holding a Canadian flag. He’s really shown more appreciation for the three lions then the maple leaf. Whatever he feels he is, then he is that. But in my eyes he isn't really Canadian.

He's definitely Calgarian though.

Because he proves that a great football talent can be born in a nation rather indifferent to the sport?

There are one million kids playing soccer in Canada. We are only indifferent in the sense that after a certain age limit, it gets tougher for young players to carve out their place on the world football scene.

Because he could've played for us?

Heck yeah. Imagine that ...

Because many Canadian kids will grow up idolizing him regardless of what country he plays for?

Really? To tell you the truth honestly I think he would of made a bigger impact on the youth of this country if he played for Canada. Quite frankly when our national team does better, it raises interest in the game. It's been proven before. WC86, GC2000 even to some lesser extent GC2002. Our failure to qualify for Korea put a dent in the image of Canadian Soccer after the 2000 Gold Cup however.

Honestly, I can see more kids being inspired by the A-League players rather then Owen Hargreaves. Sure he might inspire a few, but you should see how many kids a player like Robbie Aristodemo inspires after a Lynx game.

Because everyone who knows him tells me he's actually quite a nice lad?

I'm sure he is. The Voyageurs sent him a Christmas card back in 1999. He replied on our message boards (I'll try to find the link) and thanked us for the card. He's a nice English lad.

That's why he's a good player? Because of the excellent coaching staff at Calgary Foothills FC? Because our gov't invested loads of cash in him? Please. Had Owen stayed in Canada until now, we'd have another Dasovic or McKenna on our hands. If the kid was to play for the country that actually developed him, he would've played against Argentina today, not Paraguay.

What's wrong with Dasovic and McKenna? IMO, they have a lot more of heart, grit and soul then Hargreaves has.

Player Development is one half of the sandwich. The other is just natural talent. Some players are born with it, some aren't. I'm not about to dwell on the problems of developing a player in Canada - but let's say that there are many and there are a lot of inroads to make. But to say that the German academy should take full responsibility for his stardom is just ... wrong.

Well, if a player of Hargreaves' caliber can be born in Canada, then maybe things aren't as bad as we think.

You're really contradicting yourself in the above statement, or just eating the other half of my sandwich.

 

[LIT]

What I don´t understand is, that he played only in U 21 (or U18??) friendlies and not in official matches, so that he couldn´t choose the country to play for!

 

[Paulinho]

But I'm sure he regrets not being born in England.

How do you know this? Do you know the lad personally? Has he told you this in an e-mail?

Canadian? Well what does Owen consider himself? I never really heard him say that he's Canadian lately. I never saw him holding a Canadian flag. He’s really shown more appreciation for the three lions then the maple leaf. Whatever he feels he is, then he is that. But in my eyes he isn't really Canadian.

This is all fine and dandy, except that you or anyone else do not have the right to decide who's Canadian and who's not. In the eyes of the law, since he still has Canadian citizenship, he's Canadian. Being a law-abiding citizen, I consider him Canadian.

Honestly, I can see more kids being inspired by the A-League players rather then Owen Hargreaves. Sure he might inspire a few, but you should see how many kids a player like Robbie Aristodemo inspires after a Lynx game.

You're kidding right? You actually think kids would rather idolize a player with as much talent as I have than a world-class footballer?

What's wrong with Dasovic and McKenna?

St. Johnstone aren't Bayern Munich. They're not even Glasgow Rangers. That's what's wrong with them.

IMO, they have a lot more of heart, grit and soul then Hargreaves has.

Heart, grit and soul are admirable qualities, but you need talent to succeed.

But to say that the German academy should take full responsibility for his stardom is just ... wrong.

How is it wrong? Not only have they developed him as a player, but they apparently saw talent in him when Canadian scouts, coaches and players didn't.