Canada will have the home-field advantage when it hosts the FIFA U-20 World Cup this summer, but playing before the hometown fans isn't all that it's cracked up to be.
Since the inaugural tournament in 1977, only two nations have won the competition on home soil: Portugal (1991) and Argentina (2001).
It's a fact not lost on Canadian coach Dale Mitchell.
Mitchell has been in charge of Canada's under-20 side since 2002 and he's guided the team to the world youth championships in 2003 (when Canada reached the quarter-finals) and 2005 when it bowed out in the first round.
Hopes are high amongst Canadian soccer fans that Mitchell's team - which will play in Group A with Congo, Chile and Austria - can make a serious run at the title.
Mitchell maintains reasonable expectations, believing that all three teams in its opening-round group will give Canada "a tough time."
"You always have to be realistic when you set goals," Mitchell told CBC Sports Online. "I think, considering we have had a good preparation and we're playing at home, we'd be very disappointed if we didn't make it out of our group.
"If we were a team that reached the quarter-finals like the 2003 team, I think that would have to be considered a pretty good performance this year, simply because we know the level of the teams, like Brazil and Argentina, and when you get to the last eight teams."
Mitchell's stance is the right one to take. Instead of puffing out his chest and making bold proclamations, he remains pragmatic, while still setting a clear goal for his team.
The players have picked up on Mitchell's message and are quietly confident.
Following a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Argentina in a recent exhibition game, goalkeeper Asmir Begovic called Canada's performance against the five-time world champions a "great confidence builder."
"If we play like we did [against Argentina] we know we've got a great chance this summer. We have to take things game by game, and hope things go our way and make a good run in the tournament," the goalkeeper said.
"Our first goal is to get out of the group and then see where we can go after that," Begovic added.
Comments
Mitchell is what Canadian soccer needs, he relaizes Canada is not a powerhouse, but does commit himself to improving the team, and guiding them to where they want to be.
Posted by: Kim Jung Eeal | July 4, 2007 07:39 PM
Ah!, I see what Mitchell is getting at. He limits the shots on goal of his offense to one a game so as to not anger the opponent, and thus lull them into complacency.
Posted by: arlo smythe toronto | July 6, 2007 12:02 PM