Coach Dale Mitchell is hopeful Canada can make a splash at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. (KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images))
Soccer
Dale Mitchell: Trying to build a winner
Last Updated Sat., March 3, 2007
By John F. Molinaro, CBC Sports
The FIFA Under-20 World Cup is still four months away, but Canadian coach Dale Mitchell is busy building a team that he thinks can reach the quarter-finals.
Canada just completed a successful 13-day training camp in Florida where the team scrimmaged against Toronto FC and Mitchell's team has a slew of exhibition games and more training sessions scheduled ahead of the tournament kickofff on June 30.
Canada will play in Group A alongside Chile, Austria and Congo.
Prior to Saturday's draw, Mitchell spoke to CBC Sports Online about
Team Canada's recent training camp and who he feels are Canada's
key players.
How did the training camp in Florida go?
The camp went really well. We’re working largely with our
North American based players right now and we’ll have the
other half of the team, the players based in Europe, soon –
we’re anxious to put both groups together, which we’ll
have a chance to do in March when we play Scotland in B.C. in a
friendly.
Were the scrimmages against Toronto FC in Florida useful?
They were fine. Results aren’t important for us, they’re
not that important for them either at this point – it’s
mostly about finding out about guys. We had a win and a loss against
Toronto FC and some of our guys are starting to look better now
that we’ve had three camps in a row, especially from a physical
standpoint, which is the idea behind the winter camps we had.
Can you identify a few key players for Canada?
We had six players who were part of our team at the 2005 youth tournament
in Holland. A number of them got playing time last time and because
of their experience and where they play right now, we’re expecting
those guys to be the leaders within our group.
Guys like David Edgar (defender), Jaime Peters (midfielder), Will Johnson (forward), Andrea Lombardo (forward), Asmir Begovic (goalkeeper) and Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault (midfielder). All six of the guys were part of the last team and they’re all different type of players but I think they’ll be the leaders within this group.
Any players on Team Canada that are flying under the radar
who you feel are ready to break out?
It's really hard to say. You don't want to put any kind of expectations
on anybody. It's about the team doing well and I think if the team
does well, individuals will get the opportunity to shine. I think
there are players outside the six that I just mentioned that if
the team does well, they'll have big tournaments and get themselves
recognized.
Have you set a goal for Canada at this tournament?
I think given the fact that we're playing at home, if we don't get
out of the first round, we would be disappointed. If we do get out
of the group stage and do as well as we did in 2003 and make it
to the quarter-finals, I think that would be a terrific achievement,
because we've only had one team that's been able to do that. I think
that's the way we're approaching it.
Going forward, how would you like to see the Canadian team
get better before the tournament starts?
We've had good preparations and will continue to do so, and between
now and the start of the tournament, we'll have six or seven exhibition
games against teams that will be there. We'll measure ourselves
in those matches and adjust ourselves accordingly.
When will you name the final roster?
We don't have to name the final roster until 10 days before the
first game of the competition. You have to make 28 players eligible
before that, but the 21 players that you take to name to the roster
don't have to be announced until 10 days before.
Do you know who the 21 players are?
No, I don't think the 21 are set in stone. I know the group of 28
that the 21 are going to come from, but I don't know exactly the
21 will be right now.
QUICK FACTS
FIFA U-20 World Cup history
The FIFA Under-20 World Cup, formerly known as the FIFA World Youth Championship
(the new name for the competition will be used for the first time in the 2007),
is soccer's world championship for players under the age of 20. The competition
has been staged every two years since the first tournament in 1977.
Canadian participation
Canada first qualified for the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1979 in Japan,
the same tournament that Diego Maradona used to announce his presence to the
world. Canada upset Portugal 3-1 but did not advance beyond the opening round.
Canada qualified in 1985 in the Soviet Union and two years later in Chile,
and bowed out in the first round both times, before advancing to the second
round (where it lost to Spain) in 1997 in Malaysia. Canada followed that up
by losing all three of its opening-round games in 2001 in Argentina.
A major breakthrough came in 2003 in the United Arab Emirates when Canada
advanced to the second round where it defeated Burkina Faso 1-0. Canada put
in a brave effort in the quarter-finals, losing to Spain 2-1 in extra time.
Two years ago in the Netherlands, Canada went home after the first round.
Previous winners
(host country in brackets)
2005 – Argentina (the Netherlands)
2003 – Brazil (United Arab Emirates)
2001 – Argentina (Argentina)
1999 – Spain (Nigeria)
1997 – Argentina (Malaysia)
1995 – Argentina (Qatar)
1993 – Brazil (Australia)
1991 – Portugal (Portugal)
1989 – Portugal (Saudi Arabia)
1987 – Yugoslavia (Chile)
1985 – Brazil (Soviet Union)
1983 – Brazil (Mexico)
1981 – West Germany (Australia)
1979 – Argentina (Japan)
1977 – Soviet Union (Tunisia)
Launching pad to stardom
Players who first shot to fame playing at the Under-20 World Cup include:
- Diego Maradona (1979)
- Dunga (1983)
- Romario, Rene Higuita, Jose Luis Chilavert (1985)
- Davor Suker (1987)
- Luis Figo, Dwight Yorke (1991)
- Sammy Kuffour (1993)
- David Trezeguet, Thierry Henry, Juan Roman Riquelme, Michael Owen, Damien Duff (1997)
- Ronaldinho, Iker Casillas (1999)
- Arjen Robben, Adriano, Michael Essien, Javier Saviola (2001)
- Carlos Tevez (2003)
- John Mikel Obi, Lionel Messi (2005)
Related
- Under-20 World Cup: Group Analysis
- CBC FIFA Under-20 World Cup Broadcast Schedule
- Dale Mitchell: Trying to build a winner
- Luck of the draw: Canada's chances at the U-20s
- Tournament draw
- Canadian teen David Edgar kicks it up a notch for Newcastle
- Just For Kicks: Soccer in Canada
- CBC wins World Cup soccer rights
- 2006 World Cup
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