The Canadian Stretford End

Putting together a list of the top twenty-five Canadians was much more difficult than I had expected. Ranking players seems to be a bit of a media hit, KJ of the Footy Show does a yearly top 100 Premier League players post and it’s quite well done. FourFourTwo do a yearly top 100 players in the world and closer to home Duane Rollins has complied a list of the top 50 MLS players over on the 24th Minute. So I decided to take a stab at the top twenty-five current Canadian players.

The first problem I encountered is something that all Canadian soccer supporters will understand. What is a Canadian? So I decided that as a general rule to be included on the list you must have been called up to for at least one Canadian full national team camp/roster, and since then not represented any other country. So that means no traitors like Asmir Begovic and no undecided players like Junior Hoilett.

The next decision is how to rank them. Should I go by who has had the best career to date? Should I go by form over the past year? Should I go by technical ability? Should I go by potential for 2014? Should I go by performance with the national team? In the end I decided that the criteria would be the best player at the moment regardless of what they’ve done in the past or their current form. That is to say if I was the general manager of an expansion team and I had to choose my first player out of every single Canadian who would it be and so on. That means that the top eleven is by no means a starting XI (it would be a pretty poor starting XI without a keeper). As I was tinkering the list I worked with it until I was confident that every player on the list is better than the previous which was difficult when comparing players across so many leagues and positions. In the end I’m pretty happy with what I’ve come up with but if you’re not I’d love to hear about!

Here we go!

25. Ali Gerba Toronto FC The Toronto FC striker is overweight, slow and clearly has something going on behind the scenes that has led to him switching clubs thirteen times over the past ten years. Gerba however still can score at the highest level and may soon become Canada’s all-time leading goalscorer. Critics have said that he only scores against the small teams for Canada, but two goals against Mexico in World Cup Qualifying and two game winning goals at this past Gold Cup seem to disagree. Gerba has scored goals everywhere he went and although he can be a little sporadic putting balls in the back of the net is something Canadians have always struggled to do on the international stage.

24. Patrice Bernier FC Nordsjælland Patrice Bernier had his low point playing for Canada being sent off against Honduras in the 2-1 loss at Saputo Stadium, but he had a very good comeback this summer. He scored twice for Canada in 2009 and continues to be a solid midfielder. He is not the best tackling midfielder, but what he does bring to the table is a passing range which can be very important from a defensive midfielder. Bernier has proved to be a very inconsistent player but at his best he can be one of the best players on this list.

23. Jim Brennan Toronto FC Jim Brennan’s reputation among the TFC faithful took a big hit after a poor season with the club in 2009, and his international career looks to be over after his outburst in 2008. He still has good ability as a left midfielder though, and when he plays in his natural position he shines. After being forced to play at the back for Toronto FC, Brennan has lost some of the skill and creativity he used to show playing down the wing. However he acts as a utility player for TFC with his ability to player anywhere across the back and in midfield. He still gives Toronto and Canada a useful option.

22. Pat Onstad Houston Dynamo Pat Onstad looks like he may still have a future with Canada, but as a coach not a player. That is not to say he doesn’t cut it as a keeper anymore. The forty-two-year-old is still one of the most reliable keepers in the MLS. He put together another very good season with Houston in 2009 and aside from when he puts on a Canada kit he rarely makes a mistake. Onstad has never been the natural best shot blocker, but his positional sense is fantastic and he commands the box like very few other Canadian keepers ever have (with the obvious exception of Craig Forrest).

21. Issey Nakajima-Farran AC Horsens Issey Nakajima-Farran is an interesting player, because he has so much potential as a winger, but just hasn’t yet reached it. Nakajima-Farran has the pace and certainly the skill to beat a man and get down the wing but he seems to play within himself. He doesn’t seem confident in his ability to take on defenders, attack with pace and really pressure opposing teams in their own half of the pitch. Whether or not he becomes a starting winger for Canada over the next while has a lot to do with whether he starts taking risks and pushing the envelope as far as his attacking play is concerned. He is a player who could be near the top of this list in a few years time or could be completely off the radar by then it is hard to tell.

20. Daniel Imhof FC St. Gallen Daniel Imhof is the typical holding midfielder. He is good in the tackle, he gets stuck in, has a good positional sense, but doesn’t offer much more. He doesn’t have a massive threat going forward and I always thought that he was overrated because of the fact he did the simple things perfectly but not much else. In the end doing the little things may be enough, but I always wanted to see more out of Imhof. I think Bernier at his best is miles better than Imhof at his, but with Imhof you know exactly what you are going to get and that is why I have him is the higher ranked defensive midfielder.

19. Lars Hirschfeld Vålerenga Fotball In many ways Lars Hirschfeld is the opposite of Pat Onstad. He is a natural shot stopper, he has great reflexes and a knack for making brilliant saves. For this reason he is often more endeared towards supporters than Onstad, but he doesn’t have that same positional sense as Onstad and he is prone to making errors. His communication with defenders at times is shocking, but he gets out of it a lot of the time by virtue of very good reflexes. Despite these weaknesses Hirschfeld is still the best keeper Canada has at the moment and the fact I’ve ranked him as the nineteenth best player illustrates one of many immediate problems facing the national team.

18. Paul Stalteri Borussia Mönchengladbach After our National Team captain, Paul Stalteri, looked like his career was winding down to an end he has had a bit of resurgence in Germany playing alongside Rob Friend at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The right back for Canada has always been described over the past few years as a warrior which often means “he’s not very good but we like him”.  Since his move to Germany that has changed. Stalteri looks at home playing regular first division football again. He is defending well, while still finding time to bomb down the wing and look like the midfielder he used to be. I have Paul Stalteri a lot higher up on this list than I would have done a year ago.

17. Nana Attakora Toronto FC Nana Attakora was just given his first full international cap for Canada against Jamaica, but he has been an important part of the national program for much longer. When people talk about his coming out season with TFC where he was phenomenal they forget about his U-20 experience. In 2007 Attakora was part of the U-20 team, but in 2009 he captained the U-20 team and was their rock in the centre of defense. Attakora has always been a physically strong, competitive and technically skilled centre back. I am putting him so high up on the list for a nineteen-year-old not just based on his performance with Toronto FC last year, but also for his consistent performances with Canadian youth teams.

16. André Hainault Houston Dynamo People often underrate what André Hainault has done in a Canadian jersey as well. With Houston Hainault is very popular as a centre back who again is technically gifted, has a good positional sense and can pose an offensive threat. With Canada though he has also performed well with both the U-23’s recently and the Canadian National team. In Honduras he scored the only goal for the men’s national team as they bowed out of the World Cup with a 3-1 loss. Hainault is a typical gritty Canadian centre back, but has some skill on the ball. his biggest criticism is that  he can be inconsistent and he is prone to the odd howler. Still one of Canada’s top prospects at centre back.

15. Tomasz Radzinski Lierse Tomasz Radzinski is one of the few players who’s stock rose after World Cup Qualifying in 2008. He was a constant attacking threat throughout the qualifying tournament and pitched in with a goal against Mexico playing on the wing. His club form has been good as well, albeit in Belgium’s second division. When he played against his country of birth in Poland in November he showed that he still has what it takes to compete at the top level for Canada and was one of Canada’s most creative players. Radzinski is without a doubt a player who will have no real role in the future of the Canadian national team, but is still a player who can score goals and create at a high level of play.

14. Jamie Peters Ipswich Town Under Roy Keane’s management at Ipswich Jamie Peters has had a bit of a revival. He has played all across the midfield for Canada, but Keane has taken his versatility even further playing him at left back during the season. Peters best natural position is still probably out wide, but a creative player who can play in a variety of different positions is something Canada could really use. Peters is one of the players Hart may call upon to give Canada that extra attacking spark, and he certainly would be up to the task. One problem with Peters is his size which often allows opposing players to muscle him off the ball.

13. Marcel De Jong Roda JC For Canada the left side of the pitch is one of the strongest and because of it Marcel De Jong has found it difficult to make it on to a Canadian starting XI which he probably deserves a shot at based on skill. De Jong has a great shot and can play a decent ball into the box, but his lack of creativity is what puts him behind Josh Simpson as the top left midfielder. What De Jong does provide though is a solid defensive left sided midfielder who can help going forward as well. In big games for Canada where Canada are looking just to contain the opposition, especially against teams with a strong right side expect De Jong to be given opportunities, because he certainly will have a role to play in 2014 qualifying.

12. Josh Simpson Manisaspor Josh Simpson is another player who divides Canadian soccer supporters down the middle. After sharing time with De Jong on the right wing during the 2009 Gold Cup group stage Hart eventually decided to go with Simpson during the knockout stages. Simpson played a part against Honduras playing balls into the middle, but he has the tendency to completely disappear for a match. In the end I would rate Simpson’s best as better than De Jong’s, but De Jong is a little more consistent. When a similar issue came up in the Bernier vs. Imhof debate I went with consistency over potential, but here I’ve put Simpson ahead of De Jong. The main reason for this is that I think Simpson at his very best can really impact a game from the wing more than Bernier ever could in the centre of midfield, or De Jong could in the same position.

11. Kevin McKenna FC Köln Big Kevin McKenna came up huge for Canada at the most recent Gold Cup, and has been a fixture in Canadian teams in the past. Many say McKenna is past it, but I think he still has a role to play with the national team. McKenna starts regularly in the Bundesliga and he is one of the toughest tacklers Canada has. He is physical in the air which makes him an effective striker when needed and an anchor at the back. Kevin McKenna is not the ball playing centre back Canada could use at the but he is by far the strongest of any Canadian centre backs and he fully deserves at least a shout for the 2014 Qualifying squad.

10. David Edgar Burnley David Edgar certainly isn’t high up on this list based off of a solid career, but the skill he does show when he is playing is quite exciting for Canadian soccer fans. Recently he marked one of the hottest players in the world, Wayne Rooney, out of the match when Manchester United played Burnley. He didn’t look great when playing right back for Newcastle, but as a centre back Edgar certainly has “it”. His positional sense at centre back is fantastic, especially for a player of his age. He isn’t brilliant with the ball at his feet or going forward, but defensively he is one of the best Canada has. His timing going into tackles is impeccable, which is all the more impressive considering he’s doing this in the Premier League a notoriously fast paced league. It is still amazing Edgar has yet to make an appearance for the Canadian senior team.

9. Simeon Jackson Gillingham Simeon Jackson is a difficult player to place, because despite being a scoring machine he is doing this all in the third tier of England, not exactly the highest level. What really confirmed his place in the top ten are his performances against top teams and in big games. He scored in his debut for the Canadian National Team against Cyprus, he scored against Aston Villa in the F.A. Cup and he scored in a playoff final for Gillingham. Simeon is probably the most clinical Canadian finishers or all time, regardless of what level he is playing at. The biggest problem for Jackson’s national team hopes is that Canada usually plays with one up front and Jackson really needs a partner to work off of.

8. Iain Hume Barnsley Despite the injury Iain Hume is still one of the highest rated Canadians playing abroad. His stock has dropped since the move to Barnsley, but I still think he has the skill to be one of the best Canadians in the game at the moment. Maybe I am overrating him based on past performances, but his ability to come on as an impact sub and change the game is second to no other Canadian. He did it against the USA in 2007 and he did in Honduras in 2008. Hume can play up top or on the wing and provides an attacking threat from both positions. Hume’s energy is a big part of his game, he is high pressure and intensity type player who is very useful in tight games.

7. Dejan Jakovic DC United For those who read this blog regularly it is no secret that Dejan Jakovic is one of my favourite Canadian players. He is a centreback who can tackle well and is very good on the ball which is key. He was Canada’s best performer at the 2009 Gold Cup and his reputation with the D.C. United fans is fantastic. Jakovic is a conservative, slower centre back, but his ability to dish the ball out and play it along the ground is second to none in Canada. Jakovic is a name that often gets floated around to take up a holding midfield place for Canada, but he was a rock for Canada in 2009 and playing him anywhere  other that at the back would be a waste.

6. Will Johnson Real Salt Lake Starting almost every single game for a Championship winning team counts for a lot. Will Johnson is a key part of Real Salt Lake’s midfield, and he showed in the Gold Cup he can become a fixture in the Canadian midfield as well. Johnson can play further up the field as an attacking midfielder or as a scrappier holding midfielder. He also has experience playing on the wing for Canada. Johnson is a player who certainly has an eye for goal and an eye for the spectacular. Johnson is a gritty player who isn’t afraid to get stuck in, but offers a lot going forward as well. A real top class talent who will without a doubt be a fixture in Canadian teams to come.

5. Atiba Hutchinson F.C. Copenhagen A controlling centre midfielder who plays Champions League football every few years and is consistently starting in the Europa League. Atiba Hutchinson has been one of Canada’s best players over the past few years, two or three years ago he would have been in the top two or three players on this list, but since then he has had some poor performances with the national team and his stock has dropped slightly. That is not to say he isn’t still one of the best midfielders Canada has. Hutchinson gets stuck in, wins the ball and has decent distribution. He is one of few Canadian players who can contain world class players which he has done on several occasions with F.C. Copenhagen.

4. Rob Friend Borussia Mönchengladbach Some will say I have Rob Friend way too high, others will say he should be higher up. The problem with Rob Friend is that he is one of Canada’s best performers at the club level but has yet to really do it on the international stage for Canada. As a tall striker movement isn’t a strong point for Friend, but with good service he is lethal inside the eighteen yard box. He is great in the air, and when the ball is played along the ground his first touch as very good. Although Friend needs someone to play off and isn’t a target man, he is by far Canada’s most efficient goal scorer at the club level (a very high level in the Bundesliga). Friend may never be the player for Canada that his club form indicates, but based on pure ability Friend fully deserves this high ranking.

3. Dwayne De Rosario Toronto FC If this was a case of who could be the most important player for Canada come 2014 qualifying Dwayne De Rosario could have ended up number one on this list. He is everything that is not associated with Canadian soccer players. He is moody, he speaks his mind, he hogs the ball, he has flair, he has the confidence to pull off moves most others in Canada would never try, De Rosario brings something new to the Canadian soccer scene. With Toronto FC he had a very got season scoring goals and creating on a team that created very little throughout the season. De Rosario more than any other player in Canada has the potential to be a household name and if he starts performing at his best in big games with the national team he could be key if Canada are to make the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

2. Mike Klukowski Club Brugge Mike Klukowski is probably the only Canadian who would slot into his natural position in the starting XI of any other CONCACAF nation. Klukowski is everything that a left back should be. He is a smart defender he may not always get stuck in, but he rarely ever gets beaten. Going forward though is where the real threat of Klukowski is unleashed. He can play a ball into the box better than any other Canadian. He can beat men running forward and he makes perfect overlapping runs. Klukowski is one of the most underrated players in the CONCACAF region and certainly in Canada. Seeing him given Voyageur’s Player of the Year was great as Klukowski doesn’t get half of the recognition he deserves.

1. Julian de Guzman Toronto FC I am happy to say that the number one Canadian player (in my humble opinion) plays domestically. Despite returning to what is a lesser league in MLS, de Guzman remains Canada’s best player. De Guzman plays with a silky skill that no other Canadian can replicate. He takes the ball off of opponents effortlessly, his passing range is better than that of any other Canadian and he has a bullet of a shot. It will be interesting to see how de Guzman performs in his first full season for Toronto FC, because he will be another key player for Canada in 2014 qualifying. One thing about de Guzman as well which bolsters him above many others on the list is that he replicated his outstanding club play with Deportivo when he suited up for the national team. He has a Gold Cup MVP to his name, a goal against Brazil and several other outstanding performances under his belt. For the moment Julian de Guzman remains the number one Canadian player.