Latest / The Calcio Guys / 2026 FIFA World Cup Preview! How Far Will Canada Go? - Ep. 309 Ft. Stef Cioffi

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2026 FIFA World Cup Preview! How Far Will Canada Go? - Ep. 309 Ft. Stef Cioffi · The Calcio Guys

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: It's finally World Cup week. Canada kicks off the World
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Cup right here in Canada and Toronto. No better host,
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: no better guest than to have our friend from Toronto,
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Steph Trophy from the footy culture, Steph, How.
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: Was going good? World Cup time?
• 0:22
  Speaker 3: We feels like.
• 0:23
  Speaker 4: We've been waiting for this for a while.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: I think it was eight years ago, it was first down,
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: So it's it's it's finally coming.
• 0:28
  Speaker 4: Now we're what four days away? Three days? I lost
• 0:31
  Speaker 4: I lost count.
• 0:31
  Speaker 5: But I'm baking all those warm up games finally time
• 0:36
  Speaker 5: this week, so it's gonna be cool experience.
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: Uh, couch your guys with Johnny and Jano Nicholas. You
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: could follow us on on all your favorite podcasting platforms.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: Johnny and Johanna, How you guys doing.
• 0:50
  Speaker 4: Bob, I'm doing okay.
• 0:51
  Speaker 6: Uh.
• 0:52
  Speaker 7: You know, I know the World Cups around the corner
• 0:55
  Speaker 7: and it's in our own backyard. But I've been so
• 0:58
  Speaker 7: distracted with life lately that especially getting in the school
• 1:01
  Speaker 7: year and stuff that like, I haven't been even paying
• 1:05
  Speaker 7: paying attention to it besides the news about Team Canada
• 1:08
  Speaker 7: that get every once in a while.
• 1:10
  Speaker 6: About you, Adri, how does it feel for you?
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, man, listen, it's it's it's good.
• 1:14
  Speaker 7: Uh.
• 1:15
  Speaker 8: It could have been better. It should have been better
• 1:17
  Speaker 8: this matchup coming up on Friday. It should have been
• 1:19
  Speaker 8: the big matchup we we spoke about, you know, uh,
• 1:22
  Speaker 8: you know, many months ago now. But uh, you know
• 1:25
  Speaker 8: we're gonna have to We're gonna have to put that aside.
• 1:28
  Speaker 8: And uh and listen, it's as much as we want
• 1:31
  Speaker 8: to maybe avoid it as Italian fans, uh, you know,
• 1:34
  Speaker 8: it's hard to escape it. Listen, it's right around the corner,
• 1:36
  Speaker 8: like Nick said, and and it's in it's in stuff's backyard,
• 1:40
  Speaker 8: right So listen, I'm happy to talk about it.
• 1:42
  Speaker 3: You know, we're gonna be supporting no matter what, and
• 1:45
  Speaker 3: uh happy to happy to kick it off.
• 1:49
  Speaker 4: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: It no doubt that, you know, part of us is all,
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: you know, wishing Italy was here. But look, we still
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: have a team to support. You know, it's our it's
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: our home country team.
• 1:58
  Speaker 4: I know that, Uh know.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: Definitely we don't have the hopes in Canada as we
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: would have had in Italy to win the whole.
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: Thing, but regardless, we'll cheer for them.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: It's gonna be a fun time, you know, an interesting
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: tournament right, forty eight teams, so that's gonna be interesting
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: to see. But you know, Steph, I do want to
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: ask because Toronto is hosting a couple of games, including
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: Canada's first game against Bosnia on Friday.
• 2:20
  Speaker 4: You know, what's what is? What is the vibe like
• 2:22
  Speaker 4: in the city?
• 2:23
  Speaker 3: Is it?
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: You know, is everyone talking about it? What's it like
• 2:26
  Speaker 4: in Toronto?
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah?
• 2:27
  Speaker 5: I feel like, yeah, especially the last few weeks is
• 2:30
  Speaker 5: when it's really been amping up. Kind of everyone's been
• 2:32
  Speaker 5: talking about it, kind of finding out, you know, where
• 2:34
  Speaker 5: the FIFA fan fest village is, and just kind of
• 2:37
  Speaker 5: it's really cool, you know, seeing the whole city get
• 2:39
  Speaker 5: like decorated for the World Cup. Different places are turning
• 2:42
  Speaker 5: into like the Canada House and stuff like that. So
• 2:45
  Speaker 5: it's been a really cool experience, especially like going to
• 2:49
  Speaker 5: like some World Cup events I've had the chance to
• 2:51
  Speaker 5: go to the last week, you could really see that
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: everyone's really into it.
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: And I feel like even.
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: In general, a lot of more general people who maybe
• 2:58
  Speaker 5: don't always watch Opper are also getting really into it,
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: which is kind of the hope. You know, when you
• 3:04
  Speaker 5: do a World Cup in your city, that it becomes
• 3:06
  Speaker 5: like that. So yeah, it's been a cool experience so far.
• 3:09
  Speaker 8: I also think it's kind of been a bit more real,
• 3:11
  Speaker 8: Like you know, you're seeing the videos of you know,
• 3:13
  Speaker 8: the team buses kind of arriving at you know, the
• 3:15
  Speaker 8: certain locations, the certain destinations.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: You know, we're speaking.
• 3:18
  Speaker 8: Obviously about Canada and Toronto and all that, but you know,
• 3:22
  Speaker 8: I saw the Boss and your bus coming through your city,
• 3:24
  Speaker 8: right stuff in Toronto. Obviously, Team Canada, you know, touchdown
• 3:28
  Speaker 8: back in Toronto after they were here in Montreal for the.
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: Last tune up game. Uh it was yesterday, I believe.
• 3:32
  Speaker 8: So I think that's I don't know, as an outsider,
• 3:36
  Speaker 8: you know, obviously, as much as we like to say
• 3:38
  Speaker 8: it should have been in Montreal the tournament as well,
• 3:41
  Speaker 8: you know, it's I think that's as an outside looking in,
• 3:44
  Speaker 8: that's kind of like what I've been seeing just on
• 3:46
  Speaker 8: socials is like, you know, it's it's it's now. You know,
• 3:49
  Speaker 8: we forget like years away and now it's like days away, right,
• 3:53
  Speaker 8: And it's a bit more real with with with all
• 3:54
  Speaker 8: the teams, you know, going through their cams, going to
• 3:57
  Speaker 8: their home bases, like you said, Steph and uh yeah,
• 4:00
  Speaker 8: and listen, there's there's there's news all kinds before we
• 4:03
  Speaker 8: kind of get break it down, Steph, I just wanted
• 4:06
  Speaker 8: your your your thoughts just on the on the team,
• 4:09
  Speaker 8: Canada squad itself, obviously, Jesse Marsh making the making the selections.
• 4:14
  Speaker 8: You know, a couple was the last week or whatever,
• 4:16
  Speaker 8: and unfortunate injuries obviously has uh has kind of plagued
• 4:22
  Speaker 8: this this Canada side.
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: And you know, the the the biggest.
• 4:25
  Speaker 8: One that was already happened obviously, the Marcello Fors injury.
• 4:29
  Speaker 8: And now we're we're every every day as as Montreals.
• 4:32
  Speaker 8: We're looking Bombido is the in is the out right
• 4:34
  Speaker 8: like because you know he's he's up pride of here.
• 4:37
  Speaker 8: So just your overall thoughts, Steph, of of Marsh's call
• 4:41
  Speaker 8: ups and just kind of what your expectations are going
• 4:44
  Speaker 8: into a World Cup in your backyard.
• 4:47
  Speaker 5: So overall, I feel like I definitely I feel like
• 4:49
  Speaker 5: you picked the right squad. I mean, I feel like
• 4:51
  Speaker 5: we've kind of been seeing these players over and over again,
• 4:54
  Speaker 5: so I feel like most of it was kind of
• 4:55
  Speaker 5: what we expected. But definitely, you know, with like certain
• 4:58
  Speaker 5: injuries creeping up as I think where we're really gonna
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: you know, see when the like when the when the
• 5:04
  Speaker 5: lineup is on Friday, how that plays the fact I
• 5:07
  Speaker 5: was actually a big Marcello Flores fan. I thought the
• 5:10
  Speaker 5: two games he played for Canada the last window, when
• 5:13
  Speaker 5: the two games were in Toronto, I thought he was
• 5:15
  Speaker 5: really good, and I feel like, like going into the tournament,
• 5:18
  Speaker 5: I personally actually had him as more like an X
• 5:20
  Speaker 5: factor player for US because I feel like Canada doesn't
• 5:23
  Speaker 5: really have that winger who's creative, like not only in dribbling,
• 5:27
  Speaker 5: but you know, the passing and all that. So I'm
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: kind of really interested in seeing who maybe could step
• 5:32
  Speaker 5: up into that role. Maybe if that could be aldi Hamat,
• 5:36
  Speaker 5: it's kind of to be seen. Still, he's been hurt
• 5:38
  Speaker 5: so he didn't get to play last two games. But
• 5:41
  Speaker 5: over I like squad. I think another big one was
• 5:43
  Speaker 5: the fact that Promised David made the squad.
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: That was kind of an iffy thing, you.
• 5:47
  Speaker 5: Know, coming up, and I think Promise David is really
• 5:51
  Speaker 5: like a game changer for Canada. I really think he's
• 5:53
  Speaker 5: he could be the real difference Mays to build and
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: the finishing instinct he has as a striker I think
• 5:59
  Speaker 5: could be huge.
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: Trust.
• 6:00
  Speaker 5: So the fact he made this go on. I think
• 6:02
  Speaker 5: is like a huge kind of X factor for us
• 6:05
  Speaker 5: with Flores being out.
• 6:09
  Speaker 7: Well, one other injury that I feel that actually might
• 6:12
  Speaker 7: be deeper than we might think it is is moist Bombido.
• 6:17
  Speaker 7: I feel like it's something that it doesn't like it feels.
• 6:21
  Speaker 7: It feels like as if it might be an injury
• 6:23
  Speaker 7: that might go under the radar in your opinion, Like,
• 6:28
  Speaker 7: what do you think should be our solution for this?
• 6:30
  Speaker 7: Because I already think of something, but like, because if
• 6:32
  Speaker 7: I'm a mistaken he plays right back, center back, okay,
• 6:37
  Speaker 7: but he could play it, but he could play wing back. No,
• 6:39
  Speaker 7: I feel like as if I see him on the wing.
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: Back mainly, at least in this at least in this
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: team is mainly a center back.
• 6:45
  Speaker 7: Okay, well you know, uh, nonetheless, you know where do
• 6:49
  Speaker 7: you think Canada goes from here?
• 6:51
  Speaker 3: Too?
• 6:51
  Speaker 7: Because I feel like that's a bigger hole to fill
• 6:53
  Speaker 7: than some people might actually think.
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: Yeah, what are you saying it?
• 7:00
  Speaker 5: In terms of moist Bomb Beato, I think definitely is
• 7:02
  Speaker 5: like I think he was our best center back, so
• 7:04
  Speaker 5: it's definitely a position that's gonna be hard to fill.
• 7:08
  Speaker 5: But I'm actually a big fan of LDF. The young
• 7:12
  Speaker 5: center back Luke the Fdroy, and I thought he played
• 7:15
  Speaker 5: good in a lot of the friendlies leading up to it,
• 7:18
  Speaker 5: so I feel like he could kind of step in
• 7:20
  Speaker 5: and kind of really make his mark. I feel like
• 7:23
  Speaker 5: even in the last two friendlies he was good. The
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: Iron Game he came on versus, he was Backistan, I
• 7:28
  Speaker 5: thought he was good. So I feel like he's gonna
• 7:30
  Speaker 5: end up being the partnership with Cornelias because I feel
• 7:34
  Speaker 5: like at this point, even if bomb Beatle somehow does
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: play in the term, and I feel like it won't
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: be in the first game just because the fact, like
• 7:40
  Speaker 5: I don't think he's even training this week. So I
• 7:43
  Speaker 5: think that's the main kind of solution for now. And
• 7:46
  Speaker 5: I guess, like you know, certain world cuts, you have
• 7:48
  Speaker 5: players step up, So in that position, we're really gonna
• 7:51
  Speaker 5: need him to step up for us, do you think.
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: Sorry, Nick, I don't want to cut you off.
• 7:55
  Speaker 8: I just want to throw this in here since we're
• 7:56
  Speaker 8: on the bomb Beato topic, and you know, Steph, you
• 8:00
  Speaker 8: know Marsh's comments about Bombito.
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: There was reports obviously of.
• 8:04
  Speaker 8: Bombido being out of the World Cup, and now you know,
• 8:07
  Speaker 8: we fast forward to you know, yesterday, even into today,
• 8:10
  Speaker 8: it's like, well, no, Marsh is like, well, he's here,
• 8:13
  Speaker 8: and you know we're gonna give him, you know, until
• 8:14
  Speaker 8: the last possible moment to to to be ready in
• 8:18
  Speaker 8: any capacity you're a fan of that? Is that just
• 8:22
  Speaker 8: you know a bit of mind games by by Marsh,
• 8:25
  Speaker 8: like or you know, because let's say hypothetically and we
• 8:29
  Speaker 8: wish obviously the best from Moist Bombido obviously, like I said,
• 8:31
  Speaker 8: you know Montreal Pride, but uh, you know, if he's
• 8:36
  Speaker 8: not good to go and we need to bring somebody
• 8:38
  Speaker 8: else up, and you know that that person needs to
• 8:41
  Speaker 8: be like mentally ready to go. And I feel like
• 8:44
  Speaker 8: if you're gonna make that move at the last second,
• 8:46
  Speaker 8: that might you know, screw up some of the psyche.
• 8:49
  Speaker 8: Do you agree with that at all? Steph or is
• 8:51
  Speaker 8: or is giving Bombido like until the last moment you
• 8:56
  Speaker 8: know the right call by by by Jesse Marsh.
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: I think it's a tough one.
• 9:00
  Speaker 5: So I feel like, especially a coach like Marsh is
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: really someone who believes in his players, and he's always
• 9:05
  Speaker 5: kind of like back them like truly, like even like
• 9:08
  Speaker 5: with promised David, like he didn't play for the last
• 9:10
  Speaker 5: six months and NonStop he was trying to back him,
• 9:13
  Speaker 5: saying that he's gonna be ready for the World Cup,
• 9:15
  Speaker 5: and he was ready.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: But the only thing with the Moys bomb Beida situation.
• 9:18
  Speaker 5: That scares me is that, like, like you were saying,
• 9:20
  Speaker 5: you know, you like you want someone else to be
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: ready to step up and be ready. So if he's
• 9:25
  Speaker 5: not ready, like obviously it's nice of him, you know,
• 9:27
  Speaker 5: to back his players, but I feel like it's kind
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: of a double edged short because if he's not ready,
• 9:33
  Speaker 5: then like who who's the replacement for him? And like
• 9:36
  Speaker 5: at one point, are you gonna kind of like pull
• 9:38
  Speaker 5: the plug and say that he's not ready for the tournament?
• 9:41
  Speaker 3: Right?
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: So I think, you know.
• 9:44
  Speaker 5: It's hard to hard to say just because it's like
• 9:48
  Speaker 5: there's a lot of risk involved in it. And then
• 9:50
  Speaker 5: also you don't also want to bring a player who,
• 9:53
  Speaker 5: let's say, even if he does play and he gets
• 9:54
  Speaker 5: hurt again, then you can't replace him.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: So it's it's a tough one.
• 9:58
  Speaker 5: I understand he's our best center back, so I feel
• 10:01
  Speaker 5: like that's why he's doing it, But I mean I
• 10:03
  Speaker 5: think it's a really risky game, especially.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: The week of the opening game.
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: Yeah, honestly, that's exactly what I was gonna say before.
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: I think as much as it sucks for him, if
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: he's not one hundred percent, unfortunately, you just have to
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: leave it home. Leave him at home. This is the opportunity.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: Like you said, Steph, you can make the change.
• 10:23
  Speaker 8: Now.
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: Once a tournament starts, you can't make that change. And
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: look for Canada, their two most important games are on
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: Friday and the following Thursday. Yes, they're gonna have a
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: game coming up against Switzerland, but let's be real, that's
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: gonna be their toughest game and their points they're gonna
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: need to pick up versus Bosnia and Qatar. So if
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: he's not ready, you bring in a guy. I'm gonna say,
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: I'm gonna throw in a name like rap Presol because
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: he's a guy who could play center back and can
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: play right back, so he gives you that versatility. But
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: in terms of you know, two part questions, I last
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: questions about the lineups. I want to talk about, uh
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: you know what, talk about Canada's games after but uh
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: Marcello Flora, So who do you think will replace him?
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: And in terms of the starting lineup, do do you
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: expect any changes of you know, compared to the friendlies,
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: because I think one name that kind of had some
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: criticism online was Kyle Iron. Do you do you agree
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: with him starting alongside Jonathan David or do you think
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: a guy like promised David David or tannyelawis, Well, we'll
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: start alongside David.
• 11:30
  Speaker 5: So in terms of the replacement for Flores, I think
• 11:33
  Speaker 5: it's gonna be Jayden Nelson. I feel like, I feel
• 11:35
  Speaker 5: like that performance Yead and his backstand game is really good,
• 11:38
  Speaker 5: and I feel like in terms of the other players,
• 11:40
  Speaker 5: like especially it depends with Bombido Obviously, I feel like
• 11:44
  Speaker 5: because I heard that Prizo, obviously get could be part
• 11:48
  Speaker 5: of the GOO and get called up. But I feel
• 11:49
  Speaker 5: like it's better to have a like for like substitution,
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: like a change for Flores would be obviously Jayden Nelson
• 11:56
  Speaker 5: could play down that way, and I think it should
• 11:59
  Speaker 5: just be Jayden Nell because he's a very direct player
• 12:02
  Speaker 5: similar to Flores. And the last few games for Kendy
• 12:06
  Speaker 5: has been pretty good, Like I thought he was good
• 12:07
  Speaker 5: the last window for Canada and then the Bekistan game
• 12:10
  Speaker 5: obviously he scored and he was really lively, and I
• 12:13
  Speaker 5: feel like we need a winger like that who's direct
• 12:15
  Speaker 5: and could go out him. And then in terms of
• 12:18
  Speaker 5: the Kyle Laren, I think he's gonna play, but I
• 12:22
  Speaker 5: don't agree with it personally, but he just continues.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: I don't know. He just always is in.
• 12:27
  Speaker 5: The line of somehow I feel like how he plays,
• 12:29
  Speaker 5: so I'm a huge promise David Fan.
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: I also like Tanny Ola.
• 12:34
  Speaker 5: I think there they offer something different that Kyle Laren
• 12:37
  Speaker 5: doesn't have because I think with Kyle Laren.
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: Is if he doesn't score, to me, he has like
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: no impact in the game.
• 12:44
  Speaker 5: He doesn't hould up the ball that well, he doesn't
• 12:46
  Speaker 5: offer the passing ability. So that's what kind of confuses
• 12:49
  Speaker 5: me to how he just continuously plays if he doesn't score.
• 12:54
  Speaker 5: Like we saw Tanie olahe the it was Bekistang game,
• 12:57
  Speaker 5: he had two assists when he came out to the bench,
• 12:59
  Speaker 5: So that's something that Kylaren doesn't offer. But I just
• 13:03
  Speaker 5: feel like color is in a play, so I feel
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: like that's he's played every game, so I just don't
• 13:09
  Speaker 5: see him changing yet.
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: It's it's inevitable.
• 13:11
  Speaker 8: It's inevitable. Yeah, I agree with that honestly. Stuff it's
• 13:16
  Speaker 8: unfortunate because I would.
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: Go with the you know, the double David up top.
• 13:19
  Speaker 8: I think and and it's and it's crazy because you know,
• 13:23
  Speaker 8: as much as you know, some fans and people will
• 13:25
  Speaker 8: probably be excited about this kind of team because there
• 13:27
  Speaker 8: are some you know, good qualities about it. The scoring,
• 13:30
  Speaker 8: like you're kind of alluding to stuff, It has been
• 13:33
  Speaker 8: a bit of a problem, you know, especially with our
• 13:36
  Speaker 8: our our forwards. Uh that usually start you know Kyle Aron, Uh,
• 13:41
  Speaker 8: you know Jonathan David. I think both of them haven't
• 13:44
  Speaker 8: scored for Canada and open play with over ten matches.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: So, uh, you know, that's something to really look into. Listen.
• 13:50
  Speaker 8: I don't know if it has to be more in
• 13:52
  Speaker 8: training that needs to be you know, drilled home in
• 13:55
  Speaker 8: these players that listen.
• 13:56
  Speaker 3: We can defend all we want. We can play like this.
• 13:59
  Speaker 8: Quote unquote beautiful football, but at the end of the day,
• 14:01
  Speaker 8: you're in a term you need to score goals, you
• 14:02
  Speaker 8: need to win games union to pick up maximum points.
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: So does that scare you at all?
• 14:07
  Speaker 8: Before we kind of go into you know, Can's first
• 14:10
  Speaker 8: match against Bosnia or.
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: Like or is that you know something that can be fixed?
• 14:13
  Speaker 5: In your opinion, it does scare me, to be honest,
• 14:16
  Speaker 5: because yeah, we've it's been a struggle and open play.
• 14:19
  Speaker 5: And when you're facing a team like Bosnia, as Italy fans,
• 14:21
  Speaker 5: we know the way Bosnia plays, it's gonna be very
• 14:24
  Speaker 5: hard to score. They're very physical and that's like exactly
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: like a player like Promise David's perfect against a team
• 14:30
  Speaker 5: like that, because Promise David is he's a huge striker,
• 14:34
  Speaker 5: he's strong on the ball, he's fast, like that's the
• 14:36
  Speaker 5: type of player that would be a perfect matchup for them.
• 14:40
  Speaker 5: I know, Promise David with the injury is probably why
• 14:42
  Speaker 5: he's not gonna play, because he's coming back from an injury.
• 14:45
  Speaker 5: But yeah, it definitely is a worry, and especially when
• 14:48
  Speaker 5: you're facing a team like Bosnia, I think the struggling
• 14:51
  Speaker 5: to score is a problem just because we know how
• 14:53
  Speaker 5: they're gonna play. They're gonna sit back and they're gonna
• 14:55
  Speaker 5: kind of know, kind of try and counter score off
• 14:58
  Speaker 5: set pieces.
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: So it definitely please don't worry.
• 15:02
  Speaker 7: I mean that's something that we I think is the
• 15:04
  Speaker 7: biggest question mark for Canada since last tournament, you know,
• 15:09
  Speaker 7: like can we score those goals. We have players that
• 15:14
  Speaker 7: have shown the capacity of not just doing it on
• 15:17
  Speaker 7: international stage, but for their clubs to actually put that
• 15:20
  Speaker 7: ball in the net. But when it comes to like
• 15:24
  Speaker 7: like last tournament, guitar like, I'm not for anything.
• 15:27
  Speaker 6: It was a bit of a joke.
• 15:28
  Speaker 7: For you know how it took us a good while
• 15:31
  Speaker 7: just to get something going, and even when we did
• 15:33
  Speaker 7: show up, we were embarrassed.
• 15:35
  Speaker 6: Nonetheless, do you think.
• 15:38
  Speaker 7: Like it's more for like everybody, Do you guys think
• 15:40
  Speaker 7: like we honestly do better this time around, because you know,
• 15:44
  Speaker 7: recent tournaments in the past, I've been doubtful because the
• 15:47
  Speaker 7: maturity levels of the team, especially was the couple America
• 15:51
  Speaker 7: a couple last year two years ago where they where
• 15:53
  Speaker 7: they basically really underestimated their opponents and took it for
• 15:57
  Speaker 7: granted and got embarrassed out, got got a embarrassingly eliminated.
• 16:04
  Speaker 7: Do you think this squad has matured since then and
• 16:07
  Speaker 7: has understood where their issue is when it comes to
• 16:10
  Speaker 7: bigger games and scoring goals. Do you feel like a
• 16:12
  Speaker 7: little bit more confident with them now or do you
• 16:14
  Speaker 7: think that you know it third time is the charm
• 16:19
  Speaker 7: and its like we're gonna it's gonna be the same
• 16:21
  Speaker 7: thing over and over again.
• 16:22
  Speaker 6: Canada and the work up that's trouble scoring.
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: Uh, you're probably thinking the Gold Cup last year they
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: lost the Yeah was it Guatemala? I forget, but yeah,
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: the Copa Americas when they went to the semi finals
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: they lost against Argentina and then they left the penalties.
• 16:38
  Speaker 9: Yes, yeah, yeah, Okay, there's a tournament every summer. It's hard, exactly.
• 16:45
  Speaker 9: But if you got stephf you don't if you don't
• 16:47
  Speaker 9: mind all all start what all? What I'll say?
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: And you know we spoke about this before, Steph. That
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: Copa America was huge and I think it matured the
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: team a lot, and the fact that it was with
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: Marsh really helped personally. In terms of expectations, I think
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: Canada has to have a goal to get out of
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: the group simple as that.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: Look, first goal, win. Right.
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: They've never won a game of the World Cup. They've
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: never had a point at the World Cup in two tries. Right,
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: So more than just get a point, get a win. Look,
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: this is a home World Cup. If this wasn't a
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: home World Cup, maybe we'd be talking about different a
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: bit differently. But the fact that they have three group
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: stage games at home is huge. The fact that they
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: they only play the toughest team, Switzerland until the you know,
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: in the third game could help them because they could
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: focus on maybe getting six points. If they get six
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: points versus katar In Bosnia, they'll go into that Switzerland
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: Switzerland game with a lot less pressure. Let's be real,
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: I think we could say Canada does even have a
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: bit of pressure to at least have some success, because look, guys,
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: if they don't get a single point, it's an utter failure.
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: Straight up, it's an utter failure. We know this is
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: a good team. Look, I don't think they're gonna go
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: far in the sense that they're not you know, they're
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: not going to the quarterfinals. Like I said, I think
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: the expectation is to get out of the group, depending
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: if they get to the group, depending who they play
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: in the round. With thirty two, you know, maybe you
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: could reset expectations. But if they win any knockout game,
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: I think that's already a plus. They have first of
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: all win versus Bosnia. That's it that focus on that,
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: because already three points could get them out of the
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: group with the whole third place third place teams getting out.
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: You know, if I'm a betting man, I would say
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: most realistic, it's draw versus Bosnia win versus Guitar lost
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: versus Switzerland. But if Canada really wants to just get ahead,
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: is just get that win out of the way, get
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: it out of their heads. Come as strong. You got
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: that that crowd in Toronto, Come o strong. Score early,
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: and we know Bosnia is going to be physical. But
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: let's let's be real. That's the one thing they're good at.
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: They beat Italy with ten men for what over an
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: hour of play? You know, don't get a red card
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: to Cornelius. Don't do anything stupid, don't get.
• 19:04
  Speaker 4: A red card. Play eleven men a game, and I
• 19:06
  Speaker 4: think handed a cou win.
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: Uh, you know, in terms of scoring goals, that's what
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: they need to do to win, right, it's they're gonna
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: need to outscore their oppontents.
• 19:14
  Speaker 4: They're not gonna win games one nothing. They might win
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: games two, one, three, one even that that's it.
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: I think there are some expectations, and I do expect
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: them to get the group. Anything besides that might be disappointment.
• 19:27
  Speaker 4: I don't know about you, guys.
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: Steph.
• 19:29
  Speaker 8: I'll let you go because Nick said everything there is
• 19:31
  Speaker 8: to say, but I'll let you go anyways.
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: Stuff.
• 19:35
  Speaker 5: Ye kind of similar to them I mean, I think
• 19:36
  Speaker 5: it's a failure if they don't. Like to me, it's
• 19:39
  Speaker 5: a failure if they don't make it out of the group.
• 19:41
  Speaker 5: I think that Canada got a favorable draw getting to
• 19:44
  Speaker 5: face teams like Guitar and Bosnia. Obviously Switzerland's gonna be
• 19:48
  Speaker 5: a hard game. And I also think the way our
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: matches got drawing up kind of like what you drew on.
• 19:55
  Speaker 5: It's very favorable for Canaday to face Bosnia and Quitar
• 19:59
  Speaker 5: first and Rizerland third is huge.
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: For me.
• 20:02
  Speaker 5: The expectation is kind of like to draw to Bosny
• 20:05
  Speaker 5: and then you beat Guitar and then with the new format,
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: four points should be enough to get you through realistically,
• 20:11
  Speaker 5: especially with the third place team. So that's kind of
• 20:13
  Speaker 5: my expectation. And but I feel like with Jesse Marsh
• 20:17
  Speaker 5: as the coach, it's a such a different expectation compared
• 20:20
  Speaker 5: to the last World Cup. And not even to mention
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: to a lot of our players maturing, like we have
• 20:24
  Speaker 5: a lot more players in Europe now. I felt like
• 20:27
  Speaker 5: last time we had players you know who primarily played
• 20:30
  Speaker 5: in MLS, let's say, or just moved to Europe, and
• 20:33
  Speaker 5: now you know, we pretty much have a whole eleven minus.
• 20:35
  Speaker 5: I guess lorea like who plays in the European League.
• 20:39
  Speaker 5: So I think that's a big kind of plus for us,
• 20:43
  Speaker 5: and I think feel like, yeah, like with it being
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: at home, I think there is an expectation this time
• 20:48
  Speaker 5: to at least get out of the group.
• 20:50
  Speaker 8: Yeah, it's just to just to sum it up and
• 20:53
  Speaker 8: kind of just again go towards what Johnny's question was.
• 20:57
  Speaker 3: I think the mentality has changed too.
• 20:59
  Speaker 8: I think like said stuff just to bounce off to
• 21:01
  Speaker 8: what you just said, The mentality I think has changed. Uh,
• 21:04
  Speaker 8: you know in the team Canada camp and listen, you
• 21:07
  Speaker 8: have to give your followers to to to Marsh Listen
• 21:10
  Speaker 8: what he does in the tournament. Obviously will Well, I
• 21:13
  Speaker 8: don't want to say make or break, but you know,
• 21:15
  Speaker 8: close to it for for what he is as a
• 21:18
  Speaker 8: coach for Canada in a tournament setting. But I think
• 21:21
  Speaker 8: the mentality has changed. I think Herdman brought them as
• 21:25
  Speaker 8: far as they could have and now I think Marsha
• 21:27
  Speaker 8: has just taking them to another level.
• 21:30
  Speaker 3: All of that old guard.
• 21:31
  Speaker 8: Uh, you know, as much as you know you pay
• 21:33
  Speaker 8: your respect to the old guard, you know they're gone.
• 21:35
  Speaker 8: Uh we do have you know, fresher, younger, more exciting,
• 21:39
  Speaker 8: dynamic players. I think in the lineup mixed in with
• 21:44
  Speaker 8: you know, a splash of of you know, I guess
• 21:46
  Speaker 8: veteran experience if you will, you know, like the the Yuzurios,
• 21:50
  Speaker 8: the Larreas, the Aucer Johnston's, you know, those types of players.
• 21:53
  Speaker 8: But even you stock you for that matter, but you know,
• 21:57
  Speaker 8: you you got a you know a lot of other
• 21:59
  Speaker 8: you know, players on this on this team that to
• 22:02
  Speaker 8: again your points staff, you know, have made the jump
• 22:05
  Speaker 8: to to Europe, have been playing well in their clubs,
• 22:09
  Speaker 8: you know, throughout this throughout this season, and we stayed
• 22:12
  Speaker 8: all the time when we talk about tournament football, right too,
• 22:15
  Speaker 8: guys like, you know, as long as you're hot and
• 22:17
  Speaker 8: you're going into a tournament, just ride that, you know,
• 22:19
  Speaker 8: ride that hot wave and and you know what, the
• 22:23
  Speaker 8: let the chips fall where they may. So listen, I think,
• 22:27
  Speaker 8: just again to to bounce off to what both guys said,
• 22:31
  Speaker 8: I do expect them to finish second. In my head,
• 22:34
  Speaker 8: it's it's Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Qatar. I think that's
• 22:39
  Speaker 8: kind of what a lot of Canadian fans are probably saying.
• 22:43
  Speaker 8: Unless you're a real diehard and saying listen, Kan's going
• 22:45
  Speaker 8: to finish first, and listen, you never know. It's it's
• 22:47
  Speaker 8: it's tournament football. Anything can happen, but it has to
• 22:51
  Speaker 8: start with with game one. Like you guys said, I
• 22:54
  Speaker 8: absolutely agree with that. But to bring back what Nick
• 22:58
  Speaker 8: said earlier last last World Cup, you know, we finally
• 23:02
  Speaker 8: got that first goal. Alfonso Davies had the moment. Right now,
• 23:06
  Speaker 8: we need to have that same moment. But in terms
• 23:08
  Speaker 8: of a first win in a World Cup. So I
• 23:11
  Speaker 8: agree with what you say, Nick, like we need they
• 23:13
  Speaker 8: need to win, like they need to win, like you
• 23:15
  Speaker 8: can't draw your way out of the group. I don't
• 23:17
  Speaker 8: think personally because I don't think that those three points.
• 23:21
  Speaker 8: You know, maybe the four, like you said, Steph, will
• 23:23
  Speaker 8: will get you by, you know, with the with the
• 23:25
  Speaker 8: new format, but I don't think three cuts it in
• 23:27
  Speaker 8: my personal opinion. So put all your energy at least
• 23:31
  Speaker 8: into these first two games. The last one it's it's
• 23:34
  Speaker 8: gonna be or it's gonna be you're facing Switzerland, depending
• 23:37
  Speaker 8: how things do shape up with the other matchups. You know,
• 23:40
  Speaker 8: maybe they're struggling more than we would expect. So listen,
• 23:44
  Speaker 8: at the end of the day, anything can happen. So
• 23:47
  Speaker 8: they just have to worry about their you know, their
• 23:50
  Speaker 8: their game, their you know, their their focuses.
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: It should be on that. And listen there, there's kind of.
• 23:57
  Speaker 8: Like what I was saying there, you know, there's there's
• 23:58
  Speaker 8: a lot more fresher blood think in this in this team.
• 24:01
  Speaker 8: And I hope some of these stars that you know,
• 24:05
  Speaker 8: as as general fans, as fans that you know, watch
• 24:08
  Speaker 8: watch the Canadian national team, you know, just fans of
• 24:11
  Speaker 8: of of players or what have you. I think you
• 24:14
  Speaker 8: can kind of see that there is a bit of
• 24:16
  Speaker 8: a change from from last time around. And you know,
• 24:21
  Speaker 8: for for me, you know, a guy like he's Malcone
• 24:23
  Speaker 8: has is going to be an X factor, you know,
• 24:24
  Speaker 8: kind of like you said for for for promised David,
• 24:26
  Speaker 8: which I hope he does make an impact on on
• 24:29
  Speaker 8: this tournament.
• 24:29
  Speaker 3: But for me, it's you know, he is Malcone.
• 24:31
  Speaker 8: I think the guys can probably agree Cony is our guy.
• 24:35
  Speaker 3: Uh so, uh, you know, we want him to see
• 24:37
  Speaker 3: him do well and.
• 24:39
  Speaker 8: Just just his jump from watching him in Steady as
• 24:42
  Speaker 8: Steff and obviously we're all steady ad guys here, but
• 24:45
  Speaker 8: seeing him at us Wall this year and and just
• 24:48
  Speaker 8: the jump that he's made and kind of you know,
• 24:51
  Speaker 8: being playing more free. I think because the mess at Marseille,
• 24:55
  Speaker 8: I think really screwed him up a bit, you know,
• 24:57
  Speaker 8: psychologically coming to a fresher fresher you know, uh. Part
• 25:02
  Speaker 8: of the journey for him, I think has been really good,
• 25:05
  Speaker 8: especially in this World Cup year. So I think, like
• 25:08
  Speaker 8: anybody listening, expect these Malcone two to be an X
• 25:10
  Speaker 8: factor in this in this tournament for Canada.
• 25:13
  Speaker 7: I I like the fact that you're bringing up X
• 25:16
  Speaker 7: factors in the game because, like the group the goal
• 25:20
  Speaker 7: is group stage. The goal is to get past the
• 25:22
  Speaker 7: group stage. That is one hundred percent the goal. I
• 25:24
  Speaker 7: don't think anybody's denying that. I think speaking of the midfield,
• 25:28
  Speaker 7: I think that's probably where we're I know, like we
• 25:31
  Speaker 7: have good strikers and we have good forwards, but I
• 25:33
  Speaker 7: think our midfield is where we really are blessed. And
• 25:37
  Speaker 7: and I like the fact to bring up X factors
• 25:39
  Speaker 7: because one player that has shown to be either the
• 25:42
  Speaker 7: biggest one of the biggest x X factors but also
• 25:45
  Speaker 7: can be at times one of the biggest detractors of
• 25:48
  Speaker 7: the team is Schaffelberg.
• 25:50
  Speaker 6: I think Schaffelberg is one of those guys that.
• 25:53
  Speaker 7: You know because there's the tournaments where he's probably like
• 25:57
  Speaker 7: the best player possible, like the best player on the field,
• 25:59
  Speaker 7: and then you're tournament's like last year in a Goal Cup.
• 26:01
  Speaker 6: Where it's like, what the fuck are you doing?
• 26:03
  Speaker 3: My guy?
• 26:03
  Speaker 6: Like what is your decision making that's going on?
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: We need maritime MESSI or or not I guess right.
• 26:09
  Speaker 6: Yeah, or maritime missy. You know what I mean.
• 26:11
  Speaker 3: It's just it's.
• 26:14
  Speaker 7: It's something where it's like it's when he's when he's
• 26:17
  Speaker 7: on the game, when he's on his game, he's I
• 26:20
  Speaker 7: think of one of the bettert the forces that we have.
• 26:23
  Speaker 6: So one player I want to throw my.
• 26:26
  Speaker 7: Hat into, like the ring for the competition is I
• 26:30
  Speaker 7: think in terms of like big X factor, I think
• 26:32
  Speaker 7: is Schaffelberg. And I I'm hoping that he actually has
• 26:36
  Speaker 7: a stand up tournament because now you're playing like it
• 26:39
  Speaker 7: was one thing to play in guitar and it's one
• 26:41
  Speaker 7: thing to play in these other tournaments, but now you're
• 26:42
  Speaker 7: playing the World Cup at home. This is an opportunity
• 26:46
  Speaker 7: to shine very bright for your nation, right And these
• 26:49
  Speaker 7: are a lot of players that obviously are looking forward
• 26:51
  Speaker 7: to this opportunity so be a good demonstration of what
• 26:57
  Speaker 7: Canada is.
• 26:59
  Speaker 6: You know what I'm trying to say.
• 27:00
  Speaker 7: Ye, Like, I'm not talking about just for sportsmanship, but
• 27:03
  Speaker 7: also for competitiveness, mind you. Like what I'm gonna mention
• 27:07
  Speaker 7: is like the O two Korea showing. You know, you
• 27:09
  Speaker 7: could say it was a bit fixed to where they
• 27:11
  Speaker 7: got to where they were, but you know it's nice
• 27:13
  Speaker 7: when you see the host nation actually have some form
• 27:16
  Speaker 7: of success. So if if these players, specifically some bigger
• 27:21
  Speaker 7: players can help carry the team too, like a round
• 27:25
  Speaker 7: of like sixteen type of showing, I think I think
• 27:28
  Speaker 7: that's great. I think, honestly speaking, that's something much bigger
• 27:31
  Speaker 7: than we expected. So that's that's a that's a player.
• 27:35
  Speaker 7: I'm kind of keeping my eye, my eye on the
• 27:37
  Speaker 7: most out of all them.
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: But as long as he gets back healthy, I think,
• 27:41
  Speaker 3: yeah he can. He can.
• 27:43
  Speaker 8: He has the potential I think Steph can probably agree.
• 27:45
  Speaker 8: He has the potential to to to make an impact,
• 27:48
  Speaker 8: you know, to maybe replace that Marcel for as type
• 27:52
  Speaker 8: of player Jada Nelson, you know those those names that's
• 27:54
  Speaker 8: circling on the on that left side. I think, you know, Schoffelberg,
• 27:58
  Speaker 8: if he gets if he gets back, excuse me, if
• 28:00
  Speaker 8: he gets back a fit kind of like even like
• 28:02
  Speaker 8: ah yah ed right, these guys get fit, I think
• 28:04
  Speaker 8: they can make an impact on that left side, you know,
• 28:08
  Speaker 8: especially especially going forward, because if that's if that's still
• 28:13
  Speaker 8: the position.
• 28:14
  Speaker 3: Of of of worry.
• 28:18
  Speaker 8: To Johnny's point, I would have to agree. Like, you know,
• 28:21
  Speaker 8: we've seen him still out for Canada, Shoffelberg, right.
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: And listen, I think he has it.
• 28:29
  Speaker 8: It's for me, it's a it's a it's a race
• 28:30
  Speaker 8: against time for a lot of these players stuff to
• 28:33
  Speaker 8: get healthy and to get healthy you know, quickly, quickly enough.
• 28:37
  Speaker 3: Yeah, many, Yeah, yeah, we're going to get into that
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: for sure.
• 28:42
  Speaker 4: Uh. I you know one thing I didn't want to say.
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: I don't know if you guys uh want to add
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: anything else about Canada. I did want to also talk
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: about the rest of the World Cup as whole. And
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: know you mentioned Davies.
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: Yeah, well Davies.
• 28:57
  Speaker 8: I mean, listen, I think that's the biggest I think
• 28:59
  Speaker 8: that's the biggest news, right, Steph, Like the biggest news
• 29:01
  Speaker 8: out of out of team Canada camp is a funds
• 29:04
  Speaker 8: of Davies. You know, there's reports where you know he's
• 29:07
  Speaker 8: probably not going to be ready for Bosnia, but then
• 29:09
  Speaker 8: there's and then there's other and then he'll probably maybe
• 29:11
  Speaker 8: come back, you know, for the next games, but then
• 29:13
  Speaker 8: there's other reports that you're seeing is like, you know,
• 29:15
  Speaker 8: he might not even play for Canada to worke up
• 29:18
  Speaker 8: at all this time around.
• 29:19
  Speaker 3: So that's a worrisome thing.
• 29:21
  Speaker 8: I think for just even just if you're not a
• 29:23
  Speaker 8: hardcore team Canada fan and you're just a general fan,
• 29:26
  Speaker 8: you're or you just want to support, you know, that's
• 29:29
  Speaker 8: worrisome because you know, like it or not, that's you know,
• 29:33
  Speaker 8: we can like other players and X factor this X
• 29:35
  Speaker 8: factor that but Alfonso Davies is Canada is that he
• 29:39
  Speaker 8: is our best player, right, So Steph, how much of
• 29:42
  Speaker 8: a worry is it that we're still like a bit
• 29:44
  Speaker 8: in the dark of.
• 29:46
  Speaker 3: What his his.
• 29:47
  Speaker 8: His health looks like, you know, going into the tournament
• 29:50
  Speaker 8: and I guess we can make a prediction. Do we
• 29:53
  Speaker 8: see al funds of Davies you know, play in this
• 29:54
  Speaker 8: World Cup at all?
• 29:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure.
• 29:58
  Speaker 5: It's a huge worry with the player like Davy, just
• 30:00
  Speaker 5: because even how versatile he is, like even if he
• 30:02
  Speaker 5: is fit and even maybe you can even see him
• 30:05
  Speaker 5: playing higher up the pitch as like a lead because
• 30:09
  Speaker 5: we have some another team, I feel like, so uh,
• 30:12
  Speaker 5: but yeah, it's a huge worry, even just about form,
• 30:15
  Speaker 5: you know, because when you haven't played in so long
• 30:17
  Speaker 5: and you're playing off like you questioned, like, even if
• 30:19
  Speaker 5: he does come back, what version of Davies are we
• 30:22
  Speaker 5: gonna get? Right, So, like he came back for barn Munich,
• 30:26
  Speaker 5: I think it was for like a few games he
• 30:27
  Speaker 5: got hurt again, and especially a player like him so
• 30:31
  Speaker 5: heavily on his speed going up and down the pitch,
• 30:33
  Speaker 5: Like I feel like that's obviously a huge worry. And
• 30:36
  Speaker 5: the fact that it's kind of been like they haven't
• 30:40
  Speaker 5: announced too much about it, and like you said, there's
• 30:42
  Speaker 5: a lot of altering reports, like some people saying he
• 30:45
  Speaker 5: might not play and then some people saying he'll be
• 30:47
  Speaker 5: back the second.
• 30:48
  Speaker 2: Game is a huge worry.
• 30:50
  Speaker 5: I feel like we're gonna see him because I feel
• 30:51
  Speaker 5: like a player like Davies, how much Canada means him
• 30:54
  Speaker 5: and the prior he takes playing for Canada, I feel
• 30:57
  Speaker 5: like he's gonna give it a go regardless, even if
• 31:00
  Speaker 5: he isn't one hundred percent. So I feel like, for
• 31:01
  Speaker 5: sure we'll see him maybe the hopefully the second game,
• 31:05
  Speaker 5: if not the third game.
• 31:07
  Speaker 8: Yeah, and I think I don't know if you guys agree,
• 31:09
  Speaker 8: you know, Johnny Nick, you know, even like an eighty
• 31:12
  Speaker 8: percent Davies I take I don't know about you guys,
• 31:15
  Speaker 8: but I would even take an eighty percent, you know,
• 31:17
  Speaker 8: seventy five percent Davies because.
• 31:18
  Speaker 3: You know, I just listen, he's just unbelievable, unbelievable talent,
• 31:23
  Speaker 3: unvoluable player. We've said it time and time again. No,
• 31:25
  Speaker 3: everybody that's.
• 31:26
  Speaker 8: You know, listening to this knows, uh, you know who
• 31:29
  Speaker 8: Alfonso Davies is now. And I was I would take
• 31:32
  Speaker 8: them my that percentage. I know I might hinder the team,
• 31:35
  Speaker 8: but you know, you need to put all the eggs
• 31:38
  Speaker 8: in the basket, and I think Davies has to be
• 31:40
  Speaker 8: in that basket.
• 31:40
  Speaker 3: I don't know about you guys, if if you guys
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: agree there or I.
• 31:43
  Speaker 7: Agree, No, I agree, you definitely have to bring him
• 31:45
  Speaker 7: because even if he doesn't play, he's a talisman for
• 31:47
  Speaker 7: the team just having him around, you know, like when
• 31:50
  Speaker 7: the players see their best, Like, let's be honest, you're
• 31:53
  Speaker 7: the best player on the roster who's not there physically fit,
• 31:57
  Speaker 7: but is there to still support them to spiritually it
• 32:01
  Speaker 7: still motivates them because they're like.
• 32:02
  Speaker 6: Let's do this for him.
• 32:03
  Speaker 7: You know, let's let's let's do it for Davies because
• 32:06
  Speaker 7: you know, you know, they fought tooth and nail to
• 32:09
  Speaker 7: get to Canada where they are today, and now you
• 32:11
  Speaker 7: have an opportunity to demonstrate Canada the World Cup. It's like,
• 32:13
  Speaker 7: it's the guy. It's it's killing him on the insight
• 32:16
  Speaker 7: and I'll play, you know, like he's gonna.
• 32:18
  Speaker 6: Find any way to play.
• 32:19
  Speaker 7: And if they see that, they're definitely gonna have that
• 32:22
  Speaker 7: motivation to you know, let's.
• 32:24
  Speaker 6: Do it for him. And then who knows, maybe if
• 32:27
  Speaker 6: we do it long enough.
• 32:27
  Speaker 7: Maybe Davies might have an opportunity to play a game
• 32:30
  Speaker 7: on half a foot, you know, like just to just
• 32:32
  Speaker 7: to like even field himself for five minutes, you know,
• 32:34
  Speaker 7: just to say that he was on the field for
• 32:37
  Speaker 7: a Canadian World Cup.
• 32:38
  Speaker 10: You know, like.
• 32:40
  Speaker 7: I'd say, bring him, even if you're wasting a roster spot.
• 32:44
  Speaker 7: I don't care for a player like Alfonso Davies. You
• 32:47
  Speaker 7: definitely do it because this is a player that's the
• 32:50
  Speaker 7: best in the world at his position when he's healthy.
• 32:53
  Speaker 7: You know, like It's how many countries can say that,
• 32:56
  Speaker 7: you know, and you have the opportunity to just you know,
• 33:01
  Speaker 7: give him that moment.
• 33:02
  Speaker 6: So give him that moment, don't take.
• 33:03
  Speaker 3: It away from him.
• 33:04
  Speaker 7: And you know, I'd say it would be terrible to
• 33:08
  Speaker 7: not when the final curtain call comes in to like
• 33:11
  Speaker 7: not have him there.
• 33:12
  Speaker 3: You know.
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not like Moys Bombido where you know, with
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: all due respect with Moys Bmbido, as much as we'd
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: love to see him, unfortunately he is replaceable.
• 33:23
  Speaker 4: Right on funds of Davies, isn't He's a guy?
• 33:27
  Speaker 1: He said, guy said seventy five eighty, Uh, you still
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: bring him. Look, I think a deal scenario for Canada,
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: they beat they beat Bosnia. You know, even if if
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: Davies can't play for his guitar, they beat guitar six points.
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: He doesn't have to play for Switzerland and then he
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: goes out and plays it round with thirty two or
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: or you know, if you seriously injured. They make it
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: all the way to the final and he joins them
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: for a game winning goal.
• 33:50
  Speaker 4: La steven S tamcos.
• 33:54
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we'll see.
• 33:55
  Speaker 8: But just the two other things I kind of just
• 33:57
  Speaker 8: want to bring up on on on Canada. One's a
• 33:59
  Speaker 8: fun one. Ones just want to give just want to
• 34:01
  Speaker 8: give his flowers. West And I know there's three Quebecers
• 34:05
  Speaker 8: and and and one one guy from Ontario here, but
• 34:08
  Speaker 8: Maxim Cripple, I think, you know, to get to starting
• 34:11
  Speaker 8: starting going position, I think was huge And I just want
• 34:14
  Speaker 8: to give him his flowers because for me, when he's
• 34:16
  Speaker 8: between the sticks, I think I'm a bit more confident.
• 34:18
  Speaker 8: No disrespect to Dane Saint Claire steph uh, but Cripple,
• 34:22
  Speaker 8: I think he's showing it time and time again when
• 34:25
  Speaker 8: he when he shoots up for Canada, he's uh, he's
• 34:28
  Speaker 8: he's a you know, he's a really you know brick
• 34:29
  Speaker 8: wall back there and he really stops it all. You know,
• 34:31
  Speaker 8: just even the game here in Montreal, right against against
• 34:34
  Speaker 8: Ireland that you know, the he saved the penalty and
• 34:36
  Speaker 8: then unfortunately, you know, you know, he gets scored on
• 34:39
  Speaker 8: or that you know, one on one in front of
• 34:41
  Speaker 8: the net there. I think it was mel or whatever
• 34:43
  Speaker 8: the guy's name was there and he made that crazy save.
• 34:46
  Speaker 3: So I just want to give crip Pole his fowers.
• 34:47
  Speaker 8: I don't know if you guys agreed with the decision
• 34:50
  Speaker 8: of marsh making Cripple the starter.
• 34:52
  Speaker 3: But I just wanted to say that and I just
• 34:54
  Speaker 3: had another fun thing before we we move on here, Steph.
• 34:58
  Speaker 5: I don't know if you agreed, disagree, agree, and especially
• 35:00
  Speaker 5: if you remember like that Cup of America run.
• 35:03
  Speaker 2: To me, Prepo was cute. He was like one of
• 35:05
  Speaker 2: the m vps of the team, like.
• 35:07
  Speaker 5: And that's the thing in a tournament football, a goalie
• 35:10
  Speaker 5: getting hot is so huge for your team, Like they
• 35:13
  Speaker 5: could keep you in a game, they could they could
• 35:15
  Speaker 5: like raise the level of the game, like and I
• 35:17
  Speaker 5: felt like Prepo did that at the Cup of America.
• 35:19
  Speaker 5: So I was I wanted him to make the team.
• 35:21
  Speaker 5: I wanted him to be the starter, just because we
• 35:24
  Speaker 5: know he's been in that situation and we knew that
• 35:26
  Speaker 5: in the past. I felt, especially in that Cup of
• 35:29
  Speaker 5: Cup America run when we were not scoring, he was
• 35:31
  Speaker 5: keeping us in all those games, making crazy saves in
• 35:34
  Speaker 5: the Argentina game, Q is huge. So having a goalie
• 35:37
  Speaker 5: like that, especially a goalie who really like has so
• 35:40
  Speaker 5: much like pride for playing for the Canadian national team,
• 35:43
  Speaker 5: like I saw him tearing up at the at the
• 35:45
  Speaker 5: Game of Month. Well, like that's exactly the type of
• 35:48
  Speaker 5: stuff you want to see and the energy you need
• 35:50
  Speaker 5: in the World Cup.
• 35:51
  Speaker 8: Yeah, I agree, and especially after breaking his leg, right
• 35:54
  Speaker 8: was that ago?
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I was gonna say, this is what happens when
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: you put a KBA quad goalie on a team Canada
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: by the way, sorry Jordan being and ten, and this
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: is what happens with.
• 36:03
  Speaker 8: Bobby Lou Baby, Bobby Lou White show price with the
• 36:07
  Speaker 8: gold medal guy from Vancouver.
• 36:09
  Speaker 3: You know you could do.
• 36:09
  Speaker 4: That too, another Montreal based goalie.
• 36:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I guess you're right, But yeah, I know I agree,
• 36:15
  Speaker 3: and especially after.
• 36:16
  Speaker 8: You know, obviously the devastating injury of before the last
• 36:19
  Speaker 8: World Cup, you know, breaking his breaking his leg and
• 36:20
  Speaker 8: all that.
• 36:21
  Speaker 3: Just the comeback for Cripple I think has been huge.
• 36:23
  Speaker 8: And you know, hopefully he goes, you know, he turns
• 36:26
  Speaker 8: into mad Max, you know between the pipes, right, because
• 36:29
  Speaker 8: I think we'll need that just even to maybe keep
• 36:31
  Speaker 8: us in the game or even potentially steal us the
• 36:33
  Speaker 8: game and win us the game. Right, so you never know.
• 36:36
  Speaker 8: One last thing I just wanted to throw out there
• 36:38
  Speaker 8: with Canada.
• 36:40
  Speaker 3: Man, those those those.
• 36:42
  Speaker 8: Pregame train those pregame suits are fucking nice, man. I
• 36:46
  Speaker 8: gotta say listen. I don't know, man, I know Jizzy Drake,
• 36:48
  Speaker 8: you know, he he he, you know, he spits on
• 36:50
  Speaker 8: he spits the bars. But bro, the fucking the jumpers there.
• 36:53
  Speaker 3: That they were, they were, they were looking good.
• 36:55
  Speaker 8: I don't know when we can get our hands on that, Steph.
• 36:57
  Speaker 8: I don't know, if you have some inside scoop there
• 36:58
  Speaker 8: in Toronto, I don't know, but we need to get
• 37:00
  Speaker 8: our hands on that because they're really dope.
• 37:02
  Speaker 2: I think it's June sixteen. They're coming out June sixteen.
• 37:06
  Speaker 3: They're we're going to cost you an harm and a leg.
• 37:08
  Speaker 3: But they walk nice, man, I gotta say, I don't know.
• 37:10
  Speaker 8: I don't know if you got to see them, because
• 37:11
  Speaker 8: I know you've probably been around, Uh, you've been around
• 37:14
  Speaker 8: the guys I've been seeing on socials, right, It's like
• 37:15
  Speaker 8: you've been pretty active.
• 37:16
  Speaker 3: So I don't know if you've seen them.
• 37:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it looks really nice. I'll see them definitely.
• 37:21
  Speaker 5: Uh, perfect kind of gear to get it right for
• 37:24
  Speaker 5: the World Cup, kind of getting everyone's eyes on Canada
• 37:27
  Speaker 5: just with those alone.
• 37:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. Even if we don't do nothing, I wish
• 37:30
  Speaker 3: we look good. Right, So there's there's that, I think.
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: Uh, and guys. You know, one last thing I'll say
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: about Canada is, you know, think about it. Ten years ago,
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: we would have laughed at each other if we were
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: talking about Canada World couple.
• 37:47
  Speaker 7: Ka.
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: I know there was always talks about Canada hosting World
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: Cup even ten years ago.
• 37:50
  Speaker 4: But the fact that they qualified for one.
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: Four years ago, and the fact that you know, we're
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: talking about them having expectations even get out of a
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: group is is you know, it goes to show kind
• 38:01
  Speaker 1: of soccer's done a great job starting from the grassropers level. Look,
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: soccer is the number one played a sport amongst youth
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: and Canada. I know we have a stereotype for playing hockey,
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: but no more kids play soccer.
• 38:12
  Speaker 3: It's kids for soccer.
• 38:13
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it's more accessible, it's more affordable.
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: But not only that, kind of soccer is doing a
• 38:17
  Speaker 1: good job taking those kids that are playing and growing them,
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: not only with the boys, with the girls too. Look,
• 38:21
  Speaker 1: we have an amazing women's program as well. So I
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: am confident. I know we're not the biggest country in
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: the world. You know, I don't know forty million people. Now,
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: you know you don't have the biggest you know, population
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: pool out of all the countries in the World Cup.
• 38:36
  Speaker 4: But they're doing a great job and it's awesome to see.
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: And I'm excited to see the effects in maybe ten
• 38:42
  Speaker 1: years of what this World Cup's going to be, because
• 38:44
  Speaker 1: maybe in ten years or fifteen years, we're gonna have
• 38:46
  Speaker 1: guys on the national team talking about how they went
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: to go see Jonathan David score versus Bosnia in June
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: twelfth in Toronto, Right, So I think that's the most
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: exciting times. Summer World Cup is a great feeling as well.
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: Excited for that, you know that part was missing right
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: last World Cup it being in November December.
• 39:05
  Speaker 4: So I'm excited.
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: I'm excited for the World Cup and you know, even
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: as a whole, guys, are there any favorites you think
• 39:12
  Speaker 1: because this is a hard tournament to predict forty eight teams,
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: even the format, like with all these combinations of third
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: place of who plays who, you know you could finish
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: second in your group, is still play another second place
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: team in the not in around with thirty two. I
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: think it's so hard, But you know, there are the favorites.
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: I don't know about you, guys, but for me, I
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: think Spain, I know they are the betting favorites now.
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: I think it makes sense. They're such a good team
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: that are coming off Euro win. But at the same time,
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: they haven't done much in the World Cup since winning
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: back in twenty ten, so it could have go either
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: one of two ways. They continue that failure World Cups
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: or maybe this new younger generation kind of rebounds. But
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: if it's not Spain, I hate to say it, but England.
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: England's a team. They've lost the last two euro finals.
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: They're they're hungry. They went to the semifinals in twenty eighteen.
• 39:55
  Speaker 1: I forget what they did in twenty twenty two, they
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: losing the quarter.
• 39:57
  Speaker 8: Hungry for what they're hungry for fishing ships.
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: That's why I hate the same ag But I do
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: think England the only the only question with England, I
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: think they have the toughest group. Actually Croatia, Croatia Gata
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: and Panama. Portugal is another name. You know, maybe Christiano
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: is gonna be hungry after seeing uh Messi win and
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: you know, unfortunately for Argentina. Argentina, I think the curse
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: of you know, defending champion might come back and bite them.
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: The only team that kind of you.
• 40:29
  Speaker 2: Know, aging team as well, So yeah.
• 40:32
  Speaker 4: I don't know, they might run on a team.
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: I think the only one advantage Argentina has is a
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: lot of these guys know what it's like playing in
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: the US right between you know, DePaul and Messi two
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: guys for example. So you know those are three teams
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: off top of the man and you know, I'm gonna
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: be a good bye. I'm gonna say Brazil as well,
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: not because of the players, because of mister Anchilotti as coach,
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: one of the best coaches to ever do it. He
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: might be hungry for a World Cup as a coach.
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: So an Italian might still win the World Cup this year.
• 41:01
  Speaker 8: Well, MESSI went it last time, and you know there's
• 41:03
  Speaker 8: there's Italian roots there, right.
• 41:04
  Speaker 4: So there you go.
• 41:05
  Speaker 3: Whatever you know when, yeah, exactly, we'll take it.
• 41:10
  Speaker 8: Steph, I guess we'll get We'll shift it to you first,
• 41:13
  Speaker 8: your favorites, your your expectations for.
• 41:15
  Speaker 3: Who might win the World Cup, and and just I.
• 41:17
  Speaker 8: Agree with Nick like like I'm almost lost off like
• 41:20
  Speaker 8: how the format even is because it's just so confusing
• 41:23
  Speaker 8: and like there's just endless opera like possibilities. So just again,
• 41:27
  Speaker 8: maybe any standouts for you in terms of favorites and
• 41:31
  Speaker 8: and who would you put your money on.
• 41:33
  Speaker 5: For me, it's France. I think France is just their
• 41:35
  Speaker 5: team is unreal. I think, like top to bottom. I
• 41:38
  Speaker 5: don't really see any weaknesses in their squad. For me,
• 41:41
  Speaker 5: I think it's gonna be France, Like you know, that
• 41:43
  Speaker 5: forward line alone with them Ballet and Bobbio, to me
• 41:47
  Speaker 5: just blows my mind thinking of that, like that's not.
• 41:49
  Speaker 2: Fair, that's like an combination.
• 41:52
  Speaker 5: So uh and then even their center baps, you know,
• 41:55
  Speaker 5: I feel like with like the rise of how good
• 41:56
  Speaker 5: Saliba is now to me like one of the best
• 41:58
  Speaker 5: center baps in the world. Uh go, Like Mike Manon,
• 42:01
  Speaker 5: I think France is the to me, is one of
• 42:03
  Speaker 5: the favorites. I kind of also throw Portugal in there
• 42:06
  Speaker 5: just because that midfield. How good that midfield is, Bruno Fernandez, Bettina,
• 42:11
  Speaker 5: Ruben Navish to me is a great midfield. And in
• 42:14
  Speaker 5: terms of like I actually think, I don't know if
• 42:16
  Speaker 5: I'm a rare person thinks I actually think that Spain's
• 42:18
  Speaker 5: in a flop at the World Cup. I think they
• 42:22
  Speaker 5: got the hype, They got the hype after the years,
• 42:24
  Speaker 5: but I don't know. I feel like their style I
• 42:27
  Speaker 5: feel like a team that plays, like, you know, more
• 42:29
  Speaker 5: defensive and stuff can kind of stifle them and get
• 42:32
  Speaker 5: them out in like a knockout stage game where you
• 42:35
  Speaker 5: know they they get knocked in on something like penalties
• 42:38
  Speaker 5: kind of the way kind of like the way Italy
• 42:40
  Speaker 5: eliminated them at the Euros before that, I kind of
• 42:43
  Speaker 5: see something like that. And then Argentina, as you touched on,
• 42:46
  Speaker 5: I think it's so hard to repeat, uh and like
• 42:50
  Speaker 5: that World Cup curse, Like as much as you want
• 42:52
  Speaker 5: to believe in stuff like that, it seems like to
• 42:54
  Speaker 5: always like no matter what, it always never fails, it
• 42:57
  Speaker 5: always happened. So uh yeah, between those kind of teams,
• 43:03
  Speaker 5: I feel like main favorite to me is like France
• 43:05
  Speaker 5: and Portugal and then I kind of have like Argentina
• 43:09
  Speaker 5: in Spain as the teams that I feel like a
• 43:11
  Speaker 5: lot of people are super high on, like rightfully solely
• 43:13
  Speaker 5: got great players, they got Jamal and all that, but
• 43:16
  Speaker 5: even something like that, you know Jamal is not even
• 43:18
  Speaker 5: at full fitness. They don't even know if he's been
• 43:20
  Speaker 5: playing the group stage or not. So I think that's
• 43:22
  Speaker 5: a huge kind of thing to weigh on for Spain's success.
• 43:27
  Speaker 7: Johnio Well I mean like it feels terrible because I
• 43:31
  Speaker 7: actually also thought Spain as well. I honestly think the team,
• 43:35
  Speaker 7: even though yes they have their question marks and they
• 43:37
  Speaker 7: do have their injuries, there's still a talented group. One
• 43:43
  Speaker 7: thing though, if I'm not mistake, and I think I
• 43:44
  Speaker 7: was discussing with her friend, I don't think Nico Williams
• 43:46
  Speaker 7: got chosen this year?
• 43:47
  Speaker 2: Did he?
• 43:48
  Speaker 6: Did he get selected for the roster?
• 43:50
  Speaker 3: Hold on? Of course probably I would assume though well,
• 43:54
  Speaker 3: I mean.
• 43:54
  Speaker 6: Like it would make sense for him to be able
• 43:55
  Speaker 6: to rue.
• 43:57
  Speaker 11: But according to like, yeah, he has been selected and
• 44:00
  Speaker 11: you and according to this levign and equals we fit
• 44:03
  Speaker 11: in time for the start of the World Cup sixteen
• 44:05
  Speaker 11: hours ago. So so that's that's definitely something that scary
• 44:11
  Speaker 11: ball was looking it up.
• 44:12
  Speaker 7: That's something scary to look at. So Spain's like a
• 44:17
  Speaker 7: strong young team. Again, they're not as sound as the
• 44:21
  Speaker 7: Spade Dow won the triple, you know, like the euro
• 44:24
  Speaker 7: woke up Euro back to back, but they're still good.
• 44:28
  Speaker 6: I would pick them as my favorite, said my second.
• 44:30
  Speaker 10: Choice, because almost you know, like that's that's who I hope.
• 44:39
  Speaker 10: But it's kind of good England.
• 44:40
  Speaker 7: I really honestly speaking, I didn't really think about him
• 44:45
  Speaker 7: too much because the two finals that they both they
• 44:49
  Speaker 7: played in both times, they just didn't show that, you know,
• 44:53
  Speaker 7: that champion mentality to get them to the win. You know,
• 44:57
  Speaker 7: maybe they might learn it this time around, who knows,
• 45:00
  Speaker 7: but I'm very like I still have.
• 45:04
  Speaker 6: A big doubt on their championship mentality. That's why I'm
• 45:07
  Speaker 6: not really too keen on them, you know, being a
• 45:11
  Speaker 6: potential winner. So no, So for me, it's Spain first,
• 45:15
  Speaker 6: and then I think Argentina is probably the backup, just
• 45:17
  Speaker 6: to you know, because I hope they went.
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: Yeah, And before we wrap it up, guys, I just
• 45:23
  Speaker 1: want to ask there's a lot of you know, criticism
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: concerns with the tournament forty eighteen tournament. I don't know
• 45:28
  Speaker 1: about you, guys, but I think my biggest concern might
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: be even the heat.
• 45:33
  Speaker 4: You know some of these games. Look, the finals is
• 45:34
  Speaker 4: gonna be a three pm on a Sunday in.
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: New York met Life. Oh yeah, it's I I'm worried
• 45:40
  Speaker 1: about that. You know, seeing the Club World Cup last year,
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: the quality went down. I know it's not comparable because
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: it's the Club World Cup, but I'm worried about that.
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: I don't know if there are other things that concern you,
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: Steph with maybe the quality of play in this in
• 45:52
  Speaker 1: this edition.
• 45:54
  Speaker 5: Yeah, mainly, I just feel like just like the fields
• 45:56
  Speaker 5: and stuff, you know, like the fields are certain ways,
• 45:58
  Speaker 5: so I feel like to be like injury wise, you know,
• 46:01
  Speaker 5: with it's not like the fields obviously in Europe.
• 46:04
  Speaker 2: But I'm actually a fan of the forty eight team version.
• 46:07
  Speaker 5: I know a lot of people kind of have complaints
• 46:08
  Speaker 5: about it, but I actually do like it. I like
• 46:11
  Speaker 5: the fact that there's so many different possibilities, Like like
• 46:14
  Speaker 5: you were saying with like second facing second, I feel
• 46:17
  Speaker 5: like it's kind of good because you got a lot
• 46:19
  Speaker 5: of cool matchups earlier on. So I feel like as
• 46:22
  Speaker 5: a fan or as a neutral, since we do have
• 46:25
  Speaker 5: Italy and Canada obviously is and the team to make
• 46:28
  Speaker 5: it all the way to the end. But I feel
• 46:30
  Speaker 5: like it's kind of interesting because, like I know, even
• 46:33
  Speaker 5: like a Portugal and Argentina are pretty likely to meet
• 46:35
  Speaker 5: if they both make it to the round of sixteen.
• 46:38
  Speaker 5: I think it is they have like a really high
• 46:40
  Speaker 5: probability to face each other. So that's one thing I
• 46:43
  Speaker 5: do like about the forty eight team format.
• 46:47
  Speaker 8: Yeah, I can bring out other other matchups that we
• 46:49
  Speaker 8: probably wouldn't have gotten in other versions.
• 46:52
  Speaker 3: You know, I didn't even know that. I didn't. I
• 46:53
  Speaker 3: didn't even realize that.
• 46:55
  Speaker 8: So that's that's obviously a good and what a movie
• 46:58
  Speaker 8: that would be a you know, Ronaldo mess see just
• 47:01
  Speaker 8: just just the final the final chapter, right, just to
• 47:04
  Speaker 8: see whose top dog, I guess.
• 47:06
  Speaker 3: But yeah, man, like just even going back to the.
• 47:09
  Speaker 8: Other question, it pains me just even to say for me,
• 47:12
  Speaker 8: I think, you know France, it always pains me to
• 47:17
  Speaker 8: have to have to make these decisions as as as
• 47:21
  Speaker 8: a as a proud Italian, like it's just it pains me, honestly,
• 47:25
  Speaker 8: But I think you know France is they're they're strong.
• 47:29
  Speaker 3: They're they're strong, you.
• 47:30
  Speaker 8: Know in all facets and and you know they're gonna
• 47:32
  Speaker 8: be a dangerous team. Listen the SAFT spot for for
• 47:35
  Speaker 8: Argentina obviously like that.
• 47:37
  Speaker 3: That's that's that's another thing.
• 47:38
  Speaker 8: But I don't know how how Germany are they are
• 47:42
  Speaker 8: they they're not, they're not, They're not it this year.
• 47:45
  Speaker 3: I don't know. I haven't really paid attention to their
• 47:47
  Speaker 3: to their team.
• 47:47
  Speaker 8: But yeah, I think, yeah, I agree, like they have
• 47:53
  Speaker 8: they have some players, So I don't know, maybe like
• 47:54
  Speaker 8: throwing even Germany into the mix there, but.
• 47:57
  Speaker 3: I think France. You know, it's just unfortunately miles ahead,
• 48:03
  Speaker 3: uh in.
• 48:04
  Speaker 8: Just a quality for this generation of players is just
• 48:08
  Speaker 8: it's it's it's hard to really beat, you know what
• 48:10
  Speaker 8: I mean, like from from them belly to to like
• 48:14
  Speaker 8: you said, the stuff from them belly tombape dou way
• 48:17
  Speaker 8: fucking h you know, alwaise, Like the list goes on, right,
• 48:20
  Speaker 8: and it's unfortunate. But listen, I'm kind of a bit
• 48:26
  Speaker 8: of a circling back to the other question that you pose.
• 48:29
  Speaker 3: Nick, I don't know, try to.
• 48:31
  Speaker 8: I always like to try to be a traditionalist because
• 48:33
  Speaker 8: like you know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
• 48:35
  Speaker 8: And I know FIFA is just it's just hungry for money, right,
• 48:37
  Speaker 8: Like you know, as soon that they're gonna beat up
• 48:39
  Speaker 8: to sixty four teams and it's gonna be a it's
• 48:40
  Speaker 8: gonna be a joke, right, like we're gonna get like real,
• 48:44
  Speaker 8: you know, Scott, Yeah, exactly, Scott. Partly because the teams
• 48:49
  Speaker 8: like Italy right that that are gonna be able to participate.
• 48:52
  Speaker 3: In the in these in these tournaments. But I to
• 48:57
  Speaker 3: to the stuff's point.
• 48:58
  Speaker 8: I didn't realize, like, you know, that those potential matchups
• 49:01
  Speaker 8: that could arise, So that obviously is a plus. I
• 49:03
  Speaker 8: think I think it becomes one of these things, is
• 49:06
  Speaker 8: like where does it end? Like, you know, we we
• 49:09
  Speaker 8: were so used to how the format was, you know,
• 49:12
  Speaker 8: and now we're like, okay, forty eight teams, Like is
• 49:15
  Speaker 8: sixty four on the horizon? Like where where does it end?
• 49:17
  Speaker 8: Like where does where does the greed stop? If it
• 49:19
  Speaker 8: ever does? So that's one thing I'm not, you know,
• 49:22
  Speaker 8: too sure about. But in terms of the fields, I
• 49:25
  Speaker 8: don't know if I know, Steph, you kind of touched
• 49:28
  Speaker 8: upon it. Are they they're they're changing them all to
• 49:31
  Speaker 8: grass fields. If I'm a mistaken or is that or
• 49:33
  Speaker 8: is that? Am I wrong in singing that?
• 49:35
  Speaker 2: No? Yeah, I believe I believe they're changing all.
• 49:37
  Speaker 5: I think they're changing all them and doing like like
• 49:39
  Speaker 5: at the certain fields, I believe they're changing them all
• 49:42
  Speaker 5: to grass.
• 49:43
  Speaker 8: Right. So yeah, because because Metwife is is is kind
• 49:46
  Speaker 8: of like the olympical of of of American you know football,
• 49:50
  Speaker 8: you know American football fields. Right, everybody gets injured on Metwife, right,
• 49:53
  Speaker 8: like it's the it's the curse of it's the curse
• 49:56
  Speaker 8: of football, and it kind of reminds me of the say,
• 49:59
  Speaker 8: you know, the could go in uh in Italy. But
• 50:03
  Speaker 8: that's another That's one thing that worries me, like, you know,
• 50:05
  Speaker 8: as much as they're changing it and I've been seeing
• 50:07
  Speaker 8: and I've been hearing about it, I just hope it's
• 50:09
  Speaker 8: up to par I don't want it to be that.
• 50:12
  Speaker 8: You know, we're going into this tournament, you know, forty
• 50:15
  Speaker 8: eight teams, new format. You know, majority of the best
• 50:20
  Speaker 8: players of the world are there, obviously, right and and
• 50:22
  Speaker 8: we have like an injury fest of of players because
• 50:25
  Speaker 8: of the surfaces, because of the conditions of the.
• 50:28
  Speaker 3: Pitches or or what have you.
• 50:30
  Speaker 8: Obviously there's going to be you know, clap back no
• 50:32
  Speaker 8: matter what happens, and no matter what decisions Gont made.
• 50:34
  Speaker 8: That's just how life is. But I just hope, you know,
• 50:37
  Speaker 8: it's not a major talking point. You know, by next week,
• 50:42
  Speaker 8: right like that, we're already complaining about fields and and
• 50:45
  Speaker 8: why why was it like this?
• 50:46
  Speaker 3: Why was this chosen?
• 50:47
  Speaker 8: So listen, the World Cup is the is the biggest
• 50:51
  Speaker 8: sporting event in the world for a reason. Let's keep
• 50:55
  Speaker 8: it that way. All eyes are going to be on
• 50:57
  Speaker 8: this World Cup no matter what it is. So I
• 51:00
  Speaker 8: just hope for a good showing regardless of what it is. Obviously,
• 51:02
  Speaker 8: you know, we're pissed about Italy, but you know, despite that,
• 51:07
  Speaker 8: I think, you know, there's gonna be There's gonna.
• 51:08
  Speaker 3: Be some good matchups, you know, once this tournament kind.
• 51:11
  Speaker 8: Of goes along, like once Curss out, you know, once
• 51:15
  Speaker 8: guitars out, once Haiti it Unfortunately, I know all the
• 51:18
  Speaker 8: Haitians here Montreal don't hate me, but you know, uh,
• 51:21
  Speaker 8: you know, once these teams are out, I think once
• 51:24
  Speaker 8: we get into the meat of the potatoes of the tournament,
• 51:26
  Speaker 8: I think is when you know, all eyes are really
• 51:28
  Speaker 8: gonna are really gonna be on the tournament and there's
• 51:30
  Speaker 8: a lot more exciting matchups. So I'm hopeful for that,
• 51:34
  Speaker 8: but just hoping also, like I said just before, not
• 51:37
  Speaker 8: to have any any pitch problems and all that thing
• 51:41
  Speaker 8: that I guess that would be the biggest thing that
• 51:42
  Speaker 8: kind of maybe worries me, you know, going into this
• 51:45
  Speaker 8: tournament in you know, three days time.
• 51:48
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and I know Johnny you have to go, so
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: we'll wrap it up. Your eyes as always, Steph, an
• 51:54
  Speaker 1: absolute pleasure to have you on, you have to do
• 51:57
  Speaker 1: it after Yeah, you have to be one of the
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: top of.
• 52:02
  Speaker 3: Steph.
• 52:03
  Speaker 8: Steph is so versatile, he he you know, he talks
• 52:05
  Speaker 8: not he talks Italy, he talks Canada, he talks photography, Bro,
• 52:08
  Speaker 8: he talks everything.
• 52:09
  Speaker 4: So that's the guy, Steph.
• 52:11
  Speaker 3: Ste's the plug.
• 52:12
  Speaker 8: And Uh, but Steph, just before we do wrap it up, Uh,
• 52:17
  Speaker 8: you're working any of these events?
• 52:18
  Speaker 3: Like what are you getting yourself in there?
• 52:21
  Speaker 8: Like what's what's what does it look like for you,
• 52:24
  Speaker 8: you know, in this in this next week or so.
• 52:26
  Speaker 5: Yeah, in terms of I'll be at the Canada Guitar Game,
• 52:28
  Speaker 5: I'm not working as like doing photography, but like the
• 52:32
  Speaker 5: footy culture be at the Canada Guitar Game, just kind
• 52:36
  Speaker 5: of covering stuff around there. And then like like in
• 52:39
  Speaker 5: the lead up, I was out of a lot of
• 52:41
  Speaker 5: like events in Toronto and stuff like that, but nothing
• 52:43
  Speaker 5: like in the actual games like that.
• 52:45
  Speaker 8: Okay, nice, But anyways, listen, since we've had you on,
• 52:49
  Speaker 8: like the rise has been incredible, the grind has been crazy, and.
• 52:52
  Speaker 3: And and listen as as as.
• 52:54
  Speaker 8: Friends from you know, from Montreal, it's just it's been
• 52:57
  Speaker 8: amazing to see honestly, Bro and Uh, it'll just keep up.
• 53:00
  Speaker 3: So again, any anything you want to.
• 53:02
  Speaker 8: Plug, I know a lot of little more of the
• 53:04
  Speaker 8: footy culture content and and the guys, so just send us,
• 53:07
  Speaker 8: send them our regards to it because you know they're
• 53:09
  Speaker 8: gonna doing some great work on their end, you know,
• 53:11
  Speaker 8: just covering everything and just doing some great content with
• 53:14
  Speaker 8: some great people behind this. So anything you want to plug,
• 53:17
  Speaker 8: you know, before we we kind of do our our
• 53:19
  Speaker 8: our wrap up here.
• 53:20
  Speaker 3: You know, the four is yours, my friend.
• 53:22
  Speaker 5: I was plugs made by Choffy. You'll see everything in
• 53:25
  Speaker 5: sports photography and then a lot of you know, soccer
• 53:28
  Speaker 5: content here and.
• 53:29
  Speaker 8: There, beautiful stuff. So yeah, guys, go give Steph a follow.
• 53:33
  Speaker 8: Like I said earlier, the grind has been real, that
• 53:35
  Speaker 8: the rise has been real.
• 53:37
  Speaker 3: You know, this guy is getting you know.
• 53:39
  Speaker 8: These crips, crisp shots of of Coney and and and
• 53:43
  Speaker 8: Davies and this and that and and and it's just
• 53:45
  Speaker 8: and it's it's getting recognized.
• 53:46
  Speaker 3: So listen, We're proud of you, bro, and just keep
• 53:48
  Speaker 3: it up.
• 53:49
  Speaker 8: So guys, go follow Steph on all socials for us,
• 53:52
  Speaker 8: like we say every week at the Culture, guys on
• 53:54
  Speaker 8: all social media for the audio version of the podcast
• 53:57
  Speaker 8: and all your favorite podcasting platforms you can find the
• 53:59
  Speaker 8: Culture Guys. Make sure to rate with five stars, leave
• 54:01
  Speaker 8: a comment there and for all video content of the pod.
• 54:03
  Speaker 8: Subscribe on YouTube, post modifications like share, subscribe, comment, all
• 54:07
  Speaker 8: that good stuff, and yeah, we'll be back next week
• 54:09
  Speaker 8: to talk about more.
• 54:10
  Speaker 3: Canada, a lot more cultural, a lot more Canada. One
• 54:13
  Speaker 3: more World Cup. We'll see what happens.
• 54:15
  Speaker 4: Thanks for listening, Joah bye,