Key Canadians in soccer spotlight

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This article was published 18/02/2022 (1639 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadian internationals are making headlines wherever they happen to be playing these days, but three of them — all familiar — warrant particular attention with World Cup qualifying set to resume next month.

Let’s start with Alphonso Davies.

The Bayern Munich left-back, who plays as a forward for the men’s national team, contracted COVID-19 in early January, after which he was found to have mild myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart that creates scar tissue and requires extra work for the muscle. It’s the third-leading cause of death among young adults in the United States, so it’s not something you want to mess around with.

In a Wednesday interview with German outlet Bild, the 21-year-old stated that while he wasn’t in any pain, he didn’t know when he’d be able to make a full return. Last weekend Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann posited that Davies’ recovery was progressing better than expected, although more would be learned at the next appointment.

That appointment is next week, after which — touch wood — the player, his club and his national team will receive a comprehensive rehabilitation schedule.

This is all to say that Canada boss John Herdman should already be expecting to face Costa Rica, Jamaica and Panama without his best player. According to a report in Munich daily Abendzeitung, Davies won’t even feature in competitive matches until April. And he shouldn’t.

Yes, he was enjoying his best season to date, and yes, he’ll now miss a second batch of qualification matches. But Bayern, barring disaster, are well on course for the Bundesliga title and Canada could book passage to Qatar with just a single point.

Both will need Davies’ services down the road, so it’s in neither’s interest — nevermind the player’s — to rush him.

Stephen Eustaquio, too, will have to be managed carefully by Herdman.

Canada’s best midfielder, and one of the best in CONCACAF, also caught COVID in January and was late to join up with his international teammates. He hasn’t played a full Portuguese league match since his final outing for Pacos de Ferreira four weeks ago, and his minutes for new club Porto have so far been limited to late introductions from the bench.

From a Canadian perspective, that’s not ideal.

Yes, they were able to beat both Honduras and the United States without him, and yes, they’ll secure their spot in the April 1 draw regardless of his availability.

The squad is just that deep. But this is about the long view and actually making a mark at the World Cup — as in advancing to the round of 16. They’ll need a fully-fit, top-form Eustaquio to do that.

For his part, Porto manager Sergio Conceicao recently told A Bola that none of the club’s winter signings, including Eustaquio, would figure in his starting XI in the near term.

O Dragao is desperate to regain the title from Sporting CP, and despite an unbeaten record they’re only six points clear of the Lisbon side. They also have a two-legged Taca de Portugal semifinal with Sporting that begins March 2, and they take a 2-1 aggregate lead over Lazio to Rome on Thursday in the Europa League.

In other words, matches are about to come thick and fast for Porto, so Eustaquio will almost certainly get his chance. Moving to a big European club was always going to be a balance between risk and reward for the 25-year-old, but at the end of the day Canada need him playing.

Finally, there are credible transfer rumours regarding Jonathan David. And no, they don’t involve Arsenal or Liverpool or Newcastle or any Premier League outfit, mercifully.

Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Inter Milan, anticipating the departure of Lautaro Martinez, are hoping to create a brand-new forward line of David, Paulo Dybala of Juventus and Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca.

Of the three, David, who joined Lille from Gent in 2020 and helped Les Dogues to an unlikely championship last term, has the most league goals this season and is joint-second in France with Kylian Mbappe. He has 16 goals in all competitions, and while his contract runs through 2025 Lille stand to nearly double their investment in him.

Like Eustaquio, David could certainly benefit from a move to a club of Inter’s size, although, also like his Canada teammate, he needs to play.

Where David’s situation is different is that immediately upon arrival at San Siro he’d have only Edin Dzeko — and only probably — ahead of him in the pecking order. And Dzeko, who turns 36 in March, is out of contract in 16 months.

The 22-year-old’s club situation shouldn’t at all affect the upcoming qualifiers, although he’ll have likely sealed a transfer by the time the CONCACAF Nations League kicks off in June.

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Those will be important matches against four of the best teams in the region, but Herdman’s squad and set-up for the World Cup will really take shape in late-summer and autumn friendlies. By that point — and hopefully in games against competitive European and South American opponents — Davies should be healthy and both Eustaquio and David should be bedded in.

Everything that has anything to do with Canada’s star internationals is now up for analysis. Close analysis. We’re in hockey territory — until it becomes even more than that.

When you’re headed to a World Cup, that’s just the way it is.

jerradpeters@gmail.com

Twitter: @JerradPeters