After several days of cold rain (and some very messy training) the sun finally came out for Canada's national team later in the week in Skopje, Macedonia.
The country's largest city is Canada's headquarters before heading two hours southeast to the much smaller provincial city of Strumica for Saturday afternoon's friendly. I watched the club train Friday morning at the national stadium in Skopje. It's known as Filip the Second Stadium and currently seats about 30,000 -- but it is under construction and will eventually increase capacity to about 50,000 (that's why the game is being played in Strumica).
A town of about 150,000, Strumica is also the hometown of Macedonia's favourite player, star striker Goran Pandev.
As for the players, defender Dejan Jakovic took a knock Friday morning, leaving his status up in the air for Saturday. I chatted with midfielder Josh Simpson, who surprised me at how frustrated he still is at not having qualified for the World Cup. It still leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and that frustration is good. Simpson is already thinking past South Africa and making it to the next World Cup in Brazil. So is Simeon Jackson, a confident, outgoing striker. In my opinion, Jackson has what it takes to be a star -- the 11 goals for Gillingham this season is evidence. It is my view he'll get some interest from some bigger clubs during the January transfer window.
Then there's Iain Hume. What a treat to see the big smile on the Barnsley striker's face after all he's been through. The monstrous scar on the side of his head will be a lifelong reminder of the nasty collision in a game against Sheffield United a year ago. But he doesn't seem bothered by it; he wears it proudly like a badge of honour. You'll hear from him, as well as Jackson and Simpson on an upcoming edition of Soccercentral.
No indication yet how this team will lineup for the friendly against Macedonia. We do know there'll be no Tomasz Radzinski -- he's not here, but will join the club in Poland. That one figures to be an emotional time as Radzinski finally gets a chance to play in the country of his birth.
Stephen Hart will run no more training before kickoff Saturday. Then the team charters to Poland Sunday for the game there next week. After this is all over look for a January training camp involving mostly North American based players and those playing in Scandinavia, as they'll all be on winter break. Might be a friendly thrown in then as well.