Gerry Dobson

Will Dwayne De Rosario answer the call for Canada?

For any Canadian soccer player worth his salt, the opportunity to step on the pitch and go head to head for 90 minutes against one of the best teams in the world is not to be missed.

That occasion steps to the forefront when Canada takes on Argentina, May 24th on Rogers Sportsnet. It's a no-brainer right?

Well, not so fast. There's no question some players, let's call them winners, are dying to be part of it. Some are practically begging Canada head coach Stephen Hart to be part of this team. You can probably figure out who they are. Others, let's call them something else, are apparently less inclined to be involved. Believe it or not I'm hearing rumblings that in some player's eyes, this game is not that popular. Is it possible that the perception is it offers a chance for embarrassment rather than an opportunity to see how you stack up against the world's best? Or maybe some players feel they need a rest. Whatever. I hope what I'm hearing is not true.

Combine the lack of interest there may or may not be, with the enormous difficulty Hart will have in trying to get players released, and you have a recipe for a colossal Argentine thumping.

Don't get me wrong. Some players are chomping at the bit. And some coaches will not stand in the way. Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis said he would 'absolutely' release Will Johnson for the match. Kreis believes it's in the best interest of the development of the player to have him take part in a match like this.

It's a tough call however. In some cases there are enormous pressures on various coaches around the MLS, and indeed around Europe, to win league matches. They need their players, and they pay the wages. I can see both sides of this argument. But you would certainly hope that if any player has his team's blessing, he would jump at the Argentine opportunity.

There was a time not so long ago that criticizing the CSA for not getting enough quality games was the popular thing to do. That's changing now. Canada will play five times between May and October headlined by the visit to Argentina, and a whole lot more in 2011. It's over to the players. You've got what you wanted. It simply does not get any bigger for Canada than Argentina two weeks before the World Cup Finals. As a footballer, how can you not want that more than anything else?