It was hardly the ideal way to start Canada’s first training session in Basseterre ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier against Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The grass pitch at Warner Park was uneven and had brown patches, while the stands were aged and rickety, and looked as though a stiff wind could send them crumbling to the ground. It was just over 24 hours until kickoff and the goalposts weren’t even up, while a grounds crew person was finally getting around to painting fresh lines on the field.
“Hey homie! Homie! Homie! Get out of the way,” he shouted at a Sportsnet camera man stationed to the side who was impeding his progress.
There were dozens of ant hills dotting the middle of the field, the ants scurrying around in furious armies as the sound of Stephen Hart’s footsteps approached. The Canadian coach could only shake his head, as he murmured something underneath his breath while inspecting the rest of the field.
The next day, Canada and Saint Kitts played to a 0-0 draw on a hot and sticky night with the country’s Prime Minister in attendance, a disappointing result in what turned out to be failed attempt by the Reds to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Seven years later, Canada is back in Basseterre to play Saint Kitts again, this time in a Concacaf Nations League qualifier. The Canadian team is staying in the same hotel along the beach, and they’ll return to Warner Park for Sunday’s contest. Edgar is the only member of the current Canadian squad who was on the team that played against The Sugar Boyz in November 2011. The ant hills left a lasting impression on him.
“I still remember the ants that first day of practice, but that’s kinda what you get when you come to places like this in Concacaf. It’s not all pristine playing fields, so sometimes you have to deal with stuff like that,” Canadian defender David Edgar told Sportsnet.
Canada dominated possession against Saint Kitts in that World Cup qualifier, but it was wasteful in the final third and squandered numerous scoring chances on the night, with Canadian forward Simeon Jackson being the worst culprit.
In some ways, that disappointing stalemate in Basseterre was symbolic of Canada’s qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup, of promise unfulfilled.
“I remember being truly disappointed walking off the pitch with a nil-nil-draw. It wasn’t good for us. It was a bit of a party atmosphere inside the stadium with their fans. They really got behind their team, and it was a very passionate crowd – shouting, beating drums and ringing cow bells and such. But it was a game we should have won,” Edgar offered.
The Canadian side looks drastically different now. Seven years ago, national team mainstays Julian de Guzman, Ante Jazic, Dwayne De Rosario, Josh Simpson and Mike Klukowski were in the starting lineup, while Patrice Bernier was on the substitutes bench. All of them have since retired.
Edgar is a different player, too. Back then, the native of Kitchener, Ont., only had five caps to his credit and was very much at the beginning of his international career. Today, the 31-year-old, who spent last season with the Ottawa Fury in the USL, has made 42 appearances for his country and is one of the Canadian team’s most experienced players.
“Time flies. When I think back and look back at that team, we could and should have done more with that group of players. But the group of players we have now with all of the youngsters, it’s more exciting,” Edgar offered.
Indeed, coach John Herdman gave starts to teenagers Liam Millar (three caps), Jonathan David (two caps) and Alphonso Davies (eight caps) in last month’s Nations League qualifier against Dominica, a 5-0 win for Canada in Toronto. Defender Derek Cornelius, 20, also started in just his second appearance for Canada. Winger Ballou Tabla and defender Zachary Brault-Guillard, both 19, earned their first caps as second-half substitutes.
All six youngsters have been named to the squad for Sunday’s game, while Herdman has also called up midfielder Jay Chapman (24 years old, two caps), and his Toronto FC teammate Liam Fraser, a 20-year-old who is looking to make his senior team debut.
With so many inexperienced players, Herdman has challenged veterans such as Edgar and Atiba Hutchinson to take on leadership roles in guiding and mentoring the team’s core of youngsters. Edgar made a presentation in front of the entire team on the first day of training camp in Saint Kitts, relaying his experiences while playing for Canada to the younger generation.
“I think with David, he has future coach written all over him. … He’s one of the key leaders in this group,” said Herdman, who previously coached the Canadian women’s team.
“I was fortunate on the women’s side to have [Sophie] Schmidt, [Christine] Sinclair, [Diana] Matheson, [Rhian] Wilkinson, [Erin] McLeod, [Desiree] Scott. These were real solid women who had that sort of presence, and I see that in David Edgar. He knows to say the right things at the right time, and when he speaks people listen, and that’s the mark of leaders.”
While still a key member of the Canadian team on the pitch, Edgar is just as important to the side for what he does off the pitch.
“I’m embracing it, being more of a leader. I’m really enjoying it, just talking to the young players and getting to know them, telling them stories, about what to watch for and what to expect, and also hearing from them about their goals and ambitions, and what they want to achieve,” Edgar said.
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