Canadian national team coach Colin Miller was supposed to announce his roster on Monday for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup.
But due to a situation over player availability that emerged at the last minute, Miller had to delay the announcement and now won’t unveil his team until Tuesday afternoon.
A source told sportsnet.ca on Monday that Miller was set to make the roster announcement before four Canadian players who are currently out of contract at pro level admitted they were hesitant about playing for Canada. The source said that the players fear if they suffer an injury while on international duty at the Gold Cup that it might hurt their chances of finding a new team.
It’s not known if the four players in question will, in fact, be on Canada’s 23-man roster or if Miller had to find replacements for them.
The source did not reveal which four players, but it is understood that the crop of Canadians currently unattached with pro teams include Simeon Jackson, Atiba Hutchinson, Julian de Guzman and Randy Edwini-Bonsu.
Also, sportsnet.ca has learned that Toronto FC’s Canadian continent – defenders Ashtone Morgan and Doneil Henry, and midfielders Jonathon Osorio and Kyle Bekker – will be named to Miller’s roster for the Gold Cup, which runs from July 7-28 in the United States.
Miller will return as Canada’s interim coach after leading the squad in a friendly against Costa Rica last month in Edmonton. He was also Canada’s coach in exhibition matches against Denmark and the U.S. in January.
Canada kicks off the Gold Cup on July 7 against Martinique in Pasadena, Calif. It then plays Mexico in Seattle (July 11) and Panama in Denver (July 14).
The top two teams from each of the three groups, plus the two highest-seeded third-place teams, will advance to the quarter-finals.