GANGUE-RUZIC: Copa America spot is great, but have the CanMNT still regressed under Mauro Biello?
Performance was always going to be secondary to the result for the Canadian men's national team when they took on Trinidad & Tobago in their Copa América playoff match on Saturday evening.
Of course, a good performance would’ve always been the preference, but they could’ve had their worst performance in decades and that wouldn’t have mattered as long as they won, such were the stakes of this game. Sometimes, you need to win at all costs, after all.
Nevertheless, a 2-0 win over T&T to book their spot at the 2024 Copa América now has Canada in Group A with Argentina, Peru and Chile, so the performance, and all of its apparent, non-result-based faults, will now be quickly forgotten... even though it probably shouldn't be.
Was it Canada’s best showing? Far from it. Waiting 61 minutes to find an opener after a slow start – and surviving several threatning T&T moments – meant onlooking Canadian fans had to go through a bit of a nervous roller coaster ride before celebrating a job done.
GOAL 🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) March 23, 2024
IT'S CYLE LARIN with the opener for the #CanMNT 💥
Goal no. 29 for Canada's all-time men's top scorer and Les Rouges take a 1-0 lead as they look for a spot at the 2024 Copa America pic.twitter.com/hWGXU0HZym
But while most fans will naturally erase the specifics of the 90 minutes, perhaps choosing to only remember some key moments such as Cyle Larin’s winning goal, Jacob Shaffelburg’s statement insurance marker, strong showings from Maxime Crépeau and Ismaël Koné or the provisional cap-tie of promising youngster Luc De Fougerolles, this Canadian side mustn’t forget what they learned in this game, either.
GOAL 🇨🇦🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) March 23, 2024
JACOB SHAFFELBURG, THE PRIDE OF NOVA SCOTIA, MAKES IT 2-0 FOR THE #CANMNT AND WE ARE (pretty much) GOING TO THE 2024 COPA AMERICA 😎 pic.twitter.com/4jOY0ecYdD
The biggest reason for that? These 90 minutes showed clearly that this team still has another level to hit ahead of the Copa América, as it felt like they hardly hit second gear across this match, spending most of the game looking far from the cohesive unit that they can be at their best.
Thankfully, they were the more talented team on the field on the day and were able to break the game open thanks to some of the players that they have in their ranks, but on a different day against the wrong opposition, that might’ve not been the case.
Yet, while some of the blame for that can fall on the players, this shows why Canada might consider hiring a new coach before Copa América, as it appears that interim head coach Mauro Biello is in a complicated spot - he's a good candidate at the wrong time.
That may be harsh on Biello, who did a good job of calling in a younger and more in-form Canadian squad at the expense of some preferred veteran options for this camp, which couldn’t have been an easy call to make for someone who has been around this group for the past half-decade, but this game showed some of the limitations hiring him long-term may bring.
Even if this group looked as unified off the pitch in this window as they have since the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, where their ‘brotherhood’ that was established under old head coach John Herdman helped them reach that tournament for the first time in 36 years, the tactical side is hard to ignore.
First, there was the starting lineup, which played into T&T’s hands, as the choice to go with three forwards in Iké Ugbo, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David allowed T&T to sit deeper off the ball, while a back three of Alistair Johnston, Kamal Miller and Joel Waterman was a risk given the lack of height and speed between the group, given T&T’s proficiency off counters and set-pieces.
Then, there was how the players looked tactically, especially in possession, where they lacked movement and often looked out of ideas on how to progress the ball forward when they reached the final third, which often led them to pass or dribble into trouble. And even defensively, where they only allowed 0.64 xG and just seven shots, thanks to a more aggressive approach, there were a few moments where they lost structure and were unable to correct it with the proper adjustments as one would expect from a well-oiled unit.
Lastly, there was how Canada adjusted to the match, as despite those risks, they didn’t make any changes until the 70th minute when they could’ve changed the complexion of the game with earlier subs. After struggling in a similar area in their tie against Jamaica last fall, where a lack of earlier subs hurt them as they gave away a 3-1 aggregate lead, that was a worry to see that manifest itself again.
Of course, there is also plenty to be pleased with from Biello, too. For example, his decision to insert Waterman and Crépeau at the back yielded positive performances, while his deployment of Alphonso Davies ended up getting a good showing out of him, and he made some good substitutions by bringing in Jacob Shaffelburg, Mathieu Choinière and Jacen Russell-Rowe to disrupt the game and provisionally cap-tying 18-year-old Fulham centre back Luc De Fougerolles to the program with a short cameo, which are all positives.
Special moment here for 18-year-old Luc De Fougerolles, who is on for his #CanMNT debut
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) March 23, 2024
After a couple of senior camps, the Fulham youngster is now provisionally cap-tied for at least 3 years, which is a huge coup for Canada. He's got so much upside at CB for club and country
At the same time, when considering the overall picture, the tactical side of things is too crucial not to hone in on.
And that’s key, especially given where this team is at in their life cycle. Having now spent five-plus years building a talented and deep program that came together in that ‘brotherhood’ built under Herdman, this team is now looking to take the next step from a good team to a great one.
Right now, to do that, it feels like the big thing that they’ll need to change is their tactical identity, as they’ve got the pieces to be a pretty good team, but haven’t always figured out how to deploy them. The best example of that continues to be their usage of Alphonso Davies, whose best position for Canada has been a hot topic for the last six years, and remains up in the air as seen by Biello deploying him at left wing back, right wing back, right wing and as an attacking midfielder across 90 minutes in this game.
And that’s where it’ll be tough for Biello to impose his stamp, given his proximity to this group. As he showed this camp, there are positives to that familiarity, especially in terms of the atmosphere that was created despite making some tough calls with some popular veterans, but it’s a whole other thing to then make some of the tough decisions that are required to take a team forward tactically.
There, a fresh voice from outside of the program may be the best option, as that can often be the best way to bring tactical change, which may involve dropping some key players and elevating others into newer roles. Sometimes, that's a lot easier to do that when you’re coming into things with an outside perspective, whereas it might be tougher to make those hard calls when you’ve been embedded with a group for a long time, which is a lot to ask of Biello.
And given that Biello’s mostly stuck with familiar tactics in his short audition as an interim head coach, that further echoes those sentiments, as this would’ve been the perfect moment for him to show what he can bring to the table that’s different as a boss.
Of course, there are reasons why he didn’t, especially given what was at stake in some of his first games in charge (Nations League quarter-finals and Copa América qualification vs. Jamaica, now this one-game Copa América playoff vs T&T), but he also had a chance to experiment before that in their October friendly vs. Japan – something he chose not to do.
As such, when judging his four games in charge of the team, it makes for a mixed bag of results: Two wins and two draws, seven goals scored and eight conceded, 7.84 xG for and 5.58 xG against. Plus, by the eye test, they haven't looked as fluid and free-flowing as they can be in the attack, and have been vulnerable in their defence.
Of course, that's harsh to pin that all on Biello, who hasn't had much time to work with this group of players to stamp out his tactical identity, which is important to mention. At the same time, he did have an extended window to prepare for T&T, and that ended up yielding a lot more of the same tactically, further showing a commitment to the status quo.
And ultimately, that's the biggest reason to consider a coaching change right now - not to dismiss Biello's work, but for a refresh of ideas, instead.
Especially given that there’s no better time to look for a new coach than the present. Having now booked their spot at the Copa América, this job all of a sudden looks even more attractive to any potential suitors, as they’ll be guaranteed to coach at a Copa América and a guaranteed home World Cup in a two-year span, which isn’t a package that many teams around the world can offer right now.
Along with the talent that’s within this teams ranks, that adds to the intrigue of this job, which is likely why names such as Hervé Renard and Thierry Henry have already been linked to it, showing that this job could be potentially attractive to some bigger names than some might expect.
WE'RE IN. ✅
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) March 23, 2024
The #CanMNT have qualified for the 2024 Copa America and will take on Chile 🇨🇱, Peru 🇵🇪 and Lionel Messi's ARGENTINA 🇦🇷 in the group stage this summer! ☀️
LET'S. GO. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/XZqzGHpXn9
So now, it’ll be intriguing to see how the new Canada Soccer CEO and General Secretary Kevin Blue reacts to this game. As he indicated quickly after he was hired, where he affirmed that the search for a new CanMNT head coach remained ongoing with Biello sitting as one of the candidates, it shows that it’s a dossier he’s already thought a lot about despite being new to the job.
Rightfully so, too, as it could prove to be huge for this team going forward.
Kevin Blue, the new CEO and General Secretary of Canada Soccer, says that the search for a #CanMNT head coach is still underway, and that interim head coach Mauro Biello remains a candidate for the permanent job. https://t.co/YVjbHZuBlM
— Benedict Rhodes (@BTFR17) March 1, 2024
In an ideal world, this Canadian team can use this summer’s Copa América as a chance to mimic a World Cup environment in an intense tournament of that magnitude, which will be crucial if they’re able to embed some newer players and adjust their tactical system.
Then, they can balance that with some crucial friendlies along the way, such as the ones they’ve already booked with the Netherlands in June and Mexico in September, as well as the ones they’re rumoured to add over the next few months, further allowing them to grow as a team.
From there, that’ll bring them nicely into the 2026 World Cup, where it’s hoped that a refreshed CanMNT side can finally get over the hump of winning their first World Cup game after coming up short in their first six attempts in 1986 and 2022, and potentially even dream of advancing out of their group for the first time.
Armed with what will hopefully be their most talented team ever, one filled with players battle-hardened by the 2022 World Cup, 2023 Nations League final, 2024 Copa América and more, while also supported by talented youngsters pushing to take their spot, it could all nicely set up for Canada to do some damage at that tournament.
But if they’re to do that, making the right head coaching hire will be key, and given what Canada once again showed on the field in this camp, where they remained locked into some of the ideas that they've had since the 2022 World Cup, it looks like a new face other than Biello may be the best option to help them do that.
Despite that, Biello should remain a key part of the staff. As seen with his ability to unite this group this camp, and his familiarity with this group, he’d be a crucial asset to any new coach, giving them a trusted voice who can help them ease through this transition.
Mauro Biello is an adept, respected, and valuable coach and should have a long-term position on #CanMNT’s coaching staff. That position cannot be head coach.
— Tom Nightingale (@tdnightingale) March 23, 2024
While it might be tough for him to accept that role, as he showed that he could be a key head coaching hire for the right team with his ability to bring a group together, unfortunately at the moment, that doesn’t look to be for Canada, who look to need a new face to give them the spark that they’ll need to achieve some of the dreams they have over the next few years.
If not, they could be stuck with the status quo, which while not a bad thing compared to some of the dark days they once lived, would feel like a missed opportunity given the potential that lies within this group, showing why this is such a key moment for the program.
