Well, time for a blow-for-blow depth assessment of Canada's national team pool :p
GK - could be good in the future, but as for the here-and-now, things aren't looking too good.
Lars Hirschfeld - may have freed himself to play for Canada by leaving Rosenborg, but his play with Cluj hasn't been that great. Still, he has shut out Chelsea in the past. That has to mean something. :p
Pat Onstad - 40 years old. He played well at the '07 Gold Cup, but that's about the only time I've seen him do decently. He's good for Houston in the MLS, but kinda inconsistent for the Maple Leaf.
Greg Sutton - I'll admit I once rated this guy, when he played with the Montreal Impact. But he's slow and somewhat injury-prone.
Kenny Stamatopoulos - good enough for Toronto FC's backup role.
Not good enough for a big-time team. I'd say he was mid-Championship calibre at best. At worst mid-League One.
Roberto Giacomi - shows some signs of future promise. Even got called up to Team Canada for the 2007 Gold Cup even though he didn't actually play.
Asmir Begovic - our best hope for the future, but he needs to get the hell out of Pompey and to a League side where he can actually develop his skills properly. Is a Bosnian citizen and could play for Bosnia in the future, but he only lived in Canada for five years before leaving for Pompey, so while I'd be crushed if Bego switched, I'd hold no ill will against him, and most Canadians would likely agree.
Josh Wagenaar - another young hope. Not as good as Begovic, but the best young goalkeeper that is a sure bet for Canada. ADO's former backup, now trialing with Lyngby in Denmark.
David Monsalve - I'll have to admit, I don't know much about this guy, but he's good enough to be in Canada's U20s. I'm hoping he'll see more action for Toronto FC.
Srdjan Djekanovic - I was impressed with this guy and how well he played for a kid in his matches with Toronto FC. I don't think you've heard the last of him.
Wojciech Zarzycki - not the best guy available, but he's on this list because Ferencvaros, that Hungarian giant that recently fell upon hard times, has put it on
his shoulders to carry them back to the promised land. Wears #99, too! What Canadian can hate a guy who wears 99?
RB - we're stuck with one guy, one guy we yiddos know of all too well :p Or at least, that's what Dale Mitchell would have us think.
Paul Stalteri - shoulda stuck to playing midfield. He
was decent coming forward, but a series of groin injuries have slowed him down big time, plus he's getting on in the years, is prone to angry outbursts (see: Gold Cup semifinal, 2007), takes rash fouls, and heads the ball into his own net.
Nikolas Ledgerwood -
could play right back (or right wing-back for that matter) and has for the U20s and U23s in the past, but seems more at home at defensive mid. He can also play right mid.
Stathis Kappos - a relative unknown outside of Canada and Greece. The coaching staff doesn't have as much confidence in him as they do in Diesel (Stalteri) but they may have no choice in the matter (and sooner than they think at that) but to play him! He isn't
great, but he isn't horrible by CONCACAF standards either.
LB - better off than RB but not by much.
Mike Klukowski - our best LB. He isn't half-bad but does take some dumb fouls at times.
Ante Jazic - decent, but plays for the LA Galaxy, unfortunately. He's not anywhere near as big a spazz-case as his Canuck teammate Kevin Harmse. Heck no. Had a solid GC 2007. Is getting on in the years.
Jim Brennan - has Championship experience and would have played in the Prems for Norwich if not for injuries. Solid leader as well. Toronto FC's captain.
Kent O'Connor - Regionalliga calibre if even. 'Nuff said.
CB - one of Canada's strongest positions.
Richard Hastings - dropped off the radar for a while after scoring the shocking goal that eliminated Mexico from Gold Cup 2000 en route to Canada's only win of a major trophy. But then he was unquestionably Canada's best defender in the same tournament seven years later. He's a little slow, but there's no denying his defensive skill. Can also play defensive mid.
Kevin McKenna - on paper, he's Canada's best CB. However, there are some concerns about his attitude after a somewhat dodgy transfer to K
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