There is the long view.
It entails rebuilding the Canadian men鈥檚 soccer team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after last year鈥檚 devastating 8-1 loss in Honduras that denied a chance for Brazil 2014.
Then there is the more immediate goal of being ready for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup in July at various U.S. venues.
Goalkeeper Simon Thomas and defender Adam Straith, both from Victoria, continue to be in consideration for the long and short of it.
The Bays United grads, both born in 1990, were named to the 18-player Canadian roster for a friendly Tuesday against Costa Rica at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton (5 p.m., Sportsnet).
鈥淭his is all about getting younger players into games on the international stage, so when they are needed, they will have the experience and will not be thrown into the fire,鈥� said Thomas, under MLS contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps and currently with Whitecaps Under-23 team in the USL Premier Development League.
Thomas made his international debut with a clean sheet in a friendly against the U.S. in January in Houston, Texas. His first cap came days before that when he played the second half, allowing one goal, in a 4-0 friendly loss to Denmark in Tucson, Arizona.
sa国际传媒 is ranked No. 80 in the world. Costa Rica, which has made the final round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and is preparing for a June 7 qualifying game against Honduras, is rated No. 48.
Several established Canadian players are unavailable for the friendly because of pro MLS club commitments.
鈥淭he match against Costa Rica will be a great challenge for this young group,鈥� said interim Canadian head coach and former Victoria Highlanders PDL coach Colin Miller, in a statement.
鈥淗opefully, some of these young lads will rise to the occasion and stake a claim for a place at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.鈥�
Straith is attempting to reestablish himself as a national team presence. He has 11 caps, which he earned by the age of 21, including in sa国际传媒鈥檚 successful first round of 2014 World Cup qualifying in 2011. Yet, despite showing promise and maturity beyond his years, the Oak Bay High grad was left off the roster for the next round, which concluded in the debacle last fall in Honduras.
Straith was recalled to the roster for friendlies in March against Japan and Belarus in Doha, Qatar, but did not get into game action. Yet, his recall for the Tuesday game shows the national team鈥檚 continued interest in Straith, who has most recently been on loan to FC Saarbrucken from Energie Cottbus in Germany.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always an honour to get the call [For sa国际传媒],鈥� said Straith.
鈥淓specially this time because it鈥檚 at home on Canadian soil, and it鈥檚 the closest I鈥檝e ever been to playing at home in Victoria. Costa Rica is a team that we鈥檝e played before. We know that it is a team that is very quick and dangerous, so we will have to be wide awake right from the start of the game.鈥�
Thomas, meanwhile, is among three invited Canadian goalkeepers 鈥� along with Haidar Al-Shaibani from French pro club Nimes Olympique and Milan Borjan from Turkish club Sivasspor 鈥� vying for minutes against Costa Rica.
鈥淭his call-up gives me a lot of confidence and I鈥檓 going in there to Edmonton trying to impress the coaches and fighting for a chance [to play Tuesday],鈥� said Thomas.
鈥淭his recognition helps and is what I need right now. It鈥檚 all part and parcel of my development.鈥�
Meanwhile, the status of injured Victoria midfielder Josh Simpson remains uncertain for the Gold Cup. The 30-year-old with 43 caps for sa国际传媒, out of the Juan de Fuca soccer system, continues recuperating from a horrific leg break suffered last year during a Swiss Premier league game.
CORNER KICKS: The 53-time capped defender Emily Zurrer of Crofton has been named to the 18-player Canadian women鈥檚 roster for the much-anticipated rematch friendly June 2 against the U.S. at a sold-out BMO Field in Toronto (1:30 p.m., Sportsnet). The teams met in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics with the Americans coming away with a controversial victory.
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