World Cup | Canada, a “brotherhood” en route to Qatar

“Comradery”. ” Trust “. “Excitement”. “Brotherhood”. So many words that come out of the mouth of Alistair Johnston when it comes to his Canadian national team.

Jean-Francois Teotonio
The Press

“We text each other all the time, not just when there are 10-day international windows,” explains the CF Montreal and Canada defender.

“If one of our guys is about to play a big game, everyone writes in the group chat and sends him good messages. We’ve become such good friends through it all. This is an aspect that people often overlook, I think. »

John Herdman’s men meet again this week for the very last qualifying matches for the World Cup in Qatar next November. Canada is still undefeated after 11 games in the Octagon. The turn is already almost played. A victory Thursday against Costa Rica, and Canada is there. There are even possibilities of qualification in the event of a draw or defeat, subject to favorable results elsewhere.

Just before their reunion, The Press spoke with the CF Montreal defender, between two games in the club’s busy schedule.

CF Montreal training has just ended at Center Nutrilait when your daily representative arrives on the scene early in the afternoon of mid-March. Sebastian Breza talks peacefully on the sidewalk of Avenue Letourneux. Victor Wanyama prepares to get into his car, placing his cup of coffee on the hood of his racing car.

And Alistair Johnston is waiting for us calmly on a folding chair at the corner of one of the training grounds. His usual honest smile welcomes us warmly. Just like this sun which finally offers a good dose of serotonin.

If such a temperature takes over BMO Field in Toronto on March 27, the defender may not be as out of place as last November, when he wore short sleeves in the freezing cold of Edmonton against Costa Ric.

“With this sun, I may not even need to wear sleeves at all!” laughs Johnston when referenced.

But before the game against Jamaica in Toronto, there is a new clash against Costa Rica, in San José this time. Canada will then play its very last match of the qualifying phase on March 30, in Panama.

Still, the primary goal is to “get the job done” in the first game.

“We put ourselves in a great position. It excites us. We’d like to take care of it right away, in Costa Rica.

“We want to get away from the pressure for the game against Jamaica and enjoy the atmosphere in Toronto. Because first, Toronto knows how to throw a party. And secondly, because Jamaicans also know how to throw a party. It will be a bonanza! »

Finding your bearings between two game systems

Johnston was acquired in the off-season by CF Montreal from Nashville SC. He mainly plays in the center right in a three-man defense, or on the right in a four-man defense.

In a squad full of fellow Canadians, he notably joined his colleague at the ramparts of the maple leaf, Kamal Miller. A long-standing association that serves both the club and the selection… even if he concedes that he is still finding his bearings under the orders of Wilfried Nancy.

But it will come, he says. The number of games played – and the injuries that followed – meant that there was a lot of turnover in the Montreal squad.

“As a defender, the chemistry is found with time. I play with Rudy [Camacho]with Joel [Waterman], and of course, I have already played a lot with Kamal. Just find the connection. For example, if I set foot here, I know exactly where my teammate will go. And that develops over time. »

Nancy’s system places a lot of “responsibility” on their centre-backs, according to Johnston, who isn’t complaining about it at all.

“The new generation of defenders, we’re not just aerial threats anymore. The coach wants us to play with intensity, to take risks. Obviously, if you play with fire, you get burned from time to time. »

But when the team is in its heyday, “we pull out all the stops”.

“When Kamal and I can go up and down, it causes a lot of problems for the opposing team. You force wingers and forwards to defend, and that’s the last thing they want to do. »

At 23 and only a year after making his Canadian debut, Johnston has quickly become one of John Herdman’s defensive mainstays.

The tactical plan of his coach has similarities with that of Nancy, believes the defender.

“These are two systems with good intensity. […] We want to move forward and ensure that the opposing teams will make mistakes. »

But where Herdman’s pattern diverges is in quick service to creative Canadian players more advanced on the court. At Nancy, “we try to absorb and play from the back”.

” [Herdman] wants us to send the ball to our slingers [mavericks], our wingers. Tajon Buchanan, Alphonso Davies, Sam Adekugbe: we let these guys go into battle one on one. When you have talent like that, you want to give him the ball as quickly as possible. »

Obviously, Davies will not be able to take part in the next games of Canada, he who is still recovering from his myocarditis. The maple leaf hadn’t been too inconvenienced during the last games this winter, winning the three games in January and February, but it is certain that its absence hurts the team.

“He’s the best left-back in the world,” Johnston said. He is the best player in CONCACAF. He changes the game as soon as he comes on. I’m on the right side, and if I look to the left, I can see the opposing right winger, right back and right defender focused on him. It opens up my side completely.

“His dynamism, his athleticism and his talent with the ball can turn a match upside down. »

After Koné, Choinière and Breza?

The common thread of our interview with Johnston on the wet lawn of the Nutrilait Center is his propensity to credit the beautiful “brotherhood” that has developed among Canada’s players.

This union, combined with the depth of the selection formed by Herdman, allows players who are a little less known to the workforce to take the place without problem when a leading player has to be absent.

Johnston notes the example of Adekugbe, who replaced Davies on the left a few weeks ago.

“He proved to many people who didn’t know him how good a player he is. He had an incredible camp. »

Along those lines, Johnston is asked which of his Canadian teammates with CF Montreal he would soon see making the national team.

He responds without hesitation.

“There’s so much talent coming up here. I am a big fan of Mathieu Choinière. He is so versatile. He can play left or right back, and he is consistent. »

Even before he was officially recalled on Sunday, Johnston praised the qualities of Ismaël Koné, a young midfielder who made his professional debut in 2022 in Montreal.

“He’s extremely athletic, smart, he can step forward and take risks. »

Goalkeeper Sebastian Breza is also part of the Canadian defender’s list. “He’s been fabulous” recently, he says.

“What’s good for them is that they train with Kamal, Sam Piette and me every day. We are guys who play minutes with Canada. They can tell themselves that not only do they have their place on the pitch, but that there isn’t a big difference between them and us, if there is one. »

And if it’s not for 2022, there is also the 2026 World Cup that Canada will co-host, he recalls.

“What better fuel to motivate yourself than wanting to be part of the roster in four years? »

A passion that bursts the screen

Before leaving Johnston to enjoy the first beautiful day of spring in Montreal, we ask him what he wants to see out of Canada’s last three qualifying games.

“I would like people to see the emotion in the faces of the players. Let them see how important it is to us. Look at the guys on the bench. They will be on their feet, they will be running towards the scuffles, towards the goal celebrations. That’s what we want the fans to realize: we want them to see how tight this band is.

“We are fighting for our country. We love representing it. We know how lucky we are. We want to write a new story for our country and for the world of soccer. Jump on the bandwagon! »

Canada v. Costa Rica, Thursday at 10:05 p.m. at the National Stadium of Costa Rica, San José