Departures, illnesses could leave Canada depleted for Mexico test

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Striker Simeon Jackson has left camp to pursue a club opportunity with Germany’s Eintracht Braunschweig. Speedster Randy Edwini-Bonsu is out with a knee injury. Defender Nana Attakora was never able to get past his post-concussion symptoms. And, two more key Canadian players are question marks for Thursday’s Gold Cup match against Mexico. Coach Colin Miller said that captain Will Johnson, who had to leave after playing just a half in the 1-0 Gold Cup opening loss to Martinique, is being evaluated Wednesday. He is still battling the illness that took him out of that game. And Miller said Wednesday that Russell Teibert was with the doctor, as the Whitecaps’ winger had “fever and the shakes.” There’s a possibility that up to five members of the 23-man roster would be out for the Mexico game — and Canada has only called up one replacement, D.C. United forward Kyle Porter. (UPDATE: The Canadian Soccer Association has confirmed that Johnson’s illness will keep him out of the Mexico game; he’s been allowed to go home to Portland to recover, but hasn’t been dropped from the squad) “(Goalkeeping coach) Paul Dolan and I are getting warmed up and getting ready to go,” Miller joked Wednesday. You can’t blame Miller for the crack — after all, it’s got to the point where you’ve got to laugh, right? But, despite the departures, illness and swarm of locusts that must surely be ready to engulf the Canadian camp in Seattle, Miller said his players are still in good spirits — even though they are coming off the loss to Martinique. Miller was quick to defend his team. He said wingers Tosaint Ricketts and Teibert got the ball behind the Martinique fullbacks on a regular basis. But, the final ball was a problem. And Miller admitted it’s been a problem for Canada for a long time; poor deliveries and not enough players streaming forward to make themselves available for crosses. The coach also noted the game was played in very uncomfortable conditions, near the 100 F point. And he said Martinique’s recent record, which included a draw against Jamaica, proves that the opposition wasn’t exactly cannon fodder. “They are no mugs, and we are no world-beaters,” he said. In Mexico, Canada will get a team that’s under a massive amount of pressure after a 2-1 tourney-opening loss to Panama. Mexico has brought an experimental side to the Gold Cup, but Miller said that the Panama result isn’t going to change his opinion that El Tri is the best team in CONCACAF. “I don’t care if they bring their ‘Z’ team, every player who wears a Mexico strip is of a very high quality.” And he said that losing to Panama is not as major an upset as some would think. “I’m a big fan of how Panama goes about their work,” said Miller. “They are a wonderful example of how a 4-4-2 system should be played. “I can understand the pressure the Mexican players are under.. But I use the Scottish example; when Celtic or Rangers or lost a game, it was a bit of a crisis of their clubs. And if you were the next team to play against them, you might get the belt from Rangers or Celtic — or, in this case, Mexico.” And Miller said Canadian supporters should not be tough on Jackson for chasing the opportunity in Germany. The coach said that Jackson actually turned down three offers from England that would have impeded his chance of playing at the Gold Cup. But this latest opportunity was too good for an unattached player who needs to secure his future to pass up.