Canadian men’s national team coach Stephen Hart took some time Friday to chat with the media ahead of Saturday’s Gold Cup match against Guadeloupe in Tampa, Fla. After losing 2-0 to the U.S. in the opener of the regional championship, Canada looks to bounce back against the non-FIFA member island nation.

The time for talking is over — in just over 24 hours, Canada will look to upstage its rivals from the Unites States as both teams begin their Gold Cup campaigns in Detroit. Whenever the U.S. and Canada play each other it’s a big game, but when the neighbours take to the pitch on Tuesday night, the Red and White will also have revenge on its mind.

But, despite all of the scandals at FIFA heaquarters in Zurich and at CONCACAF, it would have been difficult for the Canadian Soccer Association to add its voice to England’s calls for a delay. Because the ballot was held in secret, the CSA will never need to tell us if it was one of those 17 nations that called for the delay. But, we know that at no time did Canada add its voice to England’s in challenging the Blatter coronation.

That’s the rub. The crackdown on corruption in FIFA can’t be taken seriously until FIFA allows someone else to do it. Damaseb spoke of bringing in some top legal minds from around the world as the investigation continues; he praised the fact that Robert Torres, who sat on the disciplinary committee, is the Chief Supreme Court Justice of Guam in his day job. But, Damaseb stressed that, no matter what legal opinions it gets, FIFA will always control the investigation. Just as FIFA forbids political and/or judicial interference in the matters of national associations, it doesn’t want to be judged by, well, a judge.

“We are not in a crisis,” said Blatter in a press conference Monday from FIFA headquarters. “We are having some difficulties.” Blatter spent the better part of 45 minutes ducking and dodging questions from journalists. When two-part questions were asked, he insisted on answering only one. When questions were asked about FIFA’s reputation, he spoke of gambling in the game. When asked about reforming FIFA, he spoke of zero tolerance for abuse of officials on the field.

Less than a month away from the Gold Cup, it looks as if a civil war is brewing within CONCACAF.

And, there were no shocks in the script. Mexico thumped Canada 3-0. By making it to the semifinals, Mexico qualifies for the U-20 World Cup.The Canadian kids get their tickets home.

Russell Teibert’s inspired second-half performance helped save Canada from an embarrassing opening to the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The Vancouver Whitecaps’ winger set up both second-half goal as Canada rallied to beat Guadeloupe 2-1. Guadaloupe is so tiny, it’s not a FIFA member — so it can’t qualify for the U-20 World Cup even if, by some great upset, got to the semis of this tournament in Guatemala.

FC Edmonton’s roster is filled with players who are hoping that featuring for the NASL club will get them back on the radar of the Canadian national program. For left back Niko Saler, those hopes were heightened on Tuesday. Saler, currently in Arizona training with FC Edmonton as the club prepares for its inaugural NASL season, got the call and will join the Canadian U-20 team for its training camp in Florida ahead of the upcoming CONCACAF U-20 championships in Guatemala.

Canada couldn’t have asked for a tougher opponent to face in its 2011 Gold Cup opener. But playing the United States in Detroit is a public- and fan-relations bonanza. Canada will face the Americans June 7 at Ford Field, just a skip across the border. This means that fans in Southern Ontario have the chance to see Canada against the best CONCACAF has to offer, just by crossing the Ambassador Bridge from Windsor into the Motor City.