Tajon Buchanan, Mark-Anthony Kaye & other vets return to Mauro Biello’s Canada squad for crucial Jamaica games
The Canadian men’s national team’s final games of 2023 are just around the corner and they’re pretty vital ones: the two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final and 2024 Copa América qualifier against Jamaica.
On Wednesday, interim head coach Mauro Biello named his squad to play those games, just the second roster he has selected since taking charge after John Herdman’s departure from Toronto FC.
The headline points of interest are that Tajon Buchanan returns after being injured for the last camp in October. Lucas Cavallini and former Toronto FC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye are also back in the squad as Biello leans on experience and familiarity. It is Kaye’s first time in the CanMNT roster since March’s 2022-23 Nations League window. All in all, the roster includes 20 members of Canada’s World Cup squad from last November.
Related read: Mauro Biello calls on Canada’s ‘brotherhood’ to get CanMNT past Jamaica and into 2024 Copa América
Just like Buchanan’s return, Stephen Eustáquio being back in the team in central midfield will be huge. Since missing out on the Japan game through injury, the midfielder has been in superb form for FC Porto in both the Portuguese league and the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Moïse Bombito, Charles-Andreas Brym, Mathieu Choinière, and Harry Paton all drop out after being named in the squad for the Japan friendly in October. The latter two of that quartet were both given their national team debuts by Biello in the 4-1 humbling in Niigata a month ago.
“We know that these upcoming two matches will be difficult against a solid opponent, in difficult conditions, so that is why we decided on an experienced and seasoned group of players who are used to high-pressure games,” said Biello.
The selection is perhaps understandable given the high-stakes nature of the games, but critics may argue it shows something of a lack of imagination or forward planning by the interim boss.
While other former TFC star Richie Laryea is also there, the only current Reds player named is midfield mainstay Jonathan Osorio.
A bright spot is seeing Vancouver Whitecaps young player of the year Ali Ahmed back in the group after his good form and impressive season for VWFC. The Whitecaps have four players in the squad, with Ahmed, Laryea, Sam Adekugbe, and Junior Hoilett. No other club has more than one representative.
Meanwhile, there is another chance to cap-tie talented 18-year-old Fulham centre-back Luc de Fougerolles, who impressed in his first-team breakthrough for the Premier League club last week.
De Fougerolles received his first Canada call-up in October and has since made his senior debut for Fulham in an EFL Cup tie against Ipswich Town.
Canada travel to Kingston, Jamaica to play the first leg of the tie next Friday, November 17, before returning home to BMO Field for the second leg on Tuesday, November, 21. Both games will be aired live on OneSoccer. The quarter-final winners qualify for the 2024 Copa América as one of six guest CONCACAF teams, while the losers will play in a single-elimination play-off in March to decide the two final CONCACAF entries.
Full Canada squad to face Jamaica:
GK – Milan Borjan | SVK / ŠK Slovan Bratislava
GK – Maxime Crépeau | USA / Los Angeles FC
GK – Dayne St. Clair | USA / Minnesota United FC
CB – Derek Cornelius | SWE / Malmö FF
CB – Steven Vitória | POR / GD Chaves
CB/FB – Luc de Fougerolles | ENG / Fulham FC
CB/FB – Alistair Johnston | SCO / Celtic FC
CB/FB – Kamal Miller | USA / Inter Miami FC
FB – Samuel Adekugbe | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB – Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern Munich
FB – Richie Laryea | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M – Ali Ahmed | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M – Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Porto
M – Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / New England Revolution
M – Ismaël Koné | ENG / Watford FC
M – Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M – Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
M/F – Junior Hoilett | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F – Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F – Lucas Cavallini | MEX / Club Tijuana
F – Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F – Cyle Larin | ESP / RCD Mallorca
F – Liam Millar | ENG / Preston North End FC
Biello, do yourself a favour and start Luc de Fougerolles so that he is cap-tied…..bloody as many promising young guys as possible so that the old guard can exit stage left….please.
Also, start Crepeau between the sticks, another please. 🙂
Agree with you Anton!!
If there is one area we need a youth injection in is on the back line. So having an opportunity to cap tie an 18yr old who is playing in Europe should be the biggest priority going into the game in Jamaica. This team won’t go anywhere with guys like Vittoria anchoring our defense in 2026.
Also its time to move on from Borjan. He has brought us as far as he can. We need to get the younger keepers some international experience so that they are comfortable playing in the world stage. Crapeau and St. Claire should be seeing time against Jamaica.
I am shocked to see Kaye on this Roster.
2026 ? I just wanna qualify for copa next year and if Kaye or Osorio play a major role that will be in jeopardy. This is a must win match up. And if don’t whatever we gained in the qualifying for the world cup will be gone and probably going back to the dark days (CSA never got out of the dark days so that won’t change). I have not seen this young lad from fulham but I agree we need to cap him. Jonathan David and buchanan have been struggling and haven’t taken that step forward. I’m really nervous going in. Borjan makes alot of mistakes and has been loaned out to slovan bratislava, which is a step down from red star. I also rate Chouinare ahead of Osorio these days, so not sure why he hasn’t gotten a go with the national team and shaffleburg had a great game vs usa in gold cup I would had him on the roster.
Personally I think our men’s national team program is in trouble because the CSA is incapable of managing it. They need to bankrupt themselves and start all over. When you consider the amount of money that would have come into the program for qualifying for the world cup and then not having money to play friendly’s less then 10 months later is complete horsebleep!
For John Herdman to approach a disfunctional TFC to get out of the CMNT also speaks volumes of what must be going on behind the scenes. How in hell can we attract young players to come play for us when we cannot afford friendly’s during international breaks.
Will we regress from last year…… my answer is undoubtably we will (I just don’t see how we don’t considering we are not replacing some of our aging core and we over exceeded expectations going into the last WC).
I have nothing agains Biello, but if we want to have world class players, then we cannot have a coach whom even MLS teams are not lining up for. Obviously it comes down to money again.
I have nothing against biello I thought he did a decent job with Montreal would he be my first choice as head coach far from it. As for the CSA absolute disgrace I could write an essay here about the disaster of an organization that it is (I even have some personal experience with both the OSA and CSA from years past but too long to type). Sadly I also see us regressing as a team and wouldn’t be surprised if don’t get through this home and away vs Jamaica which would be a massive disaster.
A World Class player that does not want to play for his national team because of the coach? Do you have any examples of these? Biello is fine as a coach ! what are you talking about Fan Boy? We just had the friggin woman’s coach that never won anything with the woman’s program, who by the way never coached a club team in his life!!!
Jack: There are world class playes who have the options for playing for more then just Canada. If the we have a program run by the CSA (where we lack proper funding and are not able to put in place strong coaches), why would someone with multiple options choose Canada?
Tell me, who recruited Eustaquio to come play for Canada for example? Was it a said woman’s coach???
Do you think David didn’t have other options? Or how about Borjan, Kone, Ugbo and others?
If Eustaquio had the talent he would be playing for Portugal ! Look at Owen Hargreaves this guy lives all his life in Canada then plays for England! You know why because he is good enough! If Alfonso Davies had English or French parents he would not be playing for Canada!!!!
I saw the comment that Biello made that he didn’t put Choinniere (sp?) in because his team didn’t make the playoffs, so he would be out of form. Doesn’t Piette play for the same team? Oso also didn’t make the playoffs,and didn’t have a great season. I know these are must-win games, but I think having several out-of-form older players doesn’t do us any favors.
I’m hoping to see the young CB so we can cap tie him.
I’m also looking forward to seeing my favourite player, Eustáquio,who seems to be in fine form.
Mark A Kaye???? Gross.
Mark Anthony just blatantly stomped on a Philadelphia player leading to a straight red card! This imbecile is playing in a knockout playoff game and he does that. Jesus Christ , what did Boob Bradley see in this guy? And look for Mark to walk over to the supporters section after the game to applaud the fans, Watch out for flying megaphones Mark
An article about the CMNT and Bob’s still living in your head rent free XD
Man, that de Fougerolles kid sure has a baby face… I would have believed you if you told me he was 13.
If we don’t beat Jamaica it would be proof positive that much of the gains of the last few years have dissolved and we’re back to being a 2nd-class Concacaf team.
Bringing Osorio, Kaye, and Cavallini isn’t ideal, but we are so shallow in our talent pool that alternatives such as Russel-Rowe and Bombito don’t seem very appealing, either.
Anyway, if David, Eustaquio and Davies are healthy and on their game we should win.