Hart looks to get Canada off on the right foot

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The start of the Major League Soccer season is still six weeks away, but for Stephen Hart the task of preparing for this year's Gold Cup and the 2014 World Cup qualifiers to come begins now with a trip to Greece to take on the 2004 European champions next Wednesday.

With MLS training camps currently in full swing, the Canadian national team coach decided to pick an 18-man squad heavy on European-based players Wednesday, although he couldn't afford to ignore North American-based players entirely.

"I spoke to some of the players and at first I told them it was more than likely they wouldn't be invited in and they understood but the situation was such that I needed to get some players for positions so it forced my hand a little bit," said Hart on Thursday. "I would much prefer they get into their preseason and get themselves into game shape, match shape, but [the ones I needed]answered the call and that's the most important thing."

Toronto FC captain Dwayne De Rosario, Real Salt Lake midfielder Will Johnson and D.C. United centre back Dejan Jakovic are the lone MLS representatives, although one of De Rosario's teammates may get a look-in after veteran centre back Kevin McKenna withdrew from the squad Thursday with what Hart believed was a back problem picked up while playing for Cologne.

Hart said there is a "very big possibility" of bringing in either Nana Attakora or Adrian Cann from TFC's training camp in Turkey to replace McKenna.

Early season friendlies - although for the European-based players it's very much a midseason game - are not so much about the result as getting the players to bond and giving younger players a run-out and a feel for international soccer. Hart is certainly looking at the journey as such, and with Canada, currently ranked 80th in the world in FIFA's rankings, very much the underdog in taking on the 10th-ranked team in its own backyard, it is an appropriate attitude to have.

"Greece is not an opponent we play on a regular basis," he said. "What we do is go into these sort of games is we tell the players it's more important the things we do as a team and we do well as a team. Of course, you go into the game, you're playing to win the game and get a result. [But]it's more important how we play the game, how we manage the game and use it as a building block towards the next one."

The next one, as he put it, will likely be held in mid to late March, with the Canadian Soccer Association saying it is very close to finalizing a game, although it will again be an away fixture. With the Gold Cup coming up in June, these games will be crucial in helping to finalize a squad and starting 11 to challenge CONCACAF powers the United States and Mexico in the tournament, and start building confidence for the opening rounds of World Cup qualifying. And it's the World Cup that is currently the focus of Hart's attention.

"I'm not really looking at the Gold Cup yet," he said. "I'm waiting to see what CONCACAF does with the potential World Cup qualifying games and then we're going to make decisions on how we actually approach the Gold Cup and how we're going to approach those games."

One player who might significantly boost Canada's chances in both tournaments is David (Junior) Hoilett. The Blackburn Rovers forward, who scored his first English Premier League goal last month, is currently on the fence over which country to represent at the international level, as the Brampton-born striker also qualifies to play for Jamaica through his family tree.

While Hart would welcome the opportunity to add the forward to his attacking options, he is very clear on the circumstances.

"At the end of the day he has to want to play for Canada," he said. "The [invitation]has been extended, he knows how much we would like to have him on board, but I want players that want to play for Canada. The ball's in his court really."

If Canada can build off its fine form in its last game - a 2-2 draw in Ukraine - it can surely only help in its bid to persuade Hoilett to represent the country of his birth.