(Image credit: the Canadian Press).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Canada’s World Cup team made us proud, unlike the coach

Nov 30, 2022 | 4:35 AM

TEAM CANADA wraps up its appearance in the World Cup tomorrow and they’ve done their country proud. The same can’t be said for their coach.

John Herdman has done a remarkable job with Canada’s football/soccer program, raising our national teams’ level of play to international standards. But his actions and words at the World Cup have been less than stellar.

By now, everyone knows about the F-bomb he aimed at the Croatian team after Canada lost a heartbreaker to Belgium in the opening game. Sure, he may have been caught up in the moment, but it showed a complete lack of sportsmanship, and it tarnished our nation’s image.

Croatia’s coach reminded Herdman that he needs to be more respectful of his opponents and he was absolutely right.

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A Croatian tabloid newspaper expressed disdain for Herdman by publishing a derogatory headline and photo of him on its front page.

The Croatian players, for their part, responded by handing Canada a 4-1 drubbing despite a quick goal by our own Alphonso Davies that gave us the lead all-to-briefly. As one Croatian player said, “In the end, Croatia demonstrated who eff’d who.”

Herdman compounded his mistake by failing to shake hands with the winning coach after the game.

The whole thing made him look like a spoiled child.

This World Cup has hardly been untarnished by incivility, including the cruel taunting of Canada’s Croatian-born goalkeeper by Croatia fans, but that doesn’t excuse Herdman’s own boorish behaviour.

Despite him, our players performed magnificently in a losing cause. Canadians across the country came together to cheer them on and, just as we’re proud of these young athletes, they in return made us proud to be Canadians.

Herdman, on the other hand, embarrassed us. He may know football, but he has a lot to learn about how to represent our country. At this important international opportunity to bring honour to his team, he totally blew it.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.