After 36 long, long years for Canadian soccer fans, Les Rouges are finally returning to the FIFA World Cup, with a great deal of the credit owed to head coach John Herdman.
A man who was perpetually stonewalled as he attempted to climb the coaching ranks of soccer, the Englishman is now a hero in Canada, having harnessed the raw potential of some truly world-class talents.
With Canada hoping to exceed the three losses and zero goals of 1986 in Mexico, who is the Canada soccer coach John Herdman, and what can fans expect from his side in Qatar?
Who is John Herdman?
Born in Consett, County Durham, in 1975, the Englishman made his start in soccer’s coaching ranks in Sunderland’s youth academy, remaining there until 2001, when he moved to New Zealand.
By 2003, he was in the national programme, rising through the ranks to become the director of football development before accepting the role of head coach for the women’s national team in 2006.
Taking the helm for the first-team and under-20s, Herdman guided New Zealand to the 2006 U20 World Championship, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2007, the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and the World Cup again in 2010.
In 2011, his big move across the Pacific came, with Canada hiring the talented young coach to manage the women’s team. He made an immediate impact, winning the 2011 Pan American Games.
Success followed on the Olympic stage for Herdman and the Canadian women’s team, securing a bronze medal finish at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
On December 21, 2017, Canada’s men’s team found itself ranked a lowly 94th in the FIFA World Rankings, behind the likes of Cyprus, Armenia, Luxembourg, and Curacao. Change was needed: so they called Herdman.
Stepping over from the women’s to the men’s team, Herdman accepted the role of men’s national director, giving him control of the system from the under-14s to the senior team, which he would coach.
From January 2018 to a few days out from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Herdman’s Canada boasted 32 wins from 47 games and hit 33rd in the rankings in February 2022.
Finishing atop the CONCACAF qualifying group was the 47-year-old’s greatest achievement in men’s soccer to date, and he’s now tasked with putting in a national-best performance at the World Cup.
In his native England, Herdman found opportunities for advancement often closed off. In the 90s, but less so today, those without professional football experience weren’t considered viable candidates for higher roles.
It’s fair to say that, even though he had to go a very long way around, Herdman has proven those early doubters wrong.
John Herdman’s Canada Tactics and Formations
Since joining the Canada men’s national team in 2018, Herdman has been keen to deploy formations and tactics that emphasize the strengths of his key players rather than enforce a rigid structure for each game.
While finding his feet, 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 were the formations of choice, but as the young talents started to blossom and their skills expanded, he happily pivoted to 3-4-3, 3-5-2, and 5-4-1.
The formation of choice often depends on the players available, with 3-4-3 usually being the choice for a fully fit Canada, sometimes shifting key players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David around to exploit potential weaknesses.
Canada’s style of play is anchored on building from the back with short passes between defenders and deeper lying midfielders, while Stephen Eustáquio is relied on to be the link between attack and defence.
Up top, it’s very fluid, with the speed of the forwards and their ability to seek out space in the final third leant upon.
Jonathan David is the centrepiece, while a mix of Junior Hoilett, Tajon Buchanan, and Cyle Larin set out alongside the go-to goalscorer or on the wings.
The team presses from the front line, holds structure without the ball at the back, mobs those in possession, and rapidly transitions into gung-ho attacking swings that commit many players forward.
It’s an exciting style of play that puts pressure on opponents but can be exposed by expert playmakers. It’ll truly be put to the test in Qatar, with the World Cup odds seeing Canada as the +530 underdogs to win the first game against Belgium.
John Herdman’s Canada Salary and Contract
John Herdman’s Canada salary and contract haven’t been fully disclosed. As the national director, it’s possible that even if he steps down or loses the men’s senior team job, his contract to run the rest would stay intact.
However, upon signing in January 2018, it was stated that his job with Canada focuses on the next two World Cup cycles, which could mean the 2018 World Cup in Russia and Qatar 2022, or Qatar and the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by Canada. One would assume the latter.
His team is at -400 to finish in the group stage, +330 to make it to the round of 16, and +1800 to reach the quarter-finals with soccer betting Canada, so it’s fair to say that expectations aren’t high; even a showing that only narrowly beats the 1986 effort is unlikely to see Herdman booted.
HERDMAN REACTION:
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) March 27, 2022
"We're a football country." #CANMNT #WCQ #ForCanada #WeCan pic.twitter.com/2FripeA1lX
John Herdman’s Accolades and Achievements
Here’s a list of John Herdman’s biggest achievements and accolades to date across his coaching career:
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Reached 33rd in FIFA World Rankings (Canada Men’s Best)
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Qualified for Canada Men’s Second-Ever World Cup
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Won 2022 CONCACAF FIFA World Cup Qualification Group
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2012 Olympic Games Women’s Soccer Bronze Medal
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2016 Olympic Games Women’s Soccer Bronze Medal
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Won 2011 Pan American Games
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2017 Jack Donohue Coach of the Year Award Winner
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2022 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards Recognition
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2012 FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football Nominee
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2016 CONCACAF Outstanding Performance Award Winner
John Herdman has achieved a great deal in men’s and women’s soccer despite not having any professional experience as a player and being relatively young.
In Qatar, Canada’s head coach will seek to achieve the nation’s best-ever showing at the prestigious tournament.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 18th November 2022
