I managed to strike an interview with Coco, U.S.A's NT Manager and asked him a few questions. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
> What do you think of the Canadian NT?
My thought has always been that it's good that Canada is such a small country. Because for a long time they have had some of the smartest managers in BB, so if you guys also had a deep pool of players, it would be bad news for us.
> How can we improve onsite and offsite performance and participation?
Actually, I have no idea! I always wanted to improve participation, ever since I was U21 coach way back in season 7 or so. But I was never all that successful. Then jfarb came along, and he can just get people to come and join. He is truly sensational that way.
> How do you build a successful team and NT?
Well, I didn't do it at the same time. My club team was good for a long time (I got four championships in five seasons in seasons 14-18), but when I got elected NT coach, I stepped off the gas. I now use my team to host some expensive americans and traing some younger players. I still try to be competitive, but I am not *designed* for it.
As for how to build a successful club team, I like to stockpile passing and defense.
As for the NT, I'm still struggling with this one. Our NT was a bit unlucky this season, but I think you need to get every possible advantage (ideally you'd want capped players to get FT training, for example) and avoid mega-foulers.
> What do you think Canada can be in the next few years?
You know, I actually don't know. It's very difficult to be a small country and have a successful NT. You will need a lot of managers who are dedicated to the NT, in order to catch up with USA, Chile and to a lesser degree Uruguay and Argentina
Last edited by olanipekun at 7/25/2012 3:04:21 PM