Canadian Men’s National Team calls up five Toronto FC players

Update: Canada Soccer revealed today that John Herdman has invited young Toronto FC player Liam Fraser to the national team’s camp in Spain.

Canada Soccer announced today the squad they’ll be bringing to Spain later this month for John Herdman’s debut as coach of the men’s national team. Toronto FC players Jonathan Osorio, Tosaint Ricketts, Ashtone Morgan,Jay Chapman and Liam Fraser will join the team when they play New Zealand on March 24 in Murcia.

The TFC players will travel over the international break, and won’t miss any MLS games — the Reds play in Montreal on March 17, then not again until they host Real Salt Lake on March 30.

Perhaps surprisingly, Jordan Hamilton was passed over for a call-up. That said, Canada does have a wealth of attacking players, including Ricketts, Atiba Hutchinson and Cyle Larin.

Ricketts has by far the most international caps from that quartet of TFC players, with 57. He’s scored 15 goals for the national team. Osorio has 19 caps under his belt, Morgan has 13, and Chapman just two. Fraser, who hasn’t yet appeared for TFC’s first team, doesn’t have a senior international cap. He has represented Canada at the U-20 level eight times, though. He played for his country at the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

It’s interesting that Chapman has been rewarded by Herdman with a call-up, despite not appearing in any of TFC’s games yet this season. As an attacking midfielder, though, he may be more useful to the team’s set-up in the future than somebody like Hamilton.

Herdman will be looking to tinker with his side as they prepare for the CONCACAF Nations League, which begins next fall. The squad he’s named for this friendly is certainly a strong one. The TFC players are joined by fellow MLSers Dejan Jakovic, Michael Petrasso, Tesho Akindele, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Samuel Piette, and former Red Raheem Edwards.

The full roster is below, copied from canadasoccer.com.

GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Blackburn Rovers
GK- Simon Thomas | NOR / FK Bodø/Glimt
CB- David Edgar | Unattached / sans club
CB- Dejan Jaković | USA / Los Angeles FC
CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest
CB- Derek Cornelius | SRB / FK Javor Ivanjica
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball
FB- Marcus Godinho | SCO / Heart of Midlothian FC
FB- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC
FB- Michael Petrasso | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
M- Scott Arfield | ENG / Burnley FC
M- Jay Chapman | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Raheem Edwards | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Los Angeles FC
M- Liam Millar | ENG / Liverpool FC
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- David Wotherspoon | SCO / St. Johnstone
M- Kris Twardek | ENG / Carlisle United
M- Liam Fraser | CAN / Toronto FC
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC