TORONTO – A new era for Canadian Soccer began on Friday morning in a hotel conference room on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The Canadian Soccer Association announced Octavio Zambrano would be taking up the reins as head coach of the Canadian national team program.
“This is the pinnacle of my career.” said Zambrano at the press conference announcing the hire. “I intend to do the very best. We have a responsibility, not only to the senior team, but also the grassroots and all teams in between, to create an identity of football, to make sure that Canada reaches the highest level. I'm excited I was chosen; for this task I have prepared all my life. I am very thankful and I will not disappoint.”
With years of experience as both a player and coach, the 59-year old Ecuadorian offers a full understanding of the sport, in youth development and first team management, that attracted the CSA.
“Octavio has excellent instincts for the game,” explained CSA president Victor Montagliani. “It is part of his DNA. He's a winner; not afraid to take on challenges. We're very confident that Octavio is the right person for the job.”
“The experience factor was important,” continued Montagliani, “but [given the scope of the position] we wanted to make sure we had somebody who had the ability, the intimate knowledge of being in that situation.”
In particular, Zambrano's familiarity with the North American landscape, built during coaching stints in MLS from 1996-2002 and again from 2009-11, was alluring.
“From the development point, I have a strong background,” said Zambrano, recounting his involvement at the youth levels in California. “My appointment to MLS as assistant put me in that environment; taking over head coaching duties gave me another layer of experience. And in between, the realities of American soccer and the nuances with MLS. All of that is important knowledge that I will put at the service of the CSA.”
Zambrano already has strong ties to the coaching staff of one Canadian MLS side, Toronto FC, who in Greg Vanney, Robin Fraser, and Dan Calichman, are led by three of his former players.
But resurrecting the fortunes of a program that has not reached the Hexagonal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying since the 1998 cycle and has a single, lonely appearance at the 1986 World Cup in its past is no easy feat.
His predecessor, Benito Floro, departed last September, after failing to lead the side to the final phase of CONCACAF qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Zambrano, just minutes into the role, already had his sights set on the primary challenge facing Canadian soccer, what he called the “psychological aspect.”
“To convince the Canadian player that he is second to none,” explained Zambrano. “That he is as good as any Mexican kid, any Honduran kid; that he can step on the field and face them in equal terms. Once a player convinces himself of that, the rest will come. [Now], before we step on the field we already have this inferiority complex. We have to kill that, get rid of it.”
The new coach will get his first look at the players at his disposal in a pair of upcoming friendlies – against Scotland and Curacao – before this summer's Gold Cup.
Zambrano had a message for his new charges about how the mindset must be different.
“We have, perhaps, been happy to participate, to be there. We have not been keen enough to think we can win, that we have to win. Our preparation is for winning, not just for participating. If you don't have the fire inside to accomplish something for this country then you won't be a part of this program. Those are the kinds of guys that we are looking for.”
