Herdmann was relieved that Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who turned 22 on Wednesday, was not seriously injured when he suffered a skull injury against Dortmund on October 8. Davis, Canada’s top player, returned eight days later.
“Every game we oversee you get that pit in your stomach, you lose a critical player but it’s going to happen,” Herdman said. “Every weekend you’re scared. One part is that you lose some quality from the team, but the next part is knowing the pain those players go through.
Atiba Hutchinson, the 39-year-old midfielder and Canada captain, was the only surviving player from Canada’s last World Cup appearance in 1986. He has not featured for Turkey’s Besiktas this season due to a bone injury, but Herdmann is hopeful he will be able to play in the Turkish Cup match against Serik Belediyespor on November 9.
“He feels good,” Herdman said. “All the signs are positive there.”
Herdman has named 21 players for a training camp that begins on Sunday ahead of the November 11 showdown against Bahrain in Manama. The players selected for the World Cup will travel the next day and the Europe-based players will report ahead of the November 17 friendly against Japan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who has 55 international appearances, has played one match since Aug. 20 because of post-concussion syndrome, 19 minutes in Orlando on Sept. 17.
“We have a staff that monitors his fights,” Herdman said. “The feedback has been super positive. He seems to be really making an impact on the field and looking back to his old self. Playing international football in desert conditions is a bit different from what he now experiences in his club’s training environment.
Canada opens the group against Belgium on November 23, before facing Croatia four days later and Morocco on December 1.
Twenty players from Major League Soccer went to the camp, including midfielder Liam Fraser of Deinze in Belgium’s second tier.
Canada’s senior team is missing four: goalkeeper James Pontemis; defenders Lucas MacNaughton and Joel Waterman; and midfielder Mathieu Chonier.
There are eight players from the Montreal MLS team, seven from Toronto and one each from Vancouver, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy, Minnesota and Nashville.
Toronto and Vancouver last played on October 9th, Nashville on October 15th, Minnesota on October 17th, LA Galaxy on October 20th and Montreal on October 23rd. LAFC will play Philadelphia in the MLS Championship Game on Saturday.
“Are they going to be at the match fitness levels we need to take them to Qatar?” Herdman said.
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Los Angeles), James Pontemis (Montreal), Dane St. Clair (Minnesota).
Defenders: Zachary Brault-Gillard (Montreal), Raheem Edwards (LA Galaxy), Donnell Henry (Toronto), Alastair Johnston (Montreal), Richie Lauria (Toronto), Lucas McNaughton (Toronto), Kamal Miller (Montreal), Joel Waterman ( Montreal), Montreal).
Midfielders: Mathieu Chonier (Montreal), Liam Fraser (Dinge, Belgium), Marc-Anthony Kay (Toronto), Ismail Kone (Montreal), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto), Samuel Piet (Montreal).
Forwards: Ayo Akinola (Toronto), Lucas Cavallini (Vancouver), Jayden Nelson (Toronto), Jacob Schaffelberg (Nashville).
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
