KUALA LUMPUR – Canada have made it clear that they will not fear Paris Olympics-bound France when both sides meet in their opening encounter at the Nations Cup today.
The tournament, held in Gniezno, Poland, from today until June 9, features nine teams in two pools – Austria, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, France, Malaysia, Pakistan and Poland.
Known as the Red Caribou by their fans, Canada have clashed with France eight times since the 2012 London Olympics qualifiers, with Les Bleus winning 50% of those matches.
Speaking to Scoop from Gniezno, Canada head coach Patrick Tshutshani said his team were ready to challenge their world number nine French opponents, drawing on experiences from the recently concluded Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
The seven-day tournament between six nations in Ipoh saw Canada having a tournament to forget, finishing bottom of the pool with zero points.
“It’s not going to be easy for us to go against a strong team like France, as they will definitely field some of their best players to prepare for this year’s Olympics,” Tshutshani said when contacted.
“They have a youthful squad, and so do we, but we have the advantage of more tournament experience over the past few months, especially from competing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“They may be ranked higher than us, but I can ensure that my boys will give them a good fight throughout the 60-minute match.
“The Nations Cup is a lower-tier tournament compared to the FIH Pro League, and I believe there won’t be a huge gameplay gap between the teams in our pool.
“What matters to me as a coach is that my players fight and challenge in all the games they compete in, as I want them to continue evolving for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”
Canada, ranked 20th in the world, are grouped with France, Malaysia and Pakistan in Pool B in the Nations Cup.
For the record, Canada have made eight appearances in the Olympics, six in the senior Men’s World Cup, and 15 in the Pan American Games, where they have clinched the title four times (1983, 1987, 1999 and 2007). – May 31, 2024