Responding to reports this morning that the New York Red Bulls management were expecting Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario to skip this summer’s Gold Cup, Canadian national team head coach Stephen Hart told a teleconference that it “was news to me.”
“As far as I know, Dwayne is keen to play at the Gold Cup.”
Hart would go on to tell the assembled media that he would be following up with DeRosario in the days ahead and suggested that the comments made by the New York coaching staff were perhaps leading and meant to provoke a reaction.
“It could just be, you know, the coaching staff throwing something out there.”
At 33, there have been some questions as to what role DeRo would play in the next round of World Cup qualifying but Hart made it clear that he still values DeRosario’s contribution.
“I joke with people and I say that Dwayne is a young 33. I don’t really look at numbers, in terms of age. I look at how the player is performing and what he brings to the team and those are my main considerations.”
What do you think? Is there still a role for DeRo on this team? Or would they be better off going with a youth movement?
You can listen to the full press conference here:
