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The game will be Davies’s first under the Herdman regime, as the U.K. native took over the men’s team from Octavio Zambrano in January, after seven hugely successful years running the Canadian women’s program.

Photo by Dave Abel / Dave Abel/Toronto Sun

It will also be Davies’s first game with Canada since being signed to a record-setting transfer deal with Bundesliga power Bayern Munich, where he will move after the end of the Whitecaps’ MLS season.

Davies is the face of a Canadian program that has several young talents overseas in top-flight leagues, where Herdman says the development ground is more fertile.

“The move to Bayern Munich will be the critical piece now,” said Herdman. “For the MLS, he’s showed what he can do to almost every fullback in the MLS. And now what you’re going to see is his evolution with better players. And I think that’s always the case.

“When you surround yourself with better players, you evolve as a player. It’s just Darwinian theory. You adapt and evolve to your environment. I’m excited to see him develop. It’ll be a tough ride for him, that’s for sure, but I think he has the character to do it.”

There are four other teenagers on the squad for the USVI game, including Jonathan David, who’s been on fire for Belgian side KAA Gent. In one start and six sub appearances in his first pro season, the 18-year-old has six goals.

“This is the sort of pathway that tends to breed these top players, players who get out of their comfort zones and go and fight in top European environments,” said Herdman. “Alphonso is going to do something similar now as an 18-year-old.”