

Posted by

Steve Bottjer ,

August 24, 2014 Email

Steve Bottjer

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@BottjerRNO

As a player whose recent displays have recently pushed him into the discussion for the 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year Award, Calgary-born forward Tesho Akindele has also recently vaulted himself into consideration for a call-up by the Canadian Men’s National Team.



See also: By the numbers: Tesho Akindele



With Canada set to face off against Jamaica in Toronto on September 9th, many Canadian National Team supporters have been hopeful that Akindele might get his first cap for Canada in that match.



However, according to Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach Benito Floro, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers product will not be pulling on a Canadian kit next month.



“(Tesho) will not be part of this camp,” Floro told RedNation. “We have been following Akindele from his first game and he has always been on our big list of Canadian players who play all around the world. We have realized that he is a good player but also that he needs to improve several things. He is progressing and this camp is too soon.”



Floro was candid in admitting that he has been in regular contact with Akindele’s club Head Coach Óscar Pareja and that a consensus has been reached with respect to what is best for the development of a player whose club, FC Dallas, is scheduled to play in several important matches in the coming weeks.



“I spoke last week with Oscar and we agreed that it would be better for this camp for him to remain with Dallas because there will be two important games for Tesho to play in with Dallas during this camp,” Floro explained. “If I had called him up he might not have played a lot of minutes, so it was best for all parties for him to remain with his club until a camp in October or November.”



“We are following him closely and he is someone who is in our plans,” Floro added.



As for Akindele himself, it appears that he is not quite yet ready to commit unequivocally to any national team program quite yet.



“Right now it’s too early to talk about stuff like that,” Akindele recently told Kevin Lindstrom of MLSsoccer.com. “I’m just trying to focus on my personal performances right now.”



The 22 year old forward has represented Canada at the U-17 level but could eventually find himself having to decide between three national team programs at some point in the future. In addition to Canada, Akindele is eligible to play for Nigeria through his father. The FC Dallas rookie also indicated to Lindstrom that he will soon receive his United States citizenship, which will make him eligible to be called up by The Stars and Stripes.



Overall, it appears that Akindele, who has made positive statements regarding Canada’s interest, and Floro appear to be in agreement that the current focus for the young player should be on his continuing development.



