Two Former CPL Coaches Named To Canada’s Coaching Staff
The following story is courtesy of the Northern Tribune from October 5, 2023 by John Jacques: https://northerntribune.ca/canada-mens-national-team-canadian-premier-league-coaches/.
If you’re a fan of York United, Mauro Biello’s selection for the men’s national team coaching staff will feature two mighty familiar names.
The interim head coach just named both Paul Stalteri and Carmine Isacco to his coaching staff, both of whom had assisted Jim Brennan during seperate spells at York United.
Biello has also announced former TFC Captain Steven Caldwell as an assistant coach, with Paulo Ceccarelli will help Canada’s goalkeeping selection. Stalteri is named as an assistant coach directly, while Isacco will assist with coaching tech support on the sidelines.
Stalteri, who was accepted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame back in 2017, brings plenty of playing and coaching experience into the fold: the former Werder Bremen and Tottenham Hotspur player earned 84 caps during his playing days, joining York United an assistant coach back in 2020. He’d stay on for two years before leaving York United to join the coaching staff at Toronto FC, but is no longer with the MLS side.
Before landing in the CPL, he had assisted with the Canadian national team in both its youth and senior setups when they were helmed by Colin Miller, Michael Findlay, and Octavio Zambrano respectively.
Carmine Isacco has been credited with the discovery and early development of several current national team players, with many surprised he hasn’t been called up to head coach at the CPL or MLS level.
Commanding plenty of respective for his role in youth development through both Vaughan Azzurri and York University, his selection as a member of Biello’s team could pave way to future roles at the professional sporting level.
Isacco was named as York United’s first-ever assistant coach, staying on with the club through the 2019 season before exiting in the offseason.
The men’s national team is preparing for a friendly match against Japan on October 13 in Niigata. This will mark the first match following John Herdman’s departure.
While the coaching staff features some former CPL faces, the same can’t be said about the roster – and it’s getting increasingly harder to justify Jonathan Sirois not being included.
Source: https://northerntribune.ca/canada-mens-national-team-canadian-premier-league-coaches/