Remko Bicentini is currently active in the Gold Cup for the third time in his career. Where he experienced editions of 2017 and 2019 as national coach of Curaçao, the 53-year-old Wijchenaar currently serves as an assistant with the national team of Canada in the championship for countries from the Caribbean and Central and North America. Canada has already secured a place in the quarterfinals through victories over Martinique and Haiti and will decide with arch-rival America who will finish first in the group on Sunday evening at 11 p.m. Dutch time. A final victory in the Gold Cup and a World Cup participation: in a year and a half it could just be on Bicentini’s resume.
By Chris Meijer
Bicentini is just standing at the breakfast buffet. “It’s all over the top here. It’s America, you order a cup of coffee and get three pitchers. No, nothing is missing”, he laughs from Kansas City, where Canada plays all its group matches in the Children’s Mercy Park. A day earlier, the Canadians effortlessly dealt with Haiti, which was defeated 1-4 by goals from Cyle Larin (twice), Stephen Eustáquio and Junior Hoilett. Martinique was already beaten in the opening game with the same numbers, so that a place in the quarterfinals before the last group match against the United States is already certain. “You can always do better, but on the other hand you pre-sign if you win twice 4-1. It just fits together really well.”
Canada traveled to the United States for the Gold Cup without Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Jonathan David (Lille OSC), Atiba Hutchinson (Besiktas), Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade) and Scott Arfield (Rangers) for various reasons. “Yes, that was certainly a huge setback. Especially for those guys themselves. But the national coach has a clear playing style, which is really easy to understand for everyone and that’s how we train. If the players understand it, it’s easier to fit in guys,” Bicentini puts it into perspective. “Someone like Alphonso Davies, Jonahtan David or Atiba Hutchinson you only write first on the form, so to speak. But you now see at the Gold Cup that even though they are not there, you can win these kinds of matches with resounding numbers. Of course you are stronger in the whole when those guys are there, but it is handled fantastically. That also says something about the breadth of the selection.”
Incidentally, Canada is not the only country that has to miss out on the necessary big names, because the United States does not include Weston McKennie (Juventus), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) and Sergiño Dest (Barcelona). party. Despite this, America also won its first two games – 1-0 against Haiti and 1-6 against Martinique – and as a result, only the top spot in Group B is at stake in the final group match. And above all the honour. Because if there is one country that Canada is eager to win, it is neighbor America. Especially in a Children’s Mercy Park filled with Americans.
Bicentini with Alphonso Davies, who is not present at this Gold Cup.
“It’s the same as the Netherlands – Belgium or the Netherlands – Germany, everyone is looking forward to that. On the other hand: the advantage is that we are both already placed. That doesn’t make the match any less interesting, but you get a slightly different match from having to win to get to the quarterfinals. We are dealing with players who have already received a yellow card. If you take another yellow card, you are automatically suspended. Those are things that play a role now and that you take into account. America really wants to win against Canada and vice versa, so it will certainly be a loaded game,” explains Bicentini. In the quarterfinals, a meeting awaits with the winner or number two of Group C, the group in which Suriname has already been eliminated and Costa Rica and Jamaica are still competing for first place.
“Costa Rica is a country that always plays World Cups and has enormous baggage. Those are good shows of strength. It’s a fun phase that you’re in, because you find out where you stand. It is also a good preparation for the final group for the World Cup ticket that starts in September. They are very useful, good matches that you are going to get,” emphasizes the assistant coach of Canada. The Canadians secured their participation in the final group of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying cycle in June. In the first round, Suriname, Bermuda, Aruba and the Cayman Islands were settled in a group. Canada and Suriname competed together in the last group match for a ticket for the next round. With a well-signed 4-0 victory, Suriname’s World Cup dream was put to a heavy hand, after which Canada eliminated Haiti in the second round.
Bicentini with Canada national coach John Herdman.
“I know the countries in the CONCACAF and Suriname like no other, because many players play in the Netherlands. Individually there is a fantastic whole, the only difference is in the baggage at an international level”, says Bicentini about Suriname, which is currently also participating for the first time at the Gold Cup. “I also experienced that situation with Curaçao. At a certain point you form a whole and you get used to competitions at an international level. That was also the difference between Canada and Suriname. With Canada we have been playing together for some time, we have played top matches and as a result some automatisms have already been used. It is logical that this is not yet the case with Suriname, they are growing and eventually end up in that situation. The World Cup qualification and the Gold Cup are a fantastic experience, which they can draw on for the future. It is a starting point for the way up and Suriname will also come in that phase, I am firmly convinced of that.”
Curaçao – which is not active in the Gold Cup due to a corona outbreak – did not make it to the final phase of the World Cup qualifying cycle, after Panama was too strong over two matches. “That would certainly have been nice and I had hoped that for Curaçao, because my heart is definitely there,” says Bicentini, who worked in Curaçao for no less than fourteen years. Despite a contract that runs until the 2022 World Cup, he had to give way to Guus Hiddink a year ago after having been national coach for four years. Several options then presented themselves, but Bicentini decided to work as an assistant to national coach John Herdman at Canada. “There were some other options, but this is a big country with a top sports culture. On the other hand, I didn’t choose this. I would prefer to train Curaçao. Even now. But I am getting the recognition of other countries for what we have achieved in recent years, I am very happy about that. This is really nice, with a good group and good trainers. I am happy to be able to work under John (Herdman, ed.), he is a great coach and has made the Canadian team a fantastic whole in recent years. It’s a great experience to be part of this.”
The bizarre month of Bicentini: ‘Hiddink could have called me?’
Remko Bicentini previously told Voetbalzone extensively about his forced departure as national coach of Curaçao.
Canada is a country that is on the rise, because since 2016 it has risen no less than 47 places in the FIFA ranking. “The results determine a lot. You can have good players, but if the results don’t come, you have nothing. Haiti is a good example: it’s a tough, strong opponent with players who play in good European leagues. We’ve played against them three times recently and had excellent results three times. Of course there are differences with teams like America and Mexico. But the fact that we are now achieving these results and are going to play the final group for a World Cup ticket says something about Canada.” From September, Canada will compete with El Salvador, Honduras, the United States, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica for three direct tickets to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The number four of the final group gets another chance via an intercontinental play-off.
The recent results are slowly but surely bringing football to life in normally ice hockey dominated Canada. “It was different years ago, but now it is alive in Canada. That means you’re in the elevator. We are writing history after history with Canada: in World Cup qualifiers we won 11–0 against the Cayman Islands, the biggest win ever. Now we are unbeaten eight games in a row. There is a very nice line in it”, Bicentini nods. Is Canada already expected to take home the Gold Cup? Bicentini starts laughing. “We also expect to come home with the Gold Cup. You go from phase to phase, but the absolute goal is to win this tournament and we will do everything for that. You can want a lot in advance and you just have to make it happen, but all in all we are well on our way. We have a goal and are convinced that we can achieve it. That is also very much alive within the group.”