After the Croatian newspaper mocks up a naked image of a Canadian coach following his interview, the media made several headlines regarding the John Herdman Controversy. Check out more about the coach in the press.
John Herdman is an established English professional football manager who is the current head coach of the Canada men’s national team.
The Candian coach began coaching football at a young age in England while he was a student and part-time University lecturer at Northumbria University.
From 2006 to 2011, he served as the head coach for the New Zealand women’s national football team.
On March 27, 2022, he led the team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, its first World Cup in 36 years, becoming the first manager to have successfully taught both the national women’s and men’s teams of a nation to qualify for a World Cup.
Under his guidance, the team qualified CONCACAF Olympic tournament in Vancouver, Canada, securing one of two qualifying spots for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and winning the bronze medal.
John Herdman Controversy
Following John’s interview, the Croatian newspaper mocks up a naked image of a Canadian coach.
John’s comments, “we’re going to go and F Croatia,” has irked the Croatian fans. Cortina fan’s accused the Englishman of disrespect at a press conference to preview Sunday’s Group F encounter between the two teams.
Although the Canadian coach didn’t back down from his comments, he admitted they were said in the heat of the moment.
Canada will face Croatia on November 27, 2022, and in this match, Canada could be eliminated with another defeat.
Daily Mail claims the Canada coach mentioned his players ‘go and “eff” Croatia’ in an on-pitch huddle following their hard-fought defeat to Belgium in their World Cup opener on Wednesday.
The word ‘eff’ was widely assumed to be an abbreviation for obscenity, and it sparked a furor in the Croatian media, with one newspaper mocking up a picture of a naked Herdman on its front page.
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What Did Canadian football Coach Say About Croatia?
According to Guardian, In the interview, John revealed in the on-field interview what he had just told his players during a post-game huddle. “I told them they belong here. And we’re going to go and eff Croatia,” the coach said with a smile, attempting to avoid a televised profanity. “That’s as simple as it gets.”
Severa media claims his words reverberated to Zagreb as Sunday’s Croatia-Canada game approaches.
Moreover, Croatia’s 24 SATA (24 Hours) tabloid ran a full-page photo of a naked Herdman with Maple Leaf flags over his mouth and private parts.
Speaking on November 26, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic used the word “respect” 13 times in 90 seconds. And before Cortian coach, John used humor to defuse tensions.
In response to John’s controversy, the Toronto Sun felt compelled to deliver a Saturday front page to respond, declaring: “Our balls are bigger.”
John Herdman Career
In coaching the national women’s teams, he led the U-20 squad to the World Championship in 2006 and later renamed the U-20 World Cup in 2010.
John arrived in New Zealand and joined the national association football program in 2003, acting as Coach and Education Manager and later as the Director of Football Development.
In 2021, the Englishman guided the team up the FIFA World Rankings from 72nd to 40th, its highest position to earn the team the honor of “Most Improved Side” of the year. Later, he improved Canada to 33rd in the FIFA World Rankings on February 10, 2022.
Moreover, John’s team retained their bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The Canadian women’s national soccer team claimed a gold medal finish at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico.
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