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Halford & Brough in the Morning

All Canada Needs Is A Draw

23 Jun 2026

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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What are the latest updates on Canada's matchup against Switzerland?

10.291 - 30.481 Mike Halford

8.02 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday, everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford Brough in the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates. They're open seven days a week, and they're open late to help you get debt-free with no judgment or upfront fees. Visit them today at sands-trustee.com. We are in Hour 3 of the program. Hour 3 is brought to you by the B.C. Construction Safety Alliance.

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30.501 - 38.273 Mike Halford

Making safety simpler by giving construction companies the best in tools, resources, and safety training. Visit them online at bccsa.ca.

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38.253 - 53.777 Sam Dykstra

Look, it's real simple. We're coming to you live from the Kintec studio. And when you step strong with orthotics and footwear from Kintec, you're stepping strong. And that's what we're going to do with the Edmonton Oilers.

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54.157 - 58.444 Mike Halford

That is the most impressive way I've ever heard us throw to breaking news.

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61.128 - 63.872 Jamie Dodd

Sportsnet 650 breaking news.

65.135 - 89.539 Mike Halford

As Jason's impression suggests, Mike Babcock is back in the National Hockey League. Just moments ago, the Edmonton Oilers have officially announced that Mike Babcock has been named the club's 19th head coach in team history. The 63-year-old joins after a whirlwind last week and a half, two weeks, in which he was rumored to be in line for the job.

89.519 - 100.497 Mike Halford

then put under investigation from the NHL and NHLPA, cleared for hire, and now just moments ago, Mike Babcock has been named the newest head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

100.557 - 103.221 Sam Dykstra

Well, that's going to be a very interesting press conference today.

103.242 - 104.363 Mike Halford

You did half of it already.

Chapter 2: How did Mike Babcock's return impact the Edmonton Oilers?

318.145 - 339.609 Ben Steiner

The question is, Alistair Johnston has a yellow card. If he gets a yellow card in this game, he misses the round of 32. So I would actually put Richie Larea on the right and then put Davies on the left if you're starting. But the center back is a big question because Luke de Fougereau, he's 20 years old. He's lived up to every task that he's been given with this Canadian team.

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339.649 - 359.573 Ben Steiner

It started at the 2024 Copa America where he played against Uruguay in the third place game and he's thrived at this World Cup. Maybe not surprising to people that have followed the Canadian national team closely, but when you see this kid that looks like a kid at centre-back and bossing around some of these big forwards that Canada has played against, it's been very impressive.

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360.076 - 379.436 Ben Steiner

And I think the future is going to be Bombido and DeFuzio when both are healthy. And I think I'd go to that right now. I think Luke DeFuzio has given us enough confidence in his play. And Derek Cornelius is at least at a point where if you start Bombido, Cornelius, I think with the maturity can come off the bench and be that next man up.

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379.796 - 386.623 Ben Steiner

Whereas I don't really believe that Luke DeFuzio at this point can step into a game in the same way that Cornelius can.

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386.603 - 394.301 Sam Dykstra

So I've kind of got a question for both of you guys, Ben and Mike. Who is the best player on Switzerland? Who should we be worried about?

394.341 - 395.905 Mike Halford

You want to take it first?

396.907 - 415.699 Ben Steiner

I'll go first, but it's probably not the player that is going to be starting the game. It's 20-year-old defensive midfielder Johan Manzambi who scored a brace against Bosnia in their late onslaught there. But he hasn't started either game, so he's potent. Maybe they've been saving him, but it's a bit of a confusing look for what they've been able to do.

416 - 422.514 Mike Halford

Yeah. I would say the guy you're going to recognize the most and the most prolific is Granit Xhaka. Yeah, he's a captain, right?

422.534 - 423.276 Sam Dykstra

He's Sunderland?

Chapter 3: What insights does Ben Steiner provide about Canadian soccer?

503.644 - 523.748 Ben Steiner

I think for the best use, you probably have to look at both Switzerland and the U.S. and what they've been able to do where they're pulling out a tablet, they're going full-on tactics meeting for three minutes. Whereas Marsh, sometimes there's an intensity to how he's speaking during these hydration breaks, but I'm not sure he's using... These two to the same advantage.

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524.148 - 544.31 Ben Steiner

The thing with Canada, though, is this team doesn't really lose games. They have put, you know, two very good performances against Argentina and lost both of those to nil. But this is a team that is grinding out nil-nil draws with some big teams, France, Colombia, Ecuador, Tunisia. Mexico, Ivory Coast, and Chile are all teams that they've grinded out no-mill draws with.

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544.33 - 556.487 Ben Steiner

And of course, that would be good enough. So I do think this Canadian team is good enough to get a draw. I'm still hesitant about them saying maybe we can get a win in this game because this Switzerland team is very good.

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556.988 - 575.715 Mike Halford

I'm glad you brought this conversation up because we were talking earlier about what the tactical deployment and what it's going to look like for Canada in a match where a draw... wins them the group. And there's the one argument that Marsh Ball is Marsh Ball, and he's not going to deviate from what's made them successful and what makes them a unique challenge.

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575.835 - 594.577 Mike Halford

At the same time, the best countries and the best gaffers do have adjustments that they make to the formation or the styles or the tactics, depending on what the tournament puts in front of them. You brought up a good point that Canada's shown the ability to grind out these kind of results when they need to and maybe play less... high event football.

595.098 - 598.14 Mike Halford

Do you think that's what we're going to see on Wednesday against the Swiss?

599.381 - 615.596 Ben Steiner

What we've seen from Jesse Marsh throughout this tournament is the fact that he's really doing in-game management. We haven't necessarily seen that in his time with Canada because everything has been leading up to this World Cup. There was a great example of that being the Bosnia game and what he did with Jonathan David after he wasn't performing.

615.997 - 637.109 Ben Steiner

The big call, of course, is how he fits in the midfield with the Ismail Kone absence. That's probably going to be Nathan Saliba starting there just because he performed so well last time. But I am worried about Nathan Saliba under a moment like that, given the experiences he's had in his career. I would be more comfortable possibly with, you know, Jonathan Nazorio.

637.229 - 655.782 Ben Steiner

I think he can handle this moment, but I don't think he's a good enough player to start in this moment. So that will be the first big call that he has to make. And there has to be a quick adjustment there. If it's not working, if Nathan Saliba goes in there, he looks overwhelmed. He's not focused. He's getting overrun in midfield. OK, then you have to make an adjustment.

Chapter 4: What challenges do Alphonso Davies and Moise Bombido face ahead of the match?

776.462 - 792.018 Sam Dykstra

Like I know Canada is going on in this tournament. Like they're going to advance out of the group and you know, great. That's awesome. That, that was, that was gold. Number one, advanced out of the group, get your first win. They've accomplished all that, but now I'm getting a little bit greedy.

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792.278 - 816.379 Sam Dykstra

Because I'm thinking about what it would be like for Canada to play at BC Place in a knockout stage, maybe two knockout stage games at the World Cup. And to be perfectly honest with you, I mean, Halford, tell you 10 years ago that Canada was going to be playing in a knockout stage game at the World Cup. Oh, yeah. Where are they playing? BC Place. The Cathedral? Yeah.

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816.359 - 826.61 Sam Dykstra

I mean, it is a wild notion, and I don't want this opportunity to slip through our fingers because I ain't going to see it again in my lifetime.

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827.751 - 848.883 Ben Steiner

I mean, I'm probably not going to see it again in my lifetime either. The opportunity to play up to a quarterfinal, effectively, at BC Place for this Canadian Men's National Team with a coach like Jesse Marsh, with a team like this players, this is I think more than once in a lifetime. I don't know if this ever happens again, period.

849.905 - 865.013 Ben Steiner

With, you know, where Vancouver is when it comes to stadiums, where Canadian soccer is, who knows what the future holds. Like, I don't think this team goes back to 122nd in the world, but I don't know if this is a team that, you know, the next generation is going to be as good as

865.398 - 888.351 Ben Steiner

kind of thing so get get leaving this opportunity on the table would be a disaster i'd be prepared to say just because this is such a golden ticket to maybe not i'm saying they're winning the round of 16 but heck if i mean portugal has to do a little bit better but if you get to around a 16 against portugal whether you like ronaldo or not like

888.685 - 893.03 Ben Steiner

I think we'd all be fine losing that game because that would be Canada's World Cup final.

893.29 - 911.571 Mike Halford

Well, I think one of the things that we saw against Qatar before everything kind of unraveled for them with the red cards and everything else was how overwhelmed an opponent can be by playing a host nation in front of a massively partisan Canadian crowd. I know that there was a lot of Canadians in Toronto, but I think...

Chapter 5: Who are the key players to watch on the Switzerland team?

1456.463 - 1459.468 Mike Halford

You're listening to the Halford and Brough show on Sportsnet 650.

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1459.448 - 1469.402 Jamie Dodd

Canucks Talk with Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drance. We'll dive deep into all that's happening with the Vancouver Canucks. Listen 12 to 2 p.m. on Sportsnet 650 or wherever you get your podcasts.

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1474.949 - 1499.125

Now for my favorite part of the show. What'd I say? Talk to the audience. Oh, God, this is always dead. It's what we learn, time. It's what we learn time. It's what we learn time. On the show.

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1501.028 - 1518.271 Mike Halford

834 on a Tuesday. Happy Tuesday, everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates. They're ready to give you the financial fresh start you deserve. With no judgment or upfront fees, visit them today at sands-trustee.com. We are in hour three of the program. It is what we learn time.

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1518.712 - 1538.116 Mike Halford

Hour three is brought to you by the BC Construction Safety Alliance. Making safety simpler by giving construction companies the best in tools, resources, and safety training. Visit them online at bccsa.ca. Not bad. Not bad. I actually want to start what we learned. I have a late what we learned.

1538.256 - 1552.618 Mike Halford

I learned that just minutes after hiring Mike Babcock as their new head coach, the Edmonton Oilers hired Mike Babcock's inevitable replacement as head coach. DJ Smith has been added as an associate head coach. Now, you may remember

1552.598 - 1563.553 Mike Halford

Previous to this, Smith most recently served as the interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, and he can keep that interim tag handy for when he inevitably has to replace Mike Babcock.

1564.968 - 1589.203 Sam Dykstra

uh was dj on he was on babs babcock's staff in toronto right that's correct yeah okay four seasons together is he like the good time guy i think he's good cop dj smith yeah he's like okay mike was in a bit of a mood today guys it's gonna be okay yeah he put me into therapy coach like yeah i'll do that once in a while i'll drive you there yeah that's dj smith okay give us a mckell on that then

1591.765 - 1595.75 Mike Halford

Zach has one. Regular Zach, that is. You've got a What We Learned.

Chapter 6: What strategies might Canada employ to secure a draw or win?

1977.804 - 1986.325 Sam Dykstra

There's always those Stanley Cup champs put Stankov in at center and he hadn't played that for a while. So, I mean, I don't know. Black or Mackey, can you take a draw? He's like, no. You're like, too bad. You're taking them.

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1986.446 - 2010.448 Mike Halford

There's been multiple sports movies and TV shows where like the coach walks in and he's got the depth chart either on a board or written up, and then he's like, got to erase it because there's changes coming. The Canucks version right now is the whiteboard is just blank. They've erased it all. No, every spot has three letters and it's TBD. We'll figure it out later.

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2010.488 - 2023.952 Mike Halford

Because they need to tear this thing down. It's very obvious. DeBrusque on the move. Besser reportedly on the move. Pedersen. These are all guys that have been here for a long time. And you can't write their name even in pencil at this point.

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2024.173 - 2035.795 Sam Dykstra

Yeah. Because they have a big old eraser for it. I mean, they do have four centers that they could put in right now. Sure. Like, you go Pedersen, Rossi, Hedl, and then, I don't know, Ratu?

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2035.835 - 2035.935

Yeah.

2036.303 - 2041.095 Zach Clark

Yeah, Atu Ratu's got his name locked on that 4C spot for next year.

2041.235 - 2044.123 Grant Harvey

Yeah, but Hedl, what's going on with Hedl? Will he ever play again?

2044.243 - 2067.16 Sam Dykstra

I don't know. TBD. He's a TBD. I don't want to say nobody cares because it's Philip Hedl's career, but I just... I can't get into the debate because the expectations have been dropped, and I just want to see young players put in a position to succeed. I mean, show their stuff, right?

2068.101 - 2070.183 Mike Halford

Not succeed, but less fail.

Chapter 7: How is the atmosphere expected to be at BC Place during the match?

2425.69 - 2431.098 Mike Halford

But I've never, like, again, our generation, I never, I had particular athletes that I liked.

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2431.379 - 2431.739 Sam Dykstra

Yeah.

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2431.759 - 2439.13 Mike Halford

But I would never, I was a team, a fan of a team or a city or a country. I mean, that was just how you grew up. That was it. But it's dramatically changed now.

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2439.464 - 2452.398 Sam Dykstra

Justin and East Van, what we learned, Amar Dolman should use his talent booking powers to get Dala D to perform Kelowna Fornia this Saturday at Touchdown Kelowna. I think Dala D is out of the game.

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2453.26 - 2477.841 Mike Halford

I don't think he does music anymore. Yeah, but surely he would come back for this. You'd think. It's like riding a bike. Yeah. Dust off his cape. So for those that have no idea what we're talking about here, and that's probably a lot, the song we play every Friday on the show leading into What We Learned and Ask Us Anything, Kelowna Fornia, a classic, a staple. It was sung...

2477.821 - 2496.78 Mike Halford

wrapped by a former recording artist known as Dala D, who was from, appropriately, Kelowna. A viral sensation. Timeless because of this show, in part, but his career as a recording artist, I'm pretty sure, ended shortly thereafter. He rode into the show one time.

2496.9 - 2497.12 Sam Dykstra

Did he?

2497.44 - 2503.706 Mike Halford

Yeah. Oh, really? Yeah. That's cool. He's like, hey, love that you guys still remember this song. I don't know what he does now.

2504.067 - 2505.448 Grant Harvey

I think he sells cars.

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