PBHT109: The Long But Worth It Edition (ft. Kyt Selaidopoulos, Sporting Outlaws, Safia Ahmad)

Posted by The Link in Pressbox Hat Trick on August 10, 2017

Follow @Linknewspaper

We know, it’s a long one but it’s worth it. Promise. Today on the show, Canadian national futsal team Kyt Selaidopoulos talks to Tristan D’Amours and Alex Perez at the Sporting Outlaws downtown Montreal friendly. The hosts also play the raw audio from Tristan’s interviews with Sporting Outlaws president Enrique Benevides, captain Shaquille Michaud and emergency loan player Bila Dicko-Raynauld.

Tristan and Alex are joined by Julian McKenzie to talk about the Montreal Impact’s summer transfers, the Ballou Tabla situation and a situation involving Eugenie Bouchard at the Rogers Cup.

PBHT also presents the first instalment of update segment on how Team Canada—and Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team players Alex Tessier and Fred Rajotte—are doing at the 2017 Rugby World Cup. The hosts are joined by fellow PBHT host and Montreal Gazette journalist, Safia Ahmad.

Listen and subscribe to PBHT on:
Apple Podcast
Google Play

Listen to the PBHT archives by clicking here.

English transcriptions of the French interviews with Sporting Outlaws:

Enrique Benavides

It’s a success. I never thought that there would be so much people for futsal. It’s a growing sport and you can tell that people are interested in futsal.

I still need money for player insurance. I would like to pay them their insurance so we would have that less to worry about. We would also need a first aid kit and also to take money with us to Honduras in case something happens, it’s better to have backing than to have nothing in our pockets.

Obviously, we are in the off-season. Compared to all of the other countries that are playing their seasons right now. In Costa Rica, our opponents are at their 15th game this season, Cuba [are on their] eighth game of the season and Mexico [are on their] 12th game of the season. They are very active while we are at our first friendly game. We will try to make two others but we try to prepare as much as possible. The guys play all the time 11 against 11 so they’re ready.

The majority play in the Premiere Ligue de Soccer du Quebec and the others play in the AAA level.

[The next friendlies] will be a little more intimate. Today, we did this to thanks our sponsors, really. It will probably be held at the Sportplex in Laval, we are discussing as for who we will be playing against. We will at least play one more but a second one would be perfect.

We are very happy. Like I told them when I presented myself, we will be representing Quebec and Canada so if we do something interesting in Honduras, they will be lifting Quebec’s and Canada’s flags. For me, the federations backing us is the best thing that could have happened.

Obviously, if the Montreal Impact would open its doors for a partnership. I’ll let you know in advance, one of the Impact’s players, Hassoun Camara, is working on a project with us. It’s a project for the future, as soon as we release the information for sure we will give it to everyone.

Shaquille Michaud

What day are we now? August 9, all this to say that we’re leaving for Honduras next week to represent Canada. It’s a dream that’s coming true. Now, we’re a week away from that. And yes the game was to say thank you to everyone that believes in us and to show that we are not alone.

Its for sure that now we’re sleeping better. The big is done, there are still some details to fix but our shoulders feel much lighter. I personally can focus more on training, other players too.

For sure that training together as a team is one thing but playing a game against an opposition is different so it’s good for team before the championship to regain match intensity.

Financially, the big of it is done so we so need to give ourselves headaches. So we can concentrate on what we need to do on the field tactically and be as physically ready to head to Honduras and be ready [for the competition].

Of course it could seem a little weird that we bring on a player that one could say is an enemy but we need to remember that we represent Quebec, Canada and we are together in this adventure. So if a player can come help us out, and we really believe that he can, the decision was taken by the staff and we are 100 per cent behind this. We didn’t bring him on for nothing, he has very good qualities, he has good leadership.

He has a little injury and he also plays semi-pro soccer so we wanted to keep him as fresh as possible for Honduras but he has great qualities, he’s his team’s captain, a good leader with a lot of experience. So I know that when he will build his confidence it will go very well.

We have faith in him, he has faith in us. He made a lot of sacrifices to come over and help us so we appreciate that greatly. We’re in the same ship to grow futsal so we’re happy to have him.

Bila Dicko-Raynauld

I play in the Capitale Nationale region of the PLFQ, I had the chance to go to the provincial finals against Outlaws. Outlaws beat us. I’m the captain of my team. Because of injuries and certain players that couldn’t make it, the coaches contacted me and told me: ‘We have a spot for you, do you want it?’ and of course I jumped on the occasion.

Exactly. It means that my work has paid off. Plus, they beat us [in the final] so it meant that I played well with my team. Of course I would’ve liked to go [to Honduras] with my teammates but when I explained to my boys in Quebec City that Outlaws asked me to join, they told me: ‘Go, enjoy the experience. We’ll try to get there in the nest few years.’ I couldn’t say no.

It’s my third year in the PLFQ, I’ve been on the Quebec teams for three years, certain of those guys I knew from there so four-five players I’ve already played with. Of course when I play with them I feel a lot better. I didn’t play a lot today, I’m learning to know the guys, I’m learning their system but I’m confident. Futsal is futsal. Once I get there, I’ll have no choice but to adapt quickly unless I’ll be overtaken.

I’m going to training camp with the Rouge et Or but I think more about CONCACAF.

When the coach asked me about it, I had to call my coach in Quebec City. Monday, I’m going to make the preparation camp with the Rouge et Or, when we’ll take the plane, I’ll leave for Honduras and then join them back again for preparation.

I’m in a semi-professional season with Gatineau, I was going to play with the Rouge et Or, now I add a futsal team to this. I’m used to running left and right with teams. When I get with a team I’m fully committed.

Sometimes the train only passes once. For sure I needed to convince my coach at the Rouge et Or, I won’t go into details. He loses one of his players for about ten days with risks of injury. He doesn’t want me to go over there, injure myself and then the season starts without me being available to play. It’s a risk to take but I had a semi-pro season with the Rouge et Or and then I add this, it’s a lot but I’m in shape so when the chemistry start I’ll integrate fine with the team.