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Miller finds the time for Canada
Even the former captain.
Colin Miller feels that way when it comes to Canada in World Cup qualifying.
He's no rat deserting a sinking ship as some see Tomasz Radzinski and Paul Peschisolido, two of Canada's top players who won't be here tomorrow to play undefeated Mexico in zero degree Celsius temperatures.
In fact, Miller getting to Edmonton for this game has to be considered an act above and beyond the call of duty. He had a legitimate injury, which kept him out of the lineup with Dunfermline in the Scottish Premier League. He was cleared and arrived Thursday.
A PROBLEM
"I can't express how important I believe it is for a player to play for his country. When people start to think it's a step down to come and play for their country, that's a problem. I've always believed that to be picked to play for your country is the biggest compliment you can be paid.
"I don't find it a chore to fly halfway around to world to come and play for Canada and I never will.''
Against anybody. Anywhere. Any time.
"I damaged and tore some muscles inside my leg at the joint of the groin,'' said Miller, 33, who will be capped for the 59th time internationally tomorrow.
"It was in a game two weeks ago against Aberdeen. I felt a pop and a tear and I thought, `Oh, here we go, I'm going to miss Mexico.' But touch wood, it's responded very well. It's passed examination with the Dunfermline doctors and even one of our own athletic therapists. Alex McKechnie was in Scotland visiting his mother and examined me at the Glasgow airport.
"I had a bit of a setback toward the end of practice,'' he said of yesterday's session. "But it has settled down. I'm optimistic about being able to play Sunday.''
Miller is definitely putting Canada ahead of everything. He's even putting a special experience with his own team at risk.
"Dunfermline has reached the semifinals of the Coca-Cola Cup in Scotland and we play against Celtic at Ibrox Park, home of the Rangers, Tuesday night. The game will probably draw about 50,000 fans and will be televised throughout Great Britain. And Rangers are my old team so there's ever reason for me to want to play and play well in that game, especially against Celtic. All football fans understand that.
HEARTFELT
"The fact that I've come here and won't return to Scotland until 4 p.m. Monday, should show how much this means to me.
"To come here and play for Canada when I'm not 100 per cent should tell everybody where my heart lies.''
Miller looked at this year as his best chance and his last chance to get to the World Cup. But he says he'll continue to answer the call as long as Canada calls. "As long as they want me to play, I'd love to be involved. I love every minute of it.''
And when his career is over, Miller would like to come back to Canada and begin his coaching career here.
"I'd much prefer to put something back in Canadian soccer than to coach anywhere else in the world.
"But there has to be a job. And for there to be a job there has to be a Canadian league. The Canadian game is crying out for good coaches and a Canadian league to develop our players. I'd love to do that.''
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan