Tony Mikhael Reflects On ‘Gained Experience And Life Lessons’ Amidst Lebanon U-23 Call-Up
BY JOHN JACQUES/NORTHERN TRIBUNE
This October will see Valour FC defender Tony Mikhael enjoy two separate stints with the Lebanon U-23 national team, with an important stretch of club matches placed in the middle amidst a crucial playoff push for the Winnipeg-based CPL team.
For a 21-year-old in his rookie CPL season, the odds that he would find himself in the midst of this are extraordinary low, but Mikhael always says he’s always been ambitious – and a bit unrealistic – with his goals. This October, that appears to be paying off.
Today, the Lebanon U-23 side announced that Mikhael has been called up for the West Asian Games in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Described as a friendly tournament aimed to help countries prepare for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers later this month, the experience will be his third stint with the youth national team, and one where he’s expecting to see game time against the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Palestine.
Tony Mikhael (right) challenges Kunle Dada-Luke (left).
The Valour FC defender has already departed for Dammam, where he will join the Lebanon U-23 side from October 4 to October 12. Instead of remaining with the U-23 side straight through until the Asian Cup Qualifiers begin on October 23, however, Mikhael will return to Valour FC for twelve days during a pivotal moment for the Winnipeg-based side.
With the club having slipped out of a playoff position, it says a lot that new boss Phillip Dos Santos wants an in-form Mikhael available during a stretch that includes a clash against top-of-the-table Pacific FC, and what will be seen as a must-win against bottom-placed Atletico Ottawa.
Having been called up for Lebanon at the youth level twice before, it was no secret that the Ottawa-born defender would called back into national team duty again: the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers were originally set for this March, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the competition. In its stead, the Lebanon U- 23 side had two friendlies against Bahrain, where Mikhael further solidified his role in the youth national team setup.
While today’s call-up comes as no surprise, his first-ever certainly was: it was the result of a word-of-mouth referral that got the ball rolling without his knowledge. His trainer in Ottawa, Antonios Assad, happened to have also worked with new Lebanon U-23 head coach Jamal Al Haj’s son, and sent the coach a message about a certain six-foot tall centre-back who had some good video footage at Carleton University. Mikhael got his first call from Al Haj last November.
His first stint with the U-23 side saw him participate in three friendlies against Lebanese Premier League opposition, with Mikhael even being asked to take a penalty against one of them. It’s not something he was expecting, but scoring that goal is now a memory he’ll carry with him forever.
Having impressed in his first-ever national team camp, he was called up for the Lebanon youth team in March, with the U-23 squad traveling to Beirut for a training camp and then to Bahrain to friendly competition, facing the host country two times. It was a level higher than the Lebanese Premier League competition he’d faced earlier.
Mikhael’s first experiences against other national competitors allowed him a more in-depth look at the differences between the types of players one faces abroad, and the types he’s accustomed to playing at home. As a result of the different playing styles, the system deployed on the pitch under Al Haj is different than what he’s experienced under Carleton’s Kewsi Loney or outbound Valour coach Rob Gale. Mikhael says it was easy to adjust, however, and he’s a fan of both styles of play.
When Mikhael departs for his second stint with the Lebanon U-23 side ahead of October 23, he’ll be flying to Tajikistan to jump right into do-or-die cup action. Lebanon finds itself in a group with group host nation Tajikistan, Iran, and Nepal. It’s a group that could go either way, and Mikhael believes that Lebanon will do well: he doesn’t look at the world rankings, but simply aims to stay positive and do the country proud.
Should Lebanon top their group or finish as one of the best four runners-up in the 42-country tournament, the country will earn a berth in the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup set to take place next June in Uzbekistan. The qualifiers set for late October will mark Mikhael’s first true competitive fixtures with the youth national team.
Tony Mikhael (right) in possession against York United.
While he’s happy to get heavy minutes at the U-23 level, the obvious that of ‘what’s next’ leads to the possibility of a senior debut. When asked about it, Mikhael remains humble: he’s focused in the here-and-now, but he does admit the thought of a senior debut crops up into his mind.
The 21-year-old is eligible for Lebanon through both of his parents, who have watched him grow and play all the way from youth clubs to provincials and, now, to professional football and the international level. He describes it as a beautiful feeling for the two of them: “that’s where they come from,” he says proudly, “It’s pure joy and honour, and it’s surreal.”
Surreal is a good way to describe his past year: even beyond earning the chance to represent his country at the youth level, his selection by Valour FC in the 2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft was the start of something big. The club signed him to a full contract, and he left home for the first time to tackle his first professional experience with all he had.
The defender has made twelve appearances for Valour FC across all competitions, making his debut on Canada Day against the Halifax Wanderers. He’s racked up 579 minutes of action on the pitch since, and has enjoyed a few full ninety-minute outings under Rob Gale. He’s still awaiting his first minutes under Dos Santos, but it seems like that won’t be too far away.
Where he is now is something he would have struggled to imagine a year ago, when the Carleton Ravens defender underwent surgery to fix a fracture in his foot that left him unable to walk for months. The rehabilitative process wasn’t an easy road, with this October now representing the fruits of what has been a tremendous year of labour: professional football at the club level, and big opportunities with the Lebanon U-23 side.
With Mikhael having been offered a full contract this season, the fourth-year Carleton University student took a small reprieve from his post-secondary economics studies. He’s set to finish the last of his courses during the winter semester, during months where he’s not in the midst of two international youth call-ups and a play-off push. It’s an understandable decision.
As for what comes next, Mikhael says he would love to return to the Canadian Premier League, where he appears a good fit with Valour. He’ll see what happens at the end of the season following discussions with his family and coaches, where they’ll make some big decisions.
It’s been a whirlwind year during Mikhael’s 21st spin around the sun, and one suspects the next few rotations will witness a lot more to come.
