Forge FC’s David Edgar appeared on OneSoccer’s “Inside the Game” program on Tuesday, recounting his career in England, a special World Cup qualifier he played for Canada, and his team’s recent return to training.
The 33-year-old defender from Kitchener, Ont., joined Forge midway through the 2019 Canadian Premier League season and helped the side to a championship, his first as a professional since his career began with English giants Newcastle United.
“At the end, lifting the trophy was the culmination of everything. It was my first championship as a professional – you don’t get a chance to do that very often. You take a step back and say, ‘We’re in Canada. This is happening’,” Edgar recalled.
When asked about Forge’s mentality going into 2020 as the defending CPL champions, Edgar said his team liked their chances before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the campaign.
“We’ve got a pretty tight-knit group and without many coming and going, there hasn’t been much of an adjustment,” Edgar said.
“Going into the season, we were quietly confident, but we knew it’d be a completely different year. New players, players know the league, players have a full pro season under their belt. Now, with the delay, who knows what will happen.”
Edgar looked back to his historic debut as a teenager for Newcastle United against Manchester United when he scored a dramatic equalizer at St. James Park.
Edgar also discussed his career with the Canadian men’s team and his potential to play for John Herdman’s side, and recalled a special memory from 2014 World Cup qualifying.
“I scored against Cuba and nobody knew my wife was pregnant,” Edgar said about the match at Toronto’s BMO Field. “When I ran towards the stands I sucked my thumb and I saw a bunch of my family go wild – that’s how they found out we were having a baby.”
Before departing, host Gareth Wheeler asked Edgar about a potential future in coaching, something the centre back didn’t shy away from.
“I see myself as a manager,” Edgar said. “I will play for as long as I can. After that, who knows.”
To watch OneSoccer’s Inside the Game with Forge FC’s David Edgar in full, click here.