Nutrilite Canadian Championship, and Canadian National Team Options

[Elias]

Canada doesnt have a full time coach right now....as crazy as it sounds I think they should get Alketas Panagoulias....yes I know hes a crook and drove the '94 team into the ground with the parties and all but he is a good coach....btw could someone elaborate on that whole story as I have heard it once from my father...anyways...Canada is playin Jamaica in September...should be an easy one...

[MegasAlexandros]

When I think about it Elias, this might actually be the right place to put this topic since it's obvious that the CSA thinks that the inclusion of a Canadian team in MLS will save Canadian soccer....

[boston12345]

they thought the MLS would save soccer in the U.S. hows that working out????

[MegasAlexandros]

No matter what people say, in a certain sense, the MLS has worked out very well from the standpoint of the national team. It is clear that a nation that wants to develop the game needs a national league of its own. That is what MLS is to the US.

Canada is a different beast altogether and requires unique solutions, and having 1 team in MLS, which is supposed to be the proverbial "flagship" for the game in Canada, is not the solution. Especially since the whole Toronto FC initiative seems to completely ignore the people who have spent time, sweat and money to try and build Canadian soccer the right way (see the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact).

[greekchampion04]

they thought the MLS would save soccer in the U.S. hows that working out????

quite well actually... what sports papers have you been reading?

[boston12345]

quite well actually... what sports papers have you been reading?

what papers are you reading. Since the league opened up its doors attenence it droping every year.

1996

17,245

1997

14,616

1998

14,364

1999

14,280

2000

13,712

2001

13,847

2002

15,821

2003

14,898

2004

14,122

2005

15,223



for something to be successful it needs to have a steady incline, not decline. at this rate the league could be in some serious trouble within 5 yrs.

[MegasAlexandros]

greekchampion04, you wanna explain it to him or shall I??

In any case, this thread is not about the success of the MLS, but about the Canadian national team, let's get back on topic.

[Konstantinos]

Having an MLS team will not save the NT but it will help.

Losing Hargreaves really hurt and I can understand him wanting to play for England if he felt like he was english but that litttle idiot chose England only for monetary purposes.Hopefully Deguzman will not choose Holland for the same reason.

Also in the world cup qualifing they got screwed by officiating twice aganst Honduras as once against Costa Rica I believe.Its as if the referees were paid to get Canada to lose.The CSA should have shown balls and appealed to FIFA or something because it was a disgrace.Not that they would have qualified but would have made it to the final round.

[greekchampion04]

i will open another thread to debate with boston.. dont want to hijack this.

[Elias]

Did you see the game against honduras...at commonwealth....that referee derserved to get his balls cut off...first he gives them a penalty in the end that wasnt even a penalty then he disallowed occeans goal...what the hell...u know why...think about it...Canada vs. central american team...mexican ref..vice vera...of course hes gonna have a bias...

[AEK Chicago]

No matter what people say, in a certain sense, the MLS has worked out very well from the standpoint of the national team. It is clear that a nation that wants to develop the game needs a national league of its own. That is what MLS is to the US.

Canada is a different beast altogether and requires unique solutions, and having 1 team in MLS, which is supposed to be the proverbial "flagship" for the game in Canada, is not the solution. Especially since the whole Toronto FC initiative seems to completely ignore the people who have spent time, sweat and money to try and build Canadian soccer the right way (see the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact).

Megas,

How is Toronto playing in the MLS any different than Vancouver and Montreal playing in the A League?

Its a shame Canada's NT isn't a tad more oprganized, because there is some fine talent north of the border.

[MegasAlexandros]

The difference is that the CSA(Canadian Soccer Association) has put its full weight, as little as that maybe, behind Toronto FC while leaving Vancouver and Montreal pretty much high and dry.

People have tried to get pro soccer going in Toronto several times in the past and they have all failed. Toronto's USL side plays in a dump with about 500 fans and sits in last place. Montreal have been champs twice and regularly dominate the regular season playing in front of increasingly larger crowds. They are starting to get 13,000 fans per game in a roughly 9000 seat venue. Vancouver is usually in the top 5 of the league and always in the playoffs. They also have a loyal fan base. Not to mention both Vancouver and Montreal having stable owners who have done very well for their respective teams and obviously have a passion for the sport and have done a lot more for it I think than the CSA.

Now, turn around and look at Toronto FC, owned by MLSE (Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, same owners of the Maple Leafs and Raptors). You really think they care about the future of Canadiane soccer??? They care about making a profit. Not to mention they got three levels of governement providing funding for their new stadium. (for the record, Vancouver and Montreal both have stadium projects, completely funded by the themselves with help from the private sector.... no public funds). And to top it all off, the CSA thinks that Toronto FC will solve all our problems...

The CSA IS THE PROBLEM!! They are an incompetent bunch with absolutely no vision. Instead of kissing the MLS' butt, maybe they should organize more friendly games for the NT team. They play about 5 a year?!?!?!?! How the hell is this team suppose to improve if they don't play together?? Not to mention situations like Owen Hargreaves and now Jonathan de Guzman, doesn't help the national team to be losing world class players.

Anyway, there is so much wrong with Canadian soccer, one wonders where to start.....

[SpiroK]

what papers are you reading. Since the league opened up its doors attenence it droping every year.

1996

17,245

1997

14,616

1998

14,364

1999

14,280

2000

13,712

2001

13,847

2002

15,821

2003

14,898

2004

14,122

2005

15,223
for something to be successful it needs to have a steady incline, not decline. at this rate the league could be in some serious trouble within 5 yrs.

The league expanded and just signed tv contracts with espn and fox soccer channel. I don't think its in serious trouble.

[AEK Chicago]

As a side note to this discussion, Dwayne DeRosario just had a monster match against Chelsea in the MLS all star game at Toyota Park.

Megas,

How come Canada doesn't start its own league? Not enough big market cities?

I know Montreal Toronto and Vancouver always did well in US leagues. I would imagine if you added franchises in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and maybe Quebec City and Ottawa you could start your own league.

[AEK_DCV]

I don't think there's enough financial backing. The CFL which is Canada's football league is strugling financially, so I don't think a professional soccer league would have much more luck.

[greekchampion04]

CFL is also a bastardization of NFL

[Elias]

CFL is the biggest malakia...I can only imagine the americani laughing at us...its such an embarassement...

[Konstantinos]

As a side note to this discussion, Dwayne DeRosario just had a monster match against Chelsea in the MLS all star game at Toyota Park.

Megas,

How come Canada doesn't start its own league? Not enough big market cities?

I know Montreal Toronto and Vancouver always did well in US leagues. I would imagine if you added franchises in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and maybe Quebec City and Ottawa you could start your own league.

Its been done before and at one point I think the Canadian Soccer League had 11 teams.It folded once Vancouver and then Montreal and Toronto joined the old American Professional Soccer League otherwise it may have still continued.

The problem is lack of major markets, great distances in travelling and low quality soccer.

[greek_irishman]

The Womens Canadian soccer team is going against CSA threatening not to play in the next couple of games if they don't get their Coach back who had been sacked because of disagreements she had with the Canadian Soccer Association, Bravo Koristsia give them hell, they haven't done shit for Canadian soccer in the last 30 years, time for some changes.