Jump to content

  • 30 CanPL dreams 30 days out

    Duane Rollins

    By Duane Rollins

     Share

    It’s been 9,305 days. 310 months. 223,320 hours.

    The Toronto Blue Jays were 20 days away from winning their first World Series. Bill Clinton was running for President.

    And Canada had just lost its professional soccer league. When the Winnipeg Fury finished off their upset of the Vancouver 86ers on Oct 4, 1992, that was that. The dreams of the 1986 generation were dead and the dreams of the next were dead on arrival.  

    Although the game lived on at the D2 level and, eventually, MLS came to fill a tiny part of the void.

    In exactly one month the long, hopeless, depressing walk in the woods will end.  When Forge FC kicks-off against York 9 we can finally stop talking about what we don’t have and instead focus on what we might become.

    In honour of the final 30 days without a pro soccer league here are the top 30 things I hope to see in CanPL over the next 5 years.

     

    In 2019

    30. A wonder goal makes the sports packages.

    I don’t care who or what team, but in a year where building recognition is the most important thing I hope to see a goal or play crossover into the mainstream.

    29. Someone dislikes someone

    Sports aren’t fun without conflict. The league will arrive the day there’s some true anger and rivalry

    28. I’m (or other neutral reporter) is accused of bias

    I don’t have a horse in the race, but I look forward to being accused of it. That will mean fans are being irrational and fans should be irrational.

    27. Barrett’s Privateers is sung in Halifax

    I mean, come on.

    26. The Fury get humbled

    Sorry, Ottawa fans but the Fury represent every negative person out there who tells us its silly to care about this league. It would be great to put a few goals past them in the V-Cup.

    25. Fury and CanPL make up

    …and then see the two groups make up for the good of the sport

    24. A mostly CanPL u23 team excels at Olympic Qualifying

    Now, wouldn’t that be nice…

     

    In 2020

    23. The Fury join the fold

    And all is forgiven

    22. Quebec gets in

    The league needs to be in French Canada and, especially, Quebec. Adding Ottawa and Montreal would be huge

    21. A coaching change happens

    I don’t wish to cheer for someone to lose their job, but the first coaching change that happens will be a sign of a healthy league – winning should matter.

    20. Lower Mainland in

    Three expansion teams might seem like a lot, but they brought seven in this year. Having a presence in all three major metros is important

    19. A young player leaves for MLS

    Establishing the league as a natural part of the player pathway is vital. It would be a huge success if a young player is poached by MLS in just the second year.

    18. A V-Cup upset

    One of TFC, VWFC or IMFC gets embarrassed in one leg of a series. It’s a bit early to hope for more, but that would be a great day for the league.

     

    In 2021

    17. CanWPL announced

    Planning to start a women’s league begins in earnest

    16. Full D3 coverage

    The League1 Ontario concept is extended to all 10 provinces, with a national D3 championship determined

    15. A rival for Winnipeg

    One of Regina or Saskatoon joins to bring the league to 11

    14. A rival for Halifax

    One of Moncton or Quebec joins to bring the league to 12

    13. Al-Classico featured in some cheesy ultras profile

    It shouldn’t matter, but we’re lying if we don’t admit that we want the rest of the world to notice

    12. WE QUALIFY TO QATAR!!!!!

    Not fully CanPL related, but let’s allow ourselves to dream a little

     

    In 2022

    11. Kitchener-Waterloo joins

    As one part of a SW Ontario expansion that hits the biggest population area still without a team

    10. With London

    And the 519 derby is born (just don’t call it that)

    9. The women get a cup

    Using the D3 teams along with a few CanPL senior women’s teams that are up and running the first women’s Voyageurs Cup is held

    8. A player is sold to a Big 5 league team

    This is what it is all about

    7. Qatar

    We score a goal and compete with honor. There are players on the roster that played in CanPL

    6. CCL Fever

    A Can PL wins the qualifying tournament and gets a shot at the region’s big boys

     

    In 2023

    5. Coast-to-coast

    Welcome St. John’s!

    4. The first 16 round out

    The 16th team joins – lets say Mississauga or Scarborough to round-out the GTA

    3. First evidence the league is part of our culture

    “16-year-old Dave Smith said ‘I always dreamed of playing for Forge. My dad used to take me to the games.”

    2. The Canadian Women’s Premier League kicks-off

    To a stable and successful future…

    1 – The plan to launch CanPL2 and Pro/Rel is announced

    And we smugly hold it over US soccer Twitter’s heads.  

     Share
    Go to records

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Please sign in to comment

    You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



    Sign In Now

  • Image from iOS.jpg

  • Posts

    • El Diego
      Jonathan David

      By El Diego · Posted

      I think Napoli are getting a new manager for next season? Their current manager (Calzona) is their third manager of this season and I think his deal only runs until the end of the season. If the move to Napoli does go through, hopefully the new manager is a David fan. Interestingly, Calzona is also the current manager of the Slovakian national team.
    • costarg
      Jamie Knight-Lebel

      By costarg · Posted

      You're absolutely right, he might be our best option, but we don't know that.  It's all theoretical at this point.  I feel we're all kind of in agreement and not quite sold on Waterman even though it was only one match. What we DO know is: 1- Miller is not that natural CB leader we're looking for.  Any CFM fan or someone that has watched him with Miami or Portland can confirm that, regardless of what the coaches said.  He was never picked to center and lead the CFM or CANMNT backline, even when the opportunity was there.   2- We all scratched our heads when looking at the Miller/MacGraw partnership on paper.  Neither of them had that profile or was a good fit given their obvious weaknesses.  I was hopeful, yet very skeptical. 2- He's "leading" the 2nd worst GA backline in MLS, imagine what happens when that faces Argentina, France and Netherlands. Personally, like @archer21 implied,  I think the coaches meant "dressing room leader", not necessarily "backline leader".  He is very experienced and did play in the world cup, so that does look and sound good, but doesn't translate to CB organizer you're looking for. At this point, any lineup we do throw out there is rolling the dice, nothing is proven or given.  Like I've been saying for 2 years, we blew lots of chances to test the new options and scenarios.
    • WestHamCanadianinOxford
      Jonathan David

      By WestHamCanadianinOxford · Posted

      I do hope he waits to see where they end up but fun move to watch any which way.   Speaking of watching Lazio - one of Napoli's direct rivals for Europe - is currently in action. 
    • Cheeta
      Thread for Questioning CPL Attendance Numbers 2024

      By Cheeta · Posted

      This is a safe space. You're allowed to have your opinions and your feelings are valid because they're your feelings and they mean something to the most important person here.  You.  
    • InglewoodJack
      Next CanMNT manager (Herdman to TFC)

      By InglewoodJack · Posted

      IIRC Mark Habscheid coached the Canadian team to a world championship gold and silver in ‘04 & ‘05 with nothing but CHL experience and I believe there are others as well. I think the CHL is a relatively higher quality hockey league than the CPL is soccer but also our national hockey team, even at short handed tournaments like the WC is so stacked that the coaching mandate is “just don’t mess this up”.  Coach K also coached the US national basketball team for years as an NCAA lifer, but same argument and also, he’s one of the all time great basketball coaches.    For me, the biggest argument against Smyrniotis is just that we need a coach who gets players excited to play for us. Someone with some level of European pedigree or international success might have an easier time getting everyone on board than a guy who has never coached outside of Canada. I know a lot of players respect Bobby and maybe he could make it work, but I think there are better options. I know we like shitting on Canada soccer and for good reason, but given the slate of games we have on the schedule- the friendlies, Copa, the home field World Cup, just the direction the program seems to be headed in since Kevin Blue took over, it would be strange to me if we went with a local guy instead of the beat available. It does genuinely feel like we’re headed in the right direction.
    • K Edgar
      2024 Voyageurs Cup

      By K Edgar · Posted

      TSS Rovers are in (thankfully Valour does not play them)
    • Ruud
      Tickets for Netherlands Friendly

      By Ruud · Posted

      Thanks. That’s great 
    • WestHamCanadianinOxford
      Canadians Abroad April 19th to April 25th

      By WestHamCanadianinOxford · Posted

      Zator started for Korona Kielce in the Polish League.   2-0 up at half.  3 points would take them out of the relegation zone, at least temporarily. 
    • Kadenge
      Next CanMNT manager (Herdman to TFC)

      By Kadenge · Posted

      Every coaching hire is a risk despite credentials.  But given what's in front of the CMNT: 2 high level friendlies, Copa & WC26, if the CSA were to hire a coach without the appropriate level of experience to match or exceed the talent level of the team then that's a serious issue off the bat. The stakes are too high and there's not enough time to get it wrong. 
    • frmr
      Jonathan David

      By frmr · Posted

      Yeah sounding like Napoli might be likely. The only other thing I've seen is that Chelsea could challenge them on that, but not sure how much truth there is in that, and not sure how attractive that dumpster fire would be right now.
×
×
  • Create New...