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  • CSA aiming for 2015 launch of national semi-pro league


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    Tuesday night we watched as an inexperienced but well organized Costa Rican side proficiently did away with a similarly staffed Canadian side 1-0.

    With a number of the Costa Rican players playing full-time in their domestic league, like several other CONCACAF countries, it has become continually clear that they have a distinct advantage over the likes of Canada in terms of preparation. Their players can train year round together and their coach can keep a close eye on young developing players - knowing when the right time to bring a new player into the fold is, instead of just throwing handfuls at the wall to see what sticks for the national side.

    The simple differences Costa Rica enjoys were on full display when watching their defence deploy organized offside traps and their attacking midfield and forwards performing in and outs eloquently around the offensive box with a certain calm fluidity.

    It's these competitive advantages that opponents have held for nearly a geneation now that have spurred conversation within the CSA in recent years - forcing them to consider exploring similar options by forming our own national, professional league.

    Since the Easton Report was released this spring, there hasn't been much talk publicly about what the next step is for the CSA, or even when this league might start. Hell, even if this league might start.

    But speaking to Canadian Soccer News this week, CSA president Victor Montagliani gave a short update on where things stand on the Canadian national league and where he sees them going over then next two years.

    "The semi-pro league structure is starting to crystallize," he said. "Quebec already has their league. And they’ve increased the number of teams that are participating in that league. Ontario will have something in 2014. Whatever it’s going to be called. But the standards are there. And they’re going to move forward with that."

    After that, the CSA intends to set their sights on progressing the pro game in British Columbia.

    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]"We will then try to work on British Columbia, starting in 2014, hopefully launching something out here in the West for 2015. Once those local leagues are in place, that is the basis for our national league."

    It's a process, for B.C., that is in the formative stages.

    "Right now B.C. Soccer has begun looking at clubs who would be interested in participating and starting to look at local stakeholders to get a sense of where this is going to go."

    Much of what the Easton Report concluded was that for a professional structure to develop in Canada, it needed to be administered by the provinces and overseen by the CSA in terms of standards. According to Montagliani, that's what they're beginning to roll out.

    "The national league will consist of, at that level, those three regional leagues. What will then happen at the national level – and come from the CSA - is we will build standards for player contracts, standards technically, standards administratively and obviously a national competition for these three leagues."

    What do you think? Is this national semi-pro league going to better help develop Canadian players to compete on the world stage? Is the CSA going far enough with their plans? Do you see agree their are advantages to having a national league where tomorrow's talent can train and play together?



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