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  • Paying for their players: "Because they don’t want people to take this and run with it. And start demanding fees."


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    Why don’t Canadian clubs ask for transfer fees when youth players sign their first professional contract?

    Yesterday we showed how FIFA mandates that transfer fees must be paid back to youth clubs. We also went into the details of why that practice isn’t more common in Canada.

    Today, we’re hearing from Gary Miller, the head of Bryst Academy (a part of the SAAC private academies group) on why Canada has it so backwards with its professional development and why the idea of paying for players – a practice used everywhere else in the world – has never taken off here.

    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    “It’s never really been pushed. I think the first one it happened to was Calgary Foothills who got money back for Owen Hargreaves. I think there have been one or two other groups who have got money. But it’s not really publicized here, because they (clubs local and abroad) don’t want people to take this and run with it. And start demanding fees,” Miller said.

    “The other thing that happens here in North America, because there is a lack of a professional game or environment is that a lot of people have to pay fees for youth training. As soon as you enter into that environment there is a thought process that if the family had to pay for the training, why is this organization getting money back from the pro club – because they’ve already been paid for their services, so to speak.”

    That’s changing though and Miller said it’s time to looking at Canada through a more professional prism.

    “The amount of work that is being done with youth players, it’s becoming more of a professional environment – whether it be with the academies, the MLS academies, Edmonton with the private academies, some of the better clubs – they’re investing a lot of time and energy into the development of players,” Miller said. “If we can set something up in terms of fee structures, on the development of players then I think it would bring a lot of groups together. People would start to realize that if they do invest the time and energy in young players there is going to be a payoff for them.”

    He maintains we’re not there yet but sees that as something that is changing.

    “It’s part of a lack of professionalism in the game — our whole game is being driven by volunteers. But now more and more organizations are being set up as for profit businesses. They want to be looked upon as a professional organization. It’s been tough to move that through, even at the CSA level.”

    Miller points to the arrival of the OPDL as a sign Ontario and Canada are beginning to see the benefit in professionalizing soccer development.

    “Once the OPDL starts to roll out over the next few years and you start to see top quality 13-15 year old players being set out on the shop table for assessment and review by national coaches and so on, some of these organizations are going to say, ‘what are we getting back from this development of these top young players?’” Miller said.

    Everywhere else in the world, where there is a professional development, professional fees are paid back to the youth clubs for their part in driving the game.

    “Maybe someone from FIFA has to come in and speak tt the CSA about how this is working in the rest of the world. Because at this point, even the CSA, are reluctant to get involved.”

    Tomorrow we’ll speak to Jason deVos, former national team player, TSN analyst and a member of the group organizing the OPDL on what clubs like Toronto FC should be doing to better help the youth game.



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