strobe_z Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 As reported in the Edmonton Sun today. Frank Yallop was in Edmonton yesterday doing some sort of youth camp... --- Canada needs MLS SCOTT ZERR, EDMONTON SUN Frank Yallop has a plan. It's nothing new really, but the skipper of the Canadian men's soccer team feels the time is right for a huge boost in profile for the sport and its players in this country. International events in Edmonton, along with yesterday's announcement of the FIFA 2007 World Youth championship coming to Canada, are great steps. As well, professional soccer has made some inroads, with A-League success stories brewing in Vancouver and Montreal. Sadly, there have been some fumbles along the way as well, most notable of late being the failure of the Edmonton Aviators. But Yallop, who will bring his national side here Sept. 4 for a World Cup qualifier against Honduras, is convinced the time is right for another huge move. He is holding strong a belief that, provided some big-money folks get behind an effort, at least a few hotbeds in Canada could easily attract a Major League Soccer franchise. "We need some place for these young Canadians to play. The A-League is a good league, but it's part-time, really, and we need a full-time place for these players to play," said Yallop, who was guiding a number of top local players through a camp yesterday at the Edmonton Soccer Association Complex. "Canada is very good at the under-17s and under-20s and it would be nice to be able to continue that with the men's program." Yallop is convinced the fans and the interest is out there to back pro soccer in Canada. And since becoming the national team bench boss after his success with the MLS's San Jose Earthquakes, Yallop has found out first-hand the depth of upcoming talent in the youth ranks. The next step is keeping those young players at home instead of watching them depart for lower levels in Europe, just as local products like Waldemar Dutra and Tam Nsaliwa have done in recent years. "What they don't have (here) is the dream, the big picture - which is not the A-League. "If you're a young professional that's not what you want to aspire to," explained Yallop. "You want to get to where you can earn some money and notoriety ... and playing in front of 20,000 fans. That's what we need to show the young players so they can look forward to doing that. "The States has done a good job of that. We need a young Landon Donovan to play well in his own country and all of a sudden every kid who's interested in soccer can't wait to play in the MLS. "It's very important we get into that league - each team with 15 Canadians on it. We keep our best players here and (are) competing in a very good league." Yallop's predecessors and CSA officials have long hoped for such a situation to get Canada out of its doldrums in international play. "We're kind of spinning our wheels at the moment," said Yallop. "But I can now see light at the end of the tunnel. "I've spoken to MLS people and they want us in the league. Now we've got to step up and do it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Somebody get the Maloxx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:If you're a young professional that's not what you want to aspire to," explained Yallop. "You want to get to where you can earn some money and notoriety ... and playing in front of 20,000 fans. That's what we need to show the young players so they can look forward to doing that. Only one MLS team presently plays in front of 20,000 fans a game. New Canadian teams certainly wouldn't be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montreal_FC_fan Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Im sure Montreal cood average 15000 to 20000 per game... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
François Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Montreal_FC_fan Im sure Montreal cood average 15000 to 20000 per game... If the team wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footy Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I worry that with the way the A-League is heading with teams folding and leaving to join the MLS what will be a viable competitive option for existing Canadian A-League teams. I dont want to see our stronger teams like Vancouver nad Montreal spinning our wheels playing sub par competion in piss ass poor facilities year after year until the league folds .... then what ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argh1 Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Ahhhhhhh, go ahead Frank jump right in . Tell us again how having a couple of teams in a foriegn league will help us. What are we Canada or Wales. What happens when these teams arrive and no-body outside the city limits of these two cities give a rats ass about these teams ......yah that's good thinkin' . You do your job Frank and let Canadian soccer evolve on it's own . But thanks for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montreal_FC_fan Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Then the MLS makes a real second division with relegation and promotions! Now that will be crazzy! [8D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis_Rancagua Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Footy I worry that with the way the A-League is heading with teams folding and leaving to join the MLS what will be a viable competitive option for existing Canadian A-League teams. I dont want to see our stronger teams like Vancouver nad Montreal spinning our wheels playing sub par competion in piss ass poor facilities year after year until the league folds .... then what ? For this reason I strongly feel that Canada has a-lot to lose from this MLS experiment. There's no win situation for Canada here, nor for its player development process. How could one</u> Canadian MLS club develop player talent in Canada, unless you add 4 or 5 Canadian cities into MLS. Now what about amateur leagues (such as provincial leagues) that would be abled to discover young talent and feed that talent towards those Canadian MLS clubs??? Has the CSA considered such a strategy. NOPE!!!!!!!!! I don't think so!!!!! I strongly feel that the CSA has no plan, no vision, and they are driving us into a project that is not taking important pressing issues very seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 It's just Yallop wanting whats best for him and his program and not really caring about killing domestic soccer in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante79 Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:Originally posted by François If the team wins. Yea Montrealers will only go if the team wins! the only sport that even when the team looses people still go is hockey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footy Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Like Montreal Vancouver fans will only come out when the team is on the verge of winning a title then claim they are fans .... just look at the Canucks fans ... I'm sure this will happend with the BC Lions as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footy Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 So if the the CSA says its going to pump a lot money to develop our boys for 2007 and say we have a strong team that can compete what are their options to turn pro and play in North America and deveop furhter for WC 2010 ? I know Yallop used Landon Donavon as an example but it would be nice to watch some of our top talent not have to bugger off to some ****y 3rd divison Turkish league to get paid to play full time and not have to supplement their income if they do decide to play in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew W Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I have no real opinion on the subject but I'm curious as to how MLS in Canada would kill domestic soccer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Andrew W I have no real opinion on the subject but I'm curious as to how MLS in Canada would kill domestic soccer? The argument goes that if there's only one team or a few, any other team in the country will be ignored because of "minor league" status. Ie if no one cares about their local team now even though it's the highest standard in Canada, with MLS in one or two cities, people that might have followed their local club will rather watch the MLS teams on TV. Think about the glut of people who watch European soccer on TV and look down on their local A-League squad. It'd be a similar relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torontosupport Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I know we're all soccer fans here, but some of you must follow other sports as well. How do you feel about the NHL being so American now (cdn teams folding, wages paid $US, etc...)? What about MLB? Has anyone complained about the Jays being in an "American League"? - pardon the pun. And does the CFL realy work on its own? These are big questions. I would love a Canadian League, but is it possible with the distances and MONEY involved? Every other big attendance/revenue sporting league in North American in American based. Even the minor sports/leagues have US and CDN teams, i.e. AHL, NLL, etc...I'm not convinced that the CFL is the model to live by; didn't they try US franchises and fail? We all agree that the CSA is not the perfect organization to spearhead such a monumental endeavour. But who is? 28 reclusive soccer-mad billionaires? Where are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 quote:How do you feel about the NHL being so American now (cdn teams folding, wages paid $US, etc... I hate it, it's been ruined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid_ Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 quote:How do you feel about the NHL being so American now (cdn teams folding, wages paid $US, etc...)? No Canadian team has folded since Quebec and Winnipeg, and don't expect any more to follow suit. Quebec and Winnipeg were unable to compete due to substandard arenas, not because they were Canadian - Minnesota and Hartford were in the same boat. As for wages being paid in USD, I hardly see how that is relevant to the average fan. The NHL in the glory days of Bobby Orr had only three Canadian teams out of 14. Only three out of 18 during the Lafleur Habs dynasty. So whatever the perceived deterioration of the game from its glory days, I hardly see how that can be blamed on Americanization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 quote:So whatever the perceived deterioration of the game from its glory days, I hardly see how that can be blamed on Americanization. Americanization=bloated league which leads to stretched talent playing clutch and grab hockey and the trap, inflated ticket prices that make it impossible for the average fan to attend games, and pretty soon we'll have two foot wide bluelines like they have instituted in the AHL for this season. There's plenty more but I'll leave it for others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 Well I have to agree with everything Yallop says regarding the MLS. Thats shouldn't of any surprise to those who have been on this forum for a few years . especially this point that he made: " The next step is keeping those young players at home instead of watching them depart for lower levels in Europe, just as local products like Waldemar Dutra and Tam Nsaliwa have done in recent years. " Thats the tragedy we face right now. Players leaving Canada to go play in leagues whose quality is very questionable. We need clubs and or a league with the financial stability to keep these players here and play a level that more closely resembles what the will see internationally. So that those who are tranferred to europe go to REAL clubs at higher levels. Not third and fourth tier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid_ Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 I don't know, I share your concern with some of the problems, but I don't necessarily agree that they were caused by Americanization. quote:bloated league which leads to stretched talent playing clutch and grab hockey and the trap, The league has more talent then it ever had in the past. Sure, there are 50% more teams from 1980, but there is a lot more than 50% more talent. There were barely any Europeans back then - the influx of skilled Europeans more than compensates for the dilution due to expansion, not to mention increased hockey participation in North America. But I would agree with you that there are about 4-5 too many teams in the NHL. quote:inflated ticket prices that make it impossible for the average fan to attend games But ticket prices aren't set by corporate bigwigs in New York, they're set by supply and demand. The reasons tickets are so expensive in Vancouver, for example, is because people (and corporations) are willing to pay exorbitant prices. I don't see how this is Americanization, the worst culprit is probably Toronto. The same thing is happening in leagues around the world. In fact, you could charge the same thing about the CFL, and it has nothing to do with America! How much is the cheapest ticket to an Ottawa Renegades game? $34! To an Ottawa Senators game? $21! So really, I don't think you can blame ticket prices on the fact that the NHL is americanized. quote:and pretty soon we'll have two foot wide bluelines like they have instituted in the AHL for this season. Well, that idea will certainly be scrapped, but you do have a point here. Too often the NHL panders its rules to what it believes the American public will eat up. This is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 Never forget American traditionnal leagues are the best in the world of sports barely played elsewhere The MLS is an ordinary championship of a sport played in the whole world For the rest, I agree with those who are against a canadian team in there In 5 years, they will cry because "they are forced to pay players in US $" The best way (but it will never happen) is to divide USA and Canada in zones Like northeast for example with NY, Montreal, Boston, Toronto,... Make something between 8 and 16 zones, with a regular competition (no long travel, no huge costs) Champions and runner ups could be qualified for a north american cup in the model of the european cups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Bxl Boy Never forget American traditionnal leagues are the best in the world of sports barely played elsewhere The MLS is an ordinary championship of a sport played in the whole world For the rest, I agree with those who are against a canadian team in there In 5 years, they will cry because "they are forced to pay players in US $" The best way (but it will never happen) is to divide USA and Canada in zones Like northeast for example with NY, Montreal, Boston, Toronto,... Make something between 8 and 16 zones, with a regular competition (no long travel, no huge costs) Champions and runner ups could be qualified for a north american cup in the model of the european cups If we were to maitain the status quo. I would like to see some sort of greater intergration between the two circuits. By that, I mean Some sort of Cup tournament like the US open cup, but that would also include the canadian a-league sides. At least the financially viable a-league sides get some sort stonger competion. eventually even Saputo will get tired of play he virgnia beaches' of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 I think everyone has to remember where Yallop is coming from. He's been heavily involved with MLS since it started as a player and/or coach. Obviously he mus believe in the circuit to some degree, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed with it all that time. The more I think about it, the more I think MLS would not be such a bad thing. People in Toronto ignore the Lynx and I think MLS would be more of a draw. Many of us think other Canadian fans would not be on board with a Toronto MLS teams. So if this is the case, why would we assume that Toronto MLS would kill the A-League in Vancouver and Montreal for example? Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Jason I think everyone has to remember where Yallop is coming from. He's been heavily involved with MLS since it started as a player and/or coach. Obviously he mus believe in the circuit to some degree, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed with it all that time. The more I think about it, the more I think MLS would not be such a bad thing. People in Toronto ignore the Lynx and I think MLS would be more of a draw. Many of us think other Canadian fans would not be on board with a Toronto MLS teams. So if this is the case, why would we assume that Toronto MLS would kill the A-League in Vancouver and Montreal for example? Jason Having MLS has nothing to do with the rest of Canada. It all has to do with filling a Toronto ego that can fill Skydome. Why do you think Vancouver and Montreal don't show up on the radar? It all has to do with the benjamins. Simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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