Conspiracy Theory!

[canso]

My theory is that Yallop was under no real pressure to succeed this time, but is on a longer term plan that doesn't include qualifying for the World Cup!

I believe that he was hired with the understanding that the MNT budget was being scaled back and there would be a limit on the number of overseas players called up for WCQ matches. There's no other way to explain the decision to include so many A-leaguers and omit so many talented guys playing in Europe. The impression from Peter Goldstein, one of the few neutrals who actually care, seems to back it up in his review of the first Guatemala match:

"Yallop's roster was a huge surprise, with several promising but untried names from the B team, and no less than 5 players from the Montreal Impact in the A-league. And although "A-league" sounds great, it's really the B-league to MLS, and if you're not a fan of MLS, you'll use a letter further down the alphabet."

This is how I think the job interview went, once they had retired to the backroom for cognac and cigars:

Kevan Pipe: "You know Frank, we all agree you're the man for the job but there's a couple things I need you to be aware of before you take it on. (leans forward confidentially) And these are things you can't tell anyone (puts finger to lips)It's a secret, OK?

Andy Sharpe: (slurring drunkenly) Ye cannae open yer yap young feller, itsh a shecret!"

Kevan Pipe: "We both agree that MLS is the way to go for Canada's future, right? So we need to revise our plans accordingly and take into account that the CSA has a limited budget and we need that money for the expansion fee, not to mention the new stadium we're going to build, so I need you're help in cutting costs . I need you to call up no more than 10 European based players for each game, try to get away with 7 or 8 if you can...and they're going to fly economy class so try and stick with the younger guys who won't complain about it so much. That should save us quite a bit of money then shouldn't it? (smiles sickeningly) Why, just think about all that cash we'd have to spend if we actually got into the hex! (shudders) This way, we'll have enough to get an MLS franchise, which you will coach as well of course! (pats Frank on the head) What do you think of my little plan?"

Frank Yallop: Well gee, I mean, our best players are in Europe...and what if somebody finds out that we're not really trying to get to the World Cup?"

Andy Sharpe: "Itsh a shecret, ye wee bugger! Doan make me tell ye agin"

Kevan Pipe: "Go and fill your glass up Andy. (staggers off)Now listen Frank, we both know that there is no media coverage of those games anyways, right? It's all been arranged, nobody will even notice... except maybe those pesky Voyageurs and that damned website of theirs (frowns darkly, then brightens again) but who actually reads those half baked postings with all their crazy conspiracy theories? They probably won't even catch on that the Honduras matches are going to be rigged against us!"

Frank: "what?"

Kevan: "Never mind about that Frank, just try and act surprised if you can. Now, let's get down to details, no Brennan, No Bircham, no Aguiar, too outspoken. Now I'm going to have the doctors misdiagnose DeVos just before the first match, which should help, and I'll need you to talk to Pat about letting in a couple of soft ones at the right time. Now if you do get close to qualifying in spite of everything, I need you to have a secret weapon, a player so worthless that his inclusion is guaranteed to make sure we don't have a chance, let's see now who could that be..."

And he would have gotten away with it too! But Frank, his conscience wracked by guilt, confessed to his closest friends, Onstad and Forrest, and although they can't come out publicly, they have dropped pretty broad hints (see Pat's soccer365 interview and catch Craig's commentary on the last Soccercentral where he alluded to the MNT budget being cut).

Friends of Canadian soccer, it's up to us to uncover this dastardly fraud and make sure Kevan Pipe is held accountable for his crimes (and Frank will have to resign as well of course). When they send the no necks to come get me, take up the torch and fight the good fight!

[beachesl]

Great theory!

It breaks down when you consider that Pipe doesn't have the administrative capability to carry it off.

Have you been talking to Cheeta's transient fly again?

[Massive Attack]

I'm all for a good conspiracy theory. I have my own anglo-centric theory on player selection. But I don't think the CSA is putting any money into either the MLS or the new stadium. The CSA's contribution to the new stadium is a FIFA grant and government money. As for the MLS, I think the CSA is lobbying for it, but any money for a team would have to come from private investors. Other than that, I rather enjoyed your conspiracy theory.

[Cheeta]

Not bad, not bad.

[kelownaguy]

Thats a funny read, probably more true than I like to believe, but Massive Attack is right , the CSA is not putting any of their money into the stadium or expansion MLS fee last time I checked.

[canso]

"More players at home means more time for Frank Yallop to work with his internationals.

It also means less cost in assembling his squad.[}]

And while the CSA is not looking to become part of any potential ownership group - it does not have deep enough pockets - Pipe says it is open to just about anything else.

"We've got an open agenda, an open book . . . we're not going to outright reject anything. Our top priority right now is being directly involved in the process of securing an MLS franchise for a least Toronto - and who knows what down the road."" from the CP interview, 10/29/04.

Read between the lines: We're gonna wait until we crash out of qualifying and then make a case for deferring the rest of the MNT budget into paying all or some of the $10mil expanison fee.

Key words: "...top priority right now..."

He's all but confessed!

All we need now is an angry mob to storm the ramparts!

[ochico]

MLS will not award a franchise to Toronto without the CSA

being responsible for some or all of the funds necessary

to operate a professional team.

[BrennanFan]

Bircham, Nsaliwa, Brennan, Aguiar, Klukowski, Pozniak

vs

Pizzolitto, Gervais, Peters, Biello, Corrazzin, Valente

...something was definetly up

[The Beaver]

quote:Originally posted by ochico

MLS will not award a franchise to Toronto without the CSA

being responsible for some or all of the funds necessary

to operate a professional team.

This may be the case, but I find it so hard to believe. Would the CSA not face issues with their government funding if they began acting like a private enterprise? And really, how deep are their pockets? Certainly they must know that the single largest reason most start-up companies fail within the first 3 years is because they are woefully undercapitalized. And, when running a soccer team in Canada, you could multiply the capital required by 3 and still have a tough time making it work. I'm not a pessimist at all; I think that a Toronto MLS franchise "could" be a good thing on many fronts, but I think the CSA would be wise to try to foot even a small portion of the bill to make it happen. I am sure they can play a real role, a vital role, but it should not be on the money-side of things.

Then again, what the hell do I know?

[ochico]

Re the beaver post:

Remember what K.Pipe said in a recent interview "you don't know

what is going to happen down the road" or words to that effect.

The CSA is going to be facing the proverbial fork in road.

They really have no choice but to take the road that leads to a

restructuring of the game in a totally different manner.

Hang on tight it will be a bumpy ride.

[redhat]

Interesting theory ...

Why don't you add the fact that the doctor who diagnosed Jason de Vos

as injured before the first Guatemalan game, was probably told by the

CSA to take him out so that we won't qualify? Then the CSA would truly

save money right?

Why don't we add that the Mexican ref was paid by the CSA so that we

can save money by losing 3 points to Honduras?

Here's another one: to save money AND make sure we lose, the CSA would make Ante Jazic have 12 connecting flights, AND have a reason to

create that back pass! Or ...

Why don't we hypothesize that EVEN PELLERUD is responsible for all

this, so that the budget for the women's program would not be

jeopardized by further WCQ games AND the MLS franchise/stadium?

C'mon guys, you can guess all you want --- they are all guesses

and NO ONE on this board is a fly on the wall, or can read Yallop's

mind.

[canso]

I've been trying to read Yallop's mind...and it's making me crazy!

I would prefer to belive Frank had his hands-tied and the reasons he made all those bizarre decisions had nothing to do with tactics and selection...the other option, that he really believed he was putting the best team on the field that he could, is just too scary to consider!

Any self-respecting FA would have fired his ass...unless they had a hidden agenda.

[truenorthsoccer]

quote:Originally posted by canso

My theory is that Yallop was under no real pressure to succeed this time, but is on a longer term plan that doesn't include qualifying for the World Cup!

I believe that he was hired with the understanding that the MNT budget was being scaled back and there would be a limit on the number of overseas players called up for WCQ matches. There's no other way to explain the decision to include so many A-leaguers and omit so many talented guys playing in Europe. The impression from Peter Goldstein, one of the few neutrals who actually care, seems to back it up in his review of the first Guatemala match:

"Yallop's roster was a huge surprise, with several promising but untried names from the B team, and no less than 5 players from the Montreal Impact in the A-league. And although "A-league" sounds great, it's really the B-league to MLS, and if you're not a fan of MLS, you'll use a letter further down the alphabet."

This is how I think the job interview went, once they had retired to the backroom for cognac and cigars:

Kevan Pipe: "You know Frank, we all agree you're the man for the job but there's a couple things I need you to be aware of before you take it on. (leans forward confidentially) And these are things you can't tell anyone (puts finger to lips)It's a secret, OK?

Andy Sharpe: (slurring drunkenly) Ye cannae open yer yap young feller, itsh a shecret!"

Kevan Pipe: "We both agree that MLS is the way to go for Canada's future, right? So we need to revise our plans accordingly and take into account that the CSA has a limited budget and we need that money for the expansion fee, not to mention the new stadium we're going to build, so I need you're help in cutting costs . I need you to call up no more than 10 European based players for each game, try to get away with 7 or 8 if you can...and they're going to fly economy class so try and stick with the younger guys who won't complain about it so much. That should save us quite a bit of money then shouldn't it? (smiles sickeningly) Why, just think about all that cash we'd have to spend if we actually got into the hex! (shudders) This way, we'll have enough to get an MLS franchise, which you will coach as well of course! (pats Frank on the head) What do you think of my little plan?"

Frank Yallop: Well gee, I mean, our best players are in Europe...and what if somebody finds out that we're not really trying to get to the World Cup?"

Andy Sharpe: "Itsh a shecret, ye wee bugger! Doan make me tell ye agin"

Kevan Pipe: "Go and fill your glass up Andy. (staggers off)Now listen Frank, we both know that there is no media coverage of those games anyways, right? It's all been arranged, nobody will even notice... except maybe those pesky Voyageurs and that damned website of theirs (frowns darkly, then brightens again) but who actually reads those half baked postings with all their crazy conspiracy theories? They probably won't even catch on that the Honduras matches are going to be rigged against us!"

Frank: "what?"

Kevan: "Never mind about that Frank, just try and act surprised if you can. Now, let's get down to details, no Brennan, No Bircham, no Aguiar, too outspoken. Now I'm going to have the doctors misdiagnose DeVos just before the first match, which should help, and I'll need you to talk to Pat about letting in a couple of soft ones at the right time. Now if you do get close to qualifying in spite of everything, I need you to have a secret weapon, a player so worthless that his inclusion is guaranteed to make sure we don't have a chance, let's see now who could that be..."

And he would have gotten away with it too! But Frank, his conscience wracked by guilt, confessed to his closest friends, Onstad and Forrest, and although they can't come out publicly, they have dropped pretty broad hints (see Pat's soccer365 interview and catch Craig's commentary on the last Soccercentral where he alluded to the MNT budget being cut).

Friends of Canadian soccer, it's up to us to uncover this dastardly fraud and make sure Kevan Pipe is held accountable for his crimes (and Frank will have to resign as well of course). When they send the no necks to come get me, take up the torch and fight the good fight!

None of them are going to leave on their own and we can't fire them,

the best we could do is get a petition going and send it to the CSA,

after that the balls are in their court.

[Joe Concacaf]

quote:Originally posted by canso

I've been trying to read Yallop's mind...and it's making me crazy!

I would prefer to belive Frank had his hands-tied and the reasons he made all those bizarre decisions had nothing to do with tactics and selection...the other option, that he really believed he was putting the best team on the field that he could, is just too scary to consider!

Any self-respecting FA would have fired his ass...unless they had a hidden agenda.

Yes!

[Beast2005]

quote:Originally posted by canso

My theory is that Yallop was under no real pressure to succeed this time, but is on a longer term plan that doesn't include qualifying for the World Cup!

I believe that he was hired with the understanding that the MNT budget was being scaled back and there would be a limit on the number of overseas players called up for WCQ matches. There's no other way to explain the decision to include so many A-leaguers and omit so many talented guys playing in Europe. The impression from Peter Goldstein, one of the few neutrals who actually care, seems to back it up in his review of the first Guatemala match:

"Yallop's roster was a huge surprise, with several promising but untried names from the B team, and no less than 5 players from the Montreal Impact in the A-league. And although "A-league" sounds great, it's really the B-league to MLS, and if you're not a fan of MLS, you'll use a letter further down the alphabet."

This is how I think the job interview went, once they had retired to the backroom for cognac and cigars:

Kevan Pipe: "You know Frank, we all agree you're the man for the job but there's a couple things I need you to be aware of before you take it on. (leans forward confidentially) And these are things you can't tell anyone (puts finger to lips)It's a secret, OK?

Andy Sharpe: (slurring drunkenly) Ye cannae open yer yap young feller, itsh a shecret!"

Kevan Pipe: "We both agree that MLS is the way to go for Canada's future, right? So we need to revise our plans accordingly and take into account that the CSA has a limited budget and we need that money for the expansion fee, not to mention the new stadium we're going to build, so I need you're help in cutting costs . I need you to call up no more than 10 European based players for each game, try to get away with 7 or 8 if you can...and they're going to fly economy class so try and stick with the younger guys who won't complain about it so much. That should save us quite a bit of money then shouldn't it? (smiles sickeningly) Why, just think about all that cash we'd have to spend if we actually got into the hex! (shudders) This way, we'll have enough to get an MLS franchise, which you will coach as well of course! (pats Frank on the head) What do you think of my little plan?"

Frank Yallop: Well gee, I mean, our best players are in Europe...and what if somebody finds out that we're not really trying to get to the World Cup?"

Andy Sharpe: "Itsh a shecret, ye wee bugger! Doan make me tell ye agin"

Kevan Pipe: "Go and fill your glass up Andy. (staggers off)Now listen Frank, we both know that there is no media coverage of those games anyways, right? It's all been arranged, nobody will even notice... except maybe those pesky Voyageurs and that damned website of theirs (frowns darkly, then brightens again) but who actually reads those half baked postings with all their crazy conspiracy theories? They probably won't even catch on that the Honduras matches are going to be rigged against us!"

Frank: "what?"

Kevan: "Never mind about that Frank, just try and act surprised if you can. Now, let's get down to details, no Brennan, No Bircham, no Aguiar, too outspoken. Now I'm going to have the doctors misdiagnose DeVos just before the first match, which should help, and I'll need you to talk to Pat about letting in a couple of soft ones at the right time. Now if you do get close to qualifying in spite of everything, I need you to have a secret weapon, a player so worthless that his inclusion is guaranteed to make sure we don't have a chance, let's see now who could that be..."

And he would have gotten away with it too! But Frank, his conscience wracked by guilt, confessed to his closest friends, Onstad and Forrest, and although they can't come out publicly, they have dropped pretty broad hints (see Pat's soccer365 interview and catch Craig's commentary on the last Soccercentral where he alluded to the MNT budget being cut).

Friends of Canadian soccer, it's up to us to uncover this dastardly fraud and make sure Kevan Pipe is held accountable for his crimes (and Frank will have to resign as well of course). When they send the no necks to come get me, take up the torch and fight the good fight!

why on earth would any one take a job as national team manager if not

qualifying for the world cup was not the No 1 priority of the CSA. Heck even Frank isn't that crazy. He must of saw a chance to qualify,

we all thought they could have but due to a number of things didn't turn out that way.