Toronto Star: It's time to exploit local talent

[RS]

http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/170033

quote:It was only a short line tucked into a front page story about young Canadian star David Edgar, but it's had local fans talking for a couple of weeks.

"Canada is probably the worst country in the world to be a soccer player. The development is horrendous.''

That was David's father, Eddie, offering his tough appraisal to the Star's Tim Lai. Eddie Edgar has the bona fides to make strong statements.

He's a former Hartlepool and Newcastle goalkeeper who has coached youth teams in Canada.

[Joe Keeper]

Good on Eddie for keeping to his guns, yet delivering a positive message in his clarification. I think we all do agree its that proffessional development environment that our country sorley lacks when kids enter their teens. This kind of press makes me think the Nation is finally starting to catch on.

[RJB]

Don't kid yourself. We've been hearing this for years. I'm starting to get discouraged and think that nothing will ever change. I'm proud of David and many of the others who have headed overseas in search of something they just can't get here, and it seems they never will be able to. They've done very well for themselves.

[Rocket Robin]

http://www.thestar.com/article/168028

This was the letter to the editor from Stan Adamson a few days before Kelly's article.

[Grizzly]

While worst country in the world is a bit of an exaggeration, I think we all understand what he means and don't disagree with it. As much as the voluteer coaches do their best, a professional development system designed to turn out top players will not exist until a decent professional league exists or a significant number of Canadian teams are in the MLS. As far as Adamson's letter goes, I think he was more motivated to get in a plug for his league than sticking up for minor soccer coaches. For example, why does he mention the background of his league commissioner? What exactly does the commisioner's background with the Hamilton Bulldogs have to do with the development of Canadian soccer players?

[Richard]

When I look at the list of Canadian's playing abroad and earning a living doing so I often wonder at the criticism of local youth development that seems so pervasive. It's local professional player jobs paying a living wage that are in short supply still but that is improving.

[RJB]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

When I look at the list of Canadian's playing abroad and earning a living doing so I often wonder at the criticism of local youth development that seems so pervasive. It's local professional player jobs paying a living wage that are in short supply still but that is improving.

But the fact that we have 900 000 registered footballers in this country, and how many play it well? Then you take countries like Denmark, or the Czech Republic, with populations far less than us, and they produce not only better soccer players, but better everything!

I think what we have is the wrong mentality in Canada. Not just for football, but for all sports.

[Richard]

895,000+ of those are playing because it's fun, not because they want to excel or become professional athletes, they're hardly interested in what's going on beyond the progress of their own teams never mind the bigger picture. Most of them don't continue playing past the age of 18 either, not enough interest or they move on to something else. I wonder how many youth hockey players continue with the game past the age of 18 or so, or gridiron footballers for that matter?

[maccaliam]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

895,000+ of those are playing because it's fun, not because they want to excel or become professional athletes, they're hardly interested in what's going on beyond the progress of their own teams never mind the bigger picture. Most of them don't continue playing past the age of 18 either, not enough interest or they move on to something else. I wonder how many youth hockey players continue with the game past the age of 18 or so, or gridiron footballers for that matter?

Thats exactly the point. People keep harping on about how many footballers we have playing in this country like it has anything to do with our players playing at an elite level. One has nothing to do with the other.

I understand that everyone starts at that level when they are 6/7/8 years old and plays for fun, which is fantastic. But people (ie. Stan Adamsan) need to stop using the large number of participants when trying to defend the shortcomings of our national team programs and the retarded level of development far too many of our athletes experience in their teeneage years.

Mr. Edgar isnt saying that Canadians at the lowest age level cant compete, as he said he went over with a group of 11 year olds and beat these english/scottish teams. He is saying that in the early teens onwards Canada's development is severely lacking. Which is why he took David to England to join Newcastle.

It seems to me Mr. Edgar is simply stating what everyone else already knows. I'm now waiting for a newspaper to quote Mr. Edgar on how the sky is blue and water is wet.

[Daniel]

We were talking about "Canadian" parents and their effect on their soccer-playing children (and how a much greater % of those that "make it" have immigrant parents).

I think this isn't true, but substitute the "Canadian/immigrant" for "soccer-playing". As more people who played the sport seriously in Canada (and that's a lot of people, even if we're not exactly talking pros) turn their kids to the sport and encourage them in pursuing it, the more young players we'll have in a decade playing at a higher level and striving to accomplish more as soccer players.

[Richard]

Couldn't agree more Daniel.

[john tv]

Ok guys which of those on the MNT or youth teams have Canadian parents.

I have never met one playing for Canada.Certainly not anyone from the east.I wonder what the real explanation is.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by john tv

Ok guys which of those on the MNT or youth teams have Canadian parents.

I have never met one playing for Canada.Certainly not anyone from the east.I wonder what the real explanation is.

The real explanation, John, is that aliens working in conjunction with the CIA stem cell research project have placed pods inside the bodies of the chosen few that will allow them to attain soccer greatness and to fight the dark forces who control the anti-soccer media.

[Canuck Oranje]

Daniel point about soccer playing parents is an important one. The fact more immigrant parents tend to stream their kids into soccer is because they more likely to see it as an option. I think that is changing as many Canadian-born and soccer-playing parents see the option now too.

I also agree with Eddie Edgar and others that it is not volunteer coaches that are the problem. And as Edgar points out, our kids are just as good at the younger ages. As to where it falls behind depends on which community you live. In the case of Edgar and Kitchener, it probably was around 14. In the GTA, Montreal, and Vancouver, it might be 15/16.

From my observations/experiences here in Sao Paulo, there is much more to a soccer culture than the team that plays in the stadium; but, the desire to be in that team is a motivation that coaches cannot provide by themselves. Most of the U-20s playing in the Copa Sao Paulo de Juniores are playing to be noticed and hope someday to win a contract and that has turned what really is an exhibition tournament into one of the most important domestic U-20 tournaments in Brazil.

That motivation drives the soccer culture and conversely, the resulting intense soccer culture drives motivation even further.

Then, recreational soccer, while more informal, is also affected. There are informal small-sided games going on in this city all the time. Most are a mixture of ages and some involve males and females. If you go for a jog on the beach in places like Ilha Comprida before 9am, you will likely pass three or four games already in full swing.

The importance of MLSE´s involvement is soccer in Toronto is probably as important to Canadian soccer as Beckham´s decision to play for the Galaxy. I say this because they do introduce a level of professionalism to sports administration in Canadian soccer that has never been seen in the past. Their marketing muscle has the potential to mainstream the sport in Ontario. Then the motivation mentioned earlier may take root and the upgrading of the soccer environment take place across Canada. Who knows what will happen long term to the MLS? But if MLSE can show that there is money to be made in the Canadian market for professional soccer, there will be many more entrepreneurs (with money) who will give it a go in Canada. The result could become interesting.

[john tv]

Ok Grizz it is the CIA,never ever did it dawn on me,but it makes so much sense,brilliant.So all Canadian parents have this cel implanted by the CIA.I guess they were the ones that acted upon instruction from their higherups also managed to take that name football and completed this whole cel business.I knew that the CIA was good but this good.

In the meantime is there any player on our teams that has Canadian parents? CIA or not.

[Kibby]

quote:Originally posted by john tv

Ok Grizz it is the CIA,never ever did it dawn on me,but it makes so much sense,brilliant.So all Canadian parents have this cel implanted by the CIA.I guess they were the ones that I guess upon instruction from their higherups also managed to take that name football and completed this whole cel business.I knew that the CIA was good but this good.

In the meantime is there any player on our teams that has Canadian parents? CIA or not.

I don't know.... Gervais, Every single canadian player with a french name.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by john tv

[

In the meantime is there any player on our teams that has Canadian parents?

Ledgerwood does, I believe.

[john tv]

What does it tell you.Was the French Canadian media a little nicer towards soccer afterall?

Only one name out this way,after all these many players listed.I guess we have ourslves a king size job in our hands to make this a truly soccer nation.

I was reading and I must add for the very first time some chat lines in the USA and some of these comments are so anti soccer it is truly very revealing and although not surprising.What makes me wonder that these comments were all in the direction of soccer overtaking the popularity of the other ones,in other words it appeared that they looked upon soccer as a real threat.

It's like them against us.

Anyway I hope someone can come up with more names and confirmed as well.

[hottoddy7]

I can't say for sure as I have no idea where you would find out the ethnicity or origin of players parents but names like McKenna, Friend, Sutton, Brennan and Peters sound like they might just be Canadian.

[Gian-Luca]

Having met McKenna's parents and heard their fairly thick Scottish accents, I know that they at least are not from Canada originally.

[hottoddy7]

Bloody Hell!

[john tv]

Brennan is from Scottish parents,Peeters from I believe Jamaican parents.That leaves us with Friend and Sutton.

[hottoddy7]

Josh Simpson?

[john tv]

I don't know I put out the question and sofar it seems very few have Canadian parents,if any at all

in the Ontario selection.

I don't even know who on this board has Canadian parents.

I suspect many more on a percentage basis than our soccer teams I hope.

You may wonder why these questions and my answer will be that we have a long way to go to before this is a major part of our society and will be accepted as a full blown Canadian sport. As i have said before my friends and workers don't feel that way at all and there have been instances whereby I felt even uncomfortable to speak about soccer.

[hottoddy7]

John, not to be contentious, as I said I have no idea about any of these guys parents, but I was wondering how you know about them? Do you actually know them or do you have a source for the knowledge? The only thing I could find was that Jim Brennans mother has "Scottish bloodlines" and that his father is of Irish descent (and incidentally didn't want him to play soccer).(From CBC) This would seem to confirm that his father is indeed not Canadian but Irish but seems also to say that his mom is Canadian.