Free kick Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by JesseDart To be fair to SF. I dont think he said that those players were reflective $h!tty product. Despite all the other circumstances that we have discussed to no ends, fact is better talent can overcome alot of obstacles. IMO, It should not become sacriligeous on this board to question the talent available. So to get back to your list, $h!tty no, but it could be a heck of alot better too. On that list, you have players who are either: 1) are past their prime, 2) have committed to other national sides in a small part due their pessimistic view of the talent available 3) players who are still only prospects 4) Players who were previously good prospects, but whose careers really never blosomed to the level many expected 5) players in their prime whose career took a step backwards as witnessed from diminished playing time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Hargreaves should not be on the list of players that the CSA should be promoting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedmonk42 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by SF Hope this guy is good. This is a very important hire. Take my word on this - if Toronto FC sucks for 3 consecutive years (ie about as long as it will take for the newness of it to wear off), it will become small potatoes. It hasn't even been around long enough to prove that it sucks yet. It doesn't actually suck. The games are entertaining. It is fun to be there, and the team just keeps getting better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseDart Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I don't want write on and on about this. But let's get one thing clear here. Regardless of who it is or who they choose to play for in the end, if they came from Canada, we need to let people know. That in itself is worth a lot. Just imagine for a second that Owen had played for Canada, how much awareness would have raised about how dire our situation is? Anyway, eve guys past their prime. The main message here is, that we should get a full page of soccer consistenly in the papers everyday! Creating those conditions will take a lot of work. What this CF dude says about "let's build it and they will come" is bull. You build it and you let everyone know you build it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by JesseDart FIBA huh? Well, personally if we can get a guy to take a worldly approach to game in Canada and ram it down everyon's throat, then I'm all for that. Specially if the approach is by having a domestic league competition with promotion and relegation, and instituting standards in th game such as futsal rules for indoor and the likes. FIBA, sounds fine by me. Though more important than FIBA is how European and S. American play is proving to favour team attacks and team defences, and is not just based on the show time and non-coaching (the way starters are chosen, the way subs are made) that you see in the NBA. That suggests he is in tune with the international standard and thinks Canada should fit into it, instead of going our own way or just following the States. For football that could be a good thing, as in ensuring kids can play on proper sized fields at a certain development stage, that such fields even exist, that indoor soccer might look more like futsal. That we train our kids the way the world does and prepare our coaches and technical staff to see the world picture. Canada has to be a bit more humble in the soccer world, and we can start by using FIFA rules and sports as a point of reference. So if he pisses off soccer people with their nutty ideas in Canada and insistence on backwards thinking, all the better. Would also like to see him on top of the provincial associations that are not being accountable to their communities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 When I suggested the product blows, I meant the mens national team. I think there is a reasonable body of emperical evidence that supports that assertion. Sure, we have produced some decent players (though no big stars, to be fair), but that has translated into precisely nothing in terms of World Cup qualifying and that is, really, the ultimate benchmark for a country like Canada. And the good players we have produced are products, by and large, of overseas development systems. Not too many have emerged from the Canadian talent development regime. Stalteri is, perhaps, a good exception, but he also did need about 3 years in the Bremen reserve system before breaking through. I know very little about the new CEO and sincerely wish him every success. But, if he was hired with a mandate to market the game to the media and sponsors and not focus on talent development and on field results he will fail. Let's put it this way. What would be the very best way to attract new and large sponsorship dollars to the national team program? Easy - qualify for the World Cup. And then qualify again. And so on. No volume of media exposure will, in an of itself, push the game forward in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S. FIBA, sounds fine by me. Though more important than FIBA is how European and S. American play is proving to favour team attacks and team defences, and is not just based on the show time and non-coaching (the way starters are chosen, the way subs are made) that you see in the NBA. That suggests he is in tune with the international standard and thinks Canada should fit into it, instead of going our own way or just following the States. For football that could be a good thing, as in ensuring kids can play on proper sized fields at a certain development stage, that such fields even exist, that indoor soccer might look more like futsal. That we train our kids the way the world does and prepare our coaches and technical staff to see the world picture. Canada has to be a bit more humble in the soccer world, and we can start by using FIFA rules and sports as a point of reference. So if he pisses off soccer people with their nutty ideas in Canada and insistence on backwards thinking, all the better. Would also like to see him on top of the provincial associations that are not being accountable to their communities. I fully agree Jeffrey. My sense is that if Nykamp follows the same pattern he took with B-Ball Canada he'll hire a good TD. Someone who talks about holding possession and an emphasis on skill the way most of the world plays, not like the ol' English boys club on the CSA board. I also think his business acumen will come in handy. I could see the budget getting a boost from extra sponsorships. May also be able to better market the home games and players. Extra $$$ for the players from corporate Canada means greater loyalty to Canada. (looking at you Bobby deGuzman) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseDart Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 quote: But, if he was hired with a mandate to market the game to the media and sponsors and not focus on talent development and on field results he will fail. That's precisely his job. He is the business guy here. The position you are talking about is the Technical Director - he is the guy in charge of developing the talent. The CEO is the Business guy who handles the Money Deals (erm.. Sponsorship) and the Marketing of the Game as a viable investment and enterntainment (erm... Media). At least that's my understanding of his role. Perhaps the CSA should explain exactly what the position's duties are. quote: What would be the very best way to attract new and large sponsorship dollars to the national team program? Easy - qualify for the World Cup. And then qualify again. And so on. No volume of media exposure will, in an of itself, push the game forward in this country. I I agree with you. But how do you do that if you are worried about little Tommy's playing 4x4 and the coaching ratio is no grater that 8 to 1? That is not the CEO's responsibilities. Instead, getting the regular friendlies and arranging for our top players to be available through Club relations and getting the Media to cover the games so we can watch them and follow the progress of the team in the paper. These are the dutie I would expect the CEO make sure are in place. Sure, once we hire a TD, I'd expect the CEO to say that the grassroots is developing fine, etc. etc. But for him to go around holding U8 coaching clinics is patently absurd (I'm having fun by the way) SF - I'm just having fun with all of this. I find your points valid as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 A good and effective CEO does not necessarily have to be everybody's good buddy or close friends with everybody that works for and with him, that's not what the job is about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I hope he will clean house and pronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I don't mean to imply that the CEO role doesn't assume responsibility for marketing, promotion, etc... It does to the extent that the CEO is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in his or her organization. My point is this - in business and in sport and in life boring works. And, in this context, boring is building the program so that we consistently develop top players and wining national teams. Where many organizations go wrong is when they need to fill the top job and they bring in the "marketing genius". Look at the NHL under Gary Bettmans leadership. Leadership, among many other things, is about setting priorities and executing a plan to achieve success (emphasis on the executing). My argument is that if the priority is marketing and media realtions and flash, etc... then our new CEO will have made a mistake. The priority needs to be developing and creating a top class product. Because, as I have said, right now the product blows. And it has for a rather long while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john tv Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 If he is to be responsible to create top notch product why hire a basketball guy,theoratically what does he know about the inns and outs of soccer. His job is to spread that soccer gospel and let the experts worry about the product.Media,marketing and administration come first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I don't think we should be concentrating on his connection to soccer. He's been involved in sports and more importantly has an impressive business resume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john tv Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 His credentials are second to none but nothing about soccer. I hope he was not hired because of his soccer knowledge.As I said it is all about that gospel that soccer deserves demands and Canada needs. Again it is about that magnificent message,make the media throw away that resentment towards our game and make us part of the Canadian society as a full partner in sports.We all have experienced witnessed,enjoyed and participated in the birth of new soccer in Canada. It is so big and so important.He has to capitalize on this and use the Toronto experience and message across Canada and only the media can do that job and put us on the top level of sports in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Fred Nykamp leaving Canada Basketball to take over Soccer Canada By LORI EWING TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Soccer Association looked for an assist from Canada Basketball on Thursday, naming former hoops boss Fred Nykamp as its first ever chief executive officer. Nykamp fills the void left by the firing of chief operating officer Kevan Pipe last November as association president Colin Linford looks to retool a sport long on participants but short on international success. Nykamp takes on the sizeable task of running an organization that has countless different agendas, sees some of its most talented players leave for opportunities elsewhere, and has never really had a long-term plan in its nearly 100 years of existence. His most important task, he says, may be in getting soccer officials across the country all on the same page. "We'll be smoking a few peace pipes along the way, I'm sure," Nykamp said at a news conference Thursday at BMO Field. Nykamp's hiring is the latest piece of the CSA's management puzzle put in place. The CSA named Dale Mitchell head coach of the national men's soccer team last Friday, but the technical director's job is still open. "(Nykamp) is a personable person who could make 850,000 people think the same way," said Linford. The move from the hardcourt to the soccer pitch is a natural one for the new CEO. Nykamp played soccer growing up, coached all four of his kids, and still plays in an old-timer's league. "I personally have a very fond upbringing in soccer, and I look forward to this new association in a sport I very much love," he said. Pipe was fired as chief operating officer last November after more than 20 years on the job. Nykamp's job description, said Linford, is significantly different than the former COO position. For one, Nykamp, who brings a strong business background to the job, will be ultimately accountable. Until now, there's been a loose framework as to who answers to who, and often paid staff members answered to volunteers. "He has ultimate control, everybody goes through the CEO. He's the No. 1 man. We didn't have that," said Linford. "He will be the one who is accountable, totally." Nykamp steps into the job in one of soccer's most exciting summers. Canada's new MLS squad Toronto FC is drawing huge crowds in its inaugural season. The country will play host to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup for which over 700,000 tickets have already been snapped up, and the senior women's squad will vie for a medal at the World Cup in September. Add in the fact that soccer is already the No. 1 participation sport in Canada, with over 850,000 registered players, and continues to grow like a prairie grassfire - between eight and 10 per cent a year - and Linford says the time is ripe for soccer to reap significant rewards. "There is an understanding now from many businesses that soccer might be the sport to put their sponsorship money into," said Linford. "We keep saying this is the year for soccer in this country, and as I've said many, many times, you get one chance. But it takes time and it takes convincing people that what we've done for 95 years has to change." On the international pitch, Canada continues to struggle. The men's senior side is ranked 94th in the world, sandwiched between Lithuania and Kuwait, and hasn't made a World Cup appearance since 1986. Nykamp resigned as executive director and CEO of Canada Basketball earlier Thursday after three years in those positions. He launched several new programs during his time there, including a national residency program and the adoption of a common set of rules for play. The National Elite Development Academy (NEDA), which started up last September at Hamilton's McMaster University and is funded mainly by Sport Canada, brings together the top 16-and 17-year-old players in the country to train together year-round. The CSA has long wanted to implement a similar program. "Because we don't have the pro leagues, we don't have the ability to develop these pools of high performance athletes," said Nykamp. "And because we seem to export our athletes so willingly, we don't get to attain them here long enough to really have the influence on them when it comes time to call them to play for their country. "I have a strong commitment to retaining our talent, creating a better option for them here in Canada." One of Nykamp's biggest achievements in basketball was the universal move to FIBA rules. There were over 50 different sets of rules being used in Canadian programs before the move. As of this September, FIBA rules will be used in every minor, high school, college and university organization, except one - the Ontario high school association is the one holdout. "That was the single biggest undertaking and the most difficult thing to do when everyone's entrenched in a certain way of playing," Nykamp said. "You can't have a development system operating successfully, when everybody's working under different rule sets." Before joining Canada Basketball, Nykamp spent four years as president of WIO Inc., a company that specializes in business planning and development. He was also vice-president and GM of Sara Lee Corporation's Hanes & Champion overseas operations and the managing director for Champion Canada. Nykamp, who lives in Ancaster, Ont., will split his time between the Toronto and Ottawa offices, with much of his first six months likely spent in Ottawa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by john tv If he is to be responsible to create top notch product why hire a basketball guy,theoratically what does he know about the inns and outs of soccer. His job is to spread that soccer gospel and let the experts worry about the product.Media,marketing and administration come first. Well, that would presume, then, that every CEO was a technical expert in his/her companys products. What, for example, does Peter Munk know about how to extract ore from an open pit mine? Not much. Just ask him. But, his company (Barrick) has been rather successful. What did Jack Welch and his GE team know about television broadcasting when they bought NBC? Nothing, but it had won the primetime TV ratings game within 5 years of buying it (at a very low point, I might add). I could add countless examples. Successful leadership, like I have said, is about establishing priorities and executing on them. That requires focus, communication and passion. If the priority for the CSA is anything but building a talent infrastructure and winning important matches, absolutely nothing will have been acheived in changing CEOs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 A residency program would be good news.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john tv Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Oops he is a soccer player that is great and extremely important. Hey he may even be from Dutch parents or even born in Holland. Not that it matters unless he has some good contacts in Holland. Well never mind I am relieved with his background,that's half the battle.I wonder i may even have played against him.He looks very very good sofar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca A residency program would be good news.... I think it's a must, considering the rest of CONCACAF either has it, or is moving towards it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 One of Nykamp's biggest achievements in basketball was the universal move to FIBA rules. There were over 50 different sets of rules being used in Canadian programs before the move. As of this September, FIBA rules will be used in every minor, high school, college and university organization, except one - the Ontario high school association is the one holdout. After reading this i am reminded of NBA announcers mentioning that Todd MacCullough grew up playing Winnipeg high school rules where dunking was not allowed!! Between the rules change, Elite development program, Nash Youth ball and boosting the budget I'm starting to like this guy more and more. He seems to make decisions that make sense. Here's hoping he can work well with everyone and pick out a TD with real vision, and supply him the $$$ to make it all work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 How does this guy rate against Kevin Pipe qualifications wise. There is lots about his past jobs but nothing about his education and degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca A residency program would be good news.... There is already a residency program in Vancouver with the WNT. Now you have Dale Mitchell as the MNT coach, (Lenarduzzi was an advocate). Now watch out for Bobby Lenarduzzi and the Whitecaps to announce further residency programs over and above what is already going to be coming with the recent announcement of the appointment of Thomas Niendorf to the Whitecaps organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref How does this guy rate against Kevin Pipe qualifications wise. There is lots about his past jobs but nothing about his education and degrees. As a longtime employer myself I suggest relevant on-the-job experience and performance in terms of achieving organisational goals over the past 10 years is far more important than any academic papers/degrees the man might have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca A residency program would be good news.... Wow, this after all the criticism of the current WNT residentcy program! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Richard Wow, this after all the criticism of the current WNT residentcy program! What criticism? I've never said a thing against the women's residency program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.