Linford encouraging JDG2 to play for Holland

[loyola]

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/soccer/story.html?id=0f663faf-bff3-479e-87a1-35fce6ec74c7&k=20940

Richard Starnes, CanWest News Service; Ottawa Citizen

Published: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Article tools

OTTAWA - A month after millions of Canadians got swept up in the thrill of the most successful FIFA Under-20 Soccer World Cup ever staged, the association that organized it is in tatters.

Canadian Soccer Association president Colin Linford quit Monday, saying any improvement in soccer in this country is doomed unless the sport's overseers can get their act together.

"And that won't happen," he said.

Representatives of each province and territory sit on the CSA board of directors, but Linford says they all are more interested in their own organizations than in the sport in Canada. He hints they are driven by different agendas and by power.

That could only change if staff were given the authority to make decisions. "But any change would have to be sanctioned by the board. So that won't happen," he said. "They will never do that for the good of Canadian soccer or a national program.

"Soccer hasn't been going anywhere for years," he said. "So why would it suddenly change? I hope it does for the sake of those who support the game and want to see it go forward. But until there are changes, it can't be moved forward."

Linford even suggested he could not blame Jonathan de Guzman, born and raised in Toronto, for refusing to play for Canada at the Under-20 World Cup, picking Portugal instead.

"I hope if a youngster has the opportunity to play for another country, I suggest they take it," he said.

Linford's resignation comes on the heels of a FIFA Under-20 World Cup that sold almost 1.2 million tickets and was televised in 200 countries. The world's best young players thrilled fans from Ottawa to Victoria and it sent excited chills through thousands of professional-wannabe Canadian soccer kids.

Today, the chance to build on such a surge of popularity has collapsed and the CSA is in a perilously shaky position.

Linford's decision to quit means the CSA has no president. It has no chief executive officer, either. Fred Nykamp, chosen by Linford for the job, has not been ratified by the board despite claims he would start work on Aug. 1. Nykamp, who quit a similar post with Basketball Canada to take the CSA job, could not be reached for comment on his situation.

The CSA has had no technical director since Richard Bate quit in February 2006.

In Dale Mitchell, it has what many believe is a second choice men's national coach.

And it has a women's coach clearly disgusted at being ignored less than a month before the women's World Cup finals in China.

The board of directors must sanction all decisions and wields the power at the CSA and Linford knew, when he took the position in May 2006, that had to change if soccer in Canada was to progress.

"It wasn't as if nobody knew what I wanted to do," he said from his Kitchener, Ont., home. "I was elected unanimously and they all knew my agenda. But in 14 months, I was totally ignored. People say more against you than for you. I was shafted.

"We needed to move into more of a business than a kitchen-table association. We had to give more authority to staff to do the job. Volunteers should not make decisions at that level. After all, they have absolutely no accountability. They can just walk away." He laughed. "Just look at me!

"I wanted a proper business structure, and in that scenario they would no longer have the power they believed they should have. There are egos involved here and internal struggles.

"In the end, I looked around the table and realized I was getting very little support and I said to myself, 'I'm a volunteer, do I need this stress?'

"It was like pushing a boulder up a hill. You can only get so far and you have to stop for breath. I looked back and saw nobody's helping me here. So I let the boulder roll back down the hill and I walk off. So there you are."

The situation can be likened to Canada's political structure. The federal government has one set of agendas and each province has another. Often they do not match. The only difference, according to Linford, is that provinces and feds have many clearly defined responsibilities, which is not the case in soccer.

A clear example of Linford's troubles with his board came earlier this year, when a search committee went looking for a new men's coach. Linford was set on Brazilian Rene Simoes, whom Linford put forward for board agreement. Most thought it a shoo-in, but the board refused to sanction the plan.

"I wanted someone to bring soccer knowledge into the country that we have never had," he said. "That would be a way for younger players and coaches to learn. When Cuba wanted to become a basketball power, it went to a country with expertise to find a coach. It is now a power. That's what Simoes could have brought."

The CSA has been under considerable pressure from several directions this year. One has come from the national women's team which is about to take part in the World Cup finals in China. Players complained about not being provided with enough quality international preparation matches in Canada.

Earlier this month, women's coach Evan Pellarud said he had not been given the funding to get teams to Canada.

"The number of international games has been and is a concern," he said.

Asked if he felt the CSA was showing too little interest in the women's team, he said: "You'll have to ask some other people about that."

His response was the same when asked if cash was being funnelled toward the men's team at the expense of the women's side.

The CSA issued a straightforward news release Tuesday, thanking Linford for his efforts. It said there are rules in place to cover the present situation.

"An interim chairman of the board will be selected in the coming days from the two CSA vice-presidents via a secret vote," it said.

"A new president will be elected at the next general meeting which is presently scheduled for October 2007."

Ottawa Citizen

[redhat]

Wasn't he referring to Steven Vitoria rather than JdG2?

Quote:

"Linford even suggested he could not blame Jonathan de Guzman, born and raised in Toronto, for refusing to play for Canada at the Under-20 World Cup, picking Portugal instead.

"I hope if a youngster has the opportunity to play for another country, I suggest they take it," he said. "

Linford's very bitter, I guess.

[Pecks]

Poor research or knowledge of the game by Starnes - suggesting Portugal when it should be Holland. And actually he hasn't picked any country yet! Unless Linford got it wrong.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by redhat

Wasn't he referring to Steven Vitoria rather than JdG2?

I saw that but I think his point is quite clear when he says:

"I hope if a youngster has the opportunity to play for another country, I suggest they take it," he said.

[Loud Mouth Soup]

"An interim chairman of the board will be selected in the coming days from the two CSA vice-presidents via a secret vote," it said.

Way to show you're an honest, open, and transparent organization.

/douchebags

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

I saw that but I think his point is quite clear when he says:

"I hope if a youngster has the opportunity to play for another country, I suggest they take it," he said.

Which for me, is simply an inexcusable statement.

Rallying for change in a country's FA is one thing, encouraging kids to turn their back on their country is another altogether.

[redhat]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

Which for me, is simply an inexcusable statement.

Rallying for change in a country's FA is one thing, encouraging kids to turn their back on their country is another altogether.

That bothered me too. Makes me wonder about his credibility now.

[VPjr]

The man is bitter but, really, can you blame him. I would spout off too. You need to sometimes make inflamatory statements to make people take notice. The CSA needs to be embarrased. They need to be publicly shamed. A good way to do that is to imply that a talented player would turn their back on their country because the national organization is a disfunctional disaster.

I also think that Colin knows what direction JDG2 is leaning, which is why he named him specifically. Anyone with any functioning instincts knows that JDG2 is going to be wearing Orange in his future. He needs a passport and 1 good season for Feyenoord this year and then you will see him get capped by Holland. He had his chance for Canada (the U20s) and rejected it. In light of what is transpiring, I wouldn't throw my hat into canada's ring either...why deal with such chaos. I just feel bad for the other players.

[River City]

de Guzman is going to play for Portugal??? All right!!!!!

Just kidding guys.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

I also think that Colin knows what direction JDG2 is leaning, which is why he named him specifically.

He doesn't name him specifically - the journalist did that & then got the country wrong.

[Ivan]

quote:Originally posted by redhat

That bothered me too. Makes me wonder about his credibility now.

Yup, been following this and have been sympathetic toward Linford ...... until that horrific statement.

[River City]

Seriously though, with his comment, he's trying to show that the CSA doesn't care for its national teams compared to other countries - something most of us have complained about for years.

It's a warning to young players with dual nationality that if they choose Canada, they're pretty much on their own. I just hope it doesn't become an excuse for some players to justify their decisions.

[jonovision]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

Which for me, is simply an inexcusable statement.

Rallying for change in a country's FA is one thing, encouraging kids to turn their back on their country is another altogether.

No kidding. Any sympathies I might have had for Linford have gone out the window with that comment.

[Guest Ed]

He's just stating the facts. This man has spent a good portion of his life promoting soccer in Canada and for him to say that a player with an option should take any option but Canada paints exactly the picture he intended. The CSA in its present form should be buried.

Quit playing the 'born there, play there' card. The point which most of us have known for years is that our national association is a worse than a joke and has to be destroyed.

[VPjr]

You guys type with your heart too much and not with your head.

The best thing that has come out of Linford's mouth is calling on players to turn their back on Canada. It will get headlines. It will make more people take notice of the situation. I am not suggesting that Linford is a PR genius but that 1 statement is going to make ears perk up.

Plus, you don't have to sympathize for the man. You just acknowledge that he is correct in the assertion that the CSA is very broken and likely unfixable. Blow 'er up and start over.

[kclee]

Players play for Canada, not the CSA. I think the current players on the MNT know that or why would they show up at all.

[jpg75]

quote:Originally posted by redhat

Wasn't he referring to Steven Vitoria rather than JdG2?

Quote:

"Linford even suggested he could not blame Jonathan de Guzman, born and raised in Toronto, for refusing to play for Canada at the Under-20 World Cup, picking Portugal instead.

"I hope if a youngster has the opportunity to play for another country, I suggest they take it," he said.

I think Starnes need to clarify this comment. To me it was intended for Vitoria, who was born and raised in Toronto and picked Portugal this summer.

However, the second comment is completely unpatriotic. Horrible thing to say. I bet he wants that one back once his bitterness dies down...

[redhat]

quote:Originally posted by kclee

Players play for Canada, not the CSA. I think the current players on the MNT know that or why would they show up at all.

Agreed. Which is why the apparent statement from Linford is at the

very least, unfortunate. His bitterness and frustration is

understandable but to advocate a redirection of allegiance to

another country is ridiculous.

What is he trying to say to all those representing our country

currently? Representing Canada is NEVER a waste of time;

it is an honour to do so.

[Vic]

Bitterness implies a showdown. Because a well thought out exit stage left is always done with class and dignity. Wonder who it was with, and what it was about.

[Footy]

What a stupid comment from Linford shows you his mind set. yeah good luck Colin in trying to land a job now simply childish.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

You guys type with your heart too much and not with your head.

That's funny because that's exactly what I thought was happening when his resignation was first announced with all the people on this forum who immediately formed a lynch mob for anyone on the CSA who wasn't Linford, while simulataneously forming a committee to institute him as the Patron Saint of Canadian Soccer.

Could you imagine how people would have felt now had we rushed out a press release on behalf of the board praising & supporting him all the way only to see a comment like that come out?

[Former Champ]

quote:Originally posted by Ivan

Yup, been following this and have been sympathetic toward Linford ...... until that horrific statement.

Doesn't almost everyone on this board bash the CSA?

Isn't Linford actually agreeing with the sentiments voiced on this forum?

[The Beaver]

quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

Doesn't almost everyone on this board bash the CSA?

Isn't Linford actually agreeing with the sentiments voiced on this forum?

I get your point, but keep in mind that none of us holds or held a position of influence similar to Linford's. Mind you, as the outgoing President of the CSA, I am not sure how much real influence Linford has. Will anybody heed his words? Will this be the note that pushes JDG2 to play for Holland?

[The Beaver]

quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

Doesn't almost everyone on this board bash the CSA?

Isn't Linford actually agreeing with the sentiments voiced on this forum?

I get your point, but keep in mind that none of us holds or held a position of influence similar to Linford's. Mind you, as the outgoing President of the CSA, I am not sure how much real influence Linford has. Will anybody heed his words? Will this be the note that pushes JDG2 to play for Holland?

[Jarrek]

There's a very simple analogy for all this. If you were to live in a home that would be unfit for living, would you want to live there? I think that's what Linford was alluding to, and I'm quite sure deep down he would rather have players like deGuzman play for Canada, but if the conditions are too poor for this to happen, and will continue to be poor for years to come, I can see why certain players wouldn't want to play for our national team.

Then again, there are many current players on the national teams that tolerate the bureaucracy at the CSA ...

In any case, time to clean house.