Mobiiiiiiiilio Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 Our national disgrace CSA says no to hosting offer By TERRY JONES -- Sun Media A decision by the CSA not to host a women's Olympic qualifying tournament has left team coach Even Pellerud frustrated and angry. (AP File/Kin Cheung) CHENGDU, China -- The battleground is supposed to be 28,269-seat Chengdu Sports Stadium in the middle of downtown in this Sichuan Province capital city of seven million people. It's where Canada plays Australia tomorrow in the go-on or go-home game in Group C of the FIFA Women's World Cup. But it was a practice field behind a bowling alley here yesterday where the shots were being fired as the Canadian girls expressed disappointment and coach Even Pellerud and manager Les Meszaros escalated their outrage at the Canadian Soccer Association here yesterday. SPIT HIT THE FAN That's where the spit hit the fan with the revelation in Sunday's Sun Media newspapers from here that the CSA turned down a CONCACAF request to play host to the Olympic qualifying tournament. Angus Barrett of St. John's, N.L., the head of delegation, executive member of the association and director at large, was confronted by media members here to explain the decision. He said the CSA, an organization currently without a president, a CEO or an executive director, "couldn't afford the $300,000 to $400,000 it would cost" to play host to the six-team tournament in Canada despite the advantage it would give Canada in attempting to get to next summer's Beijing Olympic Games. The event is now expected to be held in Haiti. "Haiti can afford it but Canada can't?" said Meszaros. "How do you explain that to the Canadian public?" You can't. Especially after Pellerud, who is on the final year of his contract, was inspired to reveal more of the dirty details. "We're talking about pocket money," he said. "We could easily get all that money back in ticket sales if we put up the money," he added of the event next March. Do the math. It's chump change. Pellerud said he'd even arranged a local organizing committee to play host to the event in Victoria. "I told the association they could take the money out of our team budget. "That was my offer to them. We believed there would be no problem at all recovering it. The CSA simply didn't want to make the effort to do it. It's a very big disappointment to me and the whole team." Kara Lang, a member of the Canadian team which finished in the final four of the Women's World Cup four years ago but then went and lost the get-to-the-Olympics game against Mexico in the qualifying tournament in Costa Rica, said it was "extremely disappointing" to the team. "It really would have put us at an advantage. It would have made it a lot easier." "It's disappointing for sure," said veteran Andrea Neil. "I don't know if there are reasons for it that we don't understand." Barrett said "the CSA decided it would cost us too much to host. Next year is going to be a very expensive year with World Cup qualifying games for the men's team and the women's team preparations for the Olympic qualifying. There are huge demands for national teams next year." RECORD ATTENDANCE He said despite setting a record attendance of 1,192,161 in playing host to the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, the association managed to lose money. Five years ago the association played host to the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships centred in Edmonton and made enough money to cover costs and pay FIFA host seeding money back. Barrett didn't dispute the advantage it would give Canada to qualify at home. "I agree. There's no doubt about it," he said. "I don't blame Even one bit. "He wants the best for his players." And the CSA doesn't? Where there's a will, there's a way. Pellerud showed the will and the way. The Canadian Soccer Association has clearly lost their way. The organization has become a national disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niagara Hammer Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT CSA OUT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I suggest everyone start Emailing your Provincial President who sits on the CSA board. The info on the U20's loosing money is now out of the bag & I don't think it's going to be too long before the CBC is asking questions of the suits. Truly how much more can the CSA become a national disgrace is the big question!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terpfan68 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 Is there anyone on this forum still willing to defend the CSA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beaver Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 quote:Originally posted by terpfan68 Is there anyone on this forum still willing to defend the CSA? Just to be clear, I doubt anyone here is defending the CSA. If anything, some here are more careful than others about making accusations or laying blame when we do not have all the facts necessary to do so. The CSA is a mess, no doubt, but we should not assume that just because something has gone wrong that the CSA is to blame. [They usually are to blame, if only partially, but that is beside the point.] The danger of making the CSA our absolute scapegoat is that it stops us from thinking clearly about what really needs to be done, about the realities of soccer in this country etc. I am clearly not an apologist for the CSA--but I do warn against knee-jerk black-and-white assessments based on little or no real information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 They lost money on the U20's after they got a ton of start up money from the Feds, ASA & FIFA. Besides being a host that didn't score a goal, loosing money is probably a first too. That to me is pretty black & white that the CSA is not capable of running their own affairs or their mandate of being the steward for the soccer community in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 They didn't loose money, they squandered away. Total negligence, they should be brought charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref They didn't loose money, they squandered away. Total negligence, they should be brought charges. On what basis do you make such allegations? I'm sure many of us here would be most interested if you would share your facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachRich Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref They didn't loose money, they squandered away. Total negligence, they should be brought charges. If you know of anything & have sources, I've got a ton of reporters knocking at my door to run w/ it.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Richard On what basis do you make such allegations? I'm sure many of us here would be most interested if you would share your facts. Just common sense. Why would you run a venture with deficit financing. Where is the money coming for the alleged shortfall. If there was an event budget, where did it deviate, who was responsible, how was such variance compensated. To quote Kevin, it's gonna be huge! In the end it was huge indeed, but the wrong way (lol). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Your questions are valid but so far nobody here, least of all you, has any facts on which to base any opinion such as you are expressing. All you have to work on are some offhand remarks made by an uninformed CSA director and reported/embellished through the media. As such you're doing nothing more than blowing hot air. Use that common sense you're boasting about and cool your jets or you'll just make an even bigger ass of yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Thank you Richard, I needed that. By the way, insulting people doesn't make you more right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 If asking for the facts on which a very forceful and potentially slanderous or even quite eroneous opinion is based is insulting, then so be it. Where are your facts Ref? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Beaver The danger of making the CSA our absolute scapegoat is that it stops us from thinking clearly about what really needs to be done, about the realities of soccer in this country etc. I am clearly not an apologist for the CSA--but I do warn against knee-jerk black-and-white assessments based on little or no real information. Thank You. And that is worth repeat a million times. I have reached the point where I have lost interest in this because it has taken the form of virus and it has made discussions extremely boring and pointless. As a result I'm spending much more time at the U sector forum in the past several weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref They didn't loose money, they squandered away. Total negligence, they should be brought charges. This kind of stuff is useless, pointless, uninformed and very boring to read. Please substantiate your charges or dont bother posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Free kick Thank You. And that is worth repeat a million times. I have reached the point where I have lost interest in this because it has taken the form of virus and it has made discussions extremely boring and pointless. As a result I'm spending much more time at the U sector forum in the past several weeks. I am quite enjoying the freak show as the CSA implodes. "I would wear black too." You can't make that sh*t up. Have fun at the U-Sector forum. Fill yer boots Ref. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Free kick Thank You. And that is worth repeat a million times. I would also voice those sentiments as well. In fact I posted something similar in the men's forum yesterday, but the Beaver sums things up for me perfectly in a much better & succinct way than I did. Well done Beaver! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terpfan68 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 A scapegoat actually implies that they are being blamed for the sins of others. It is not the right word in this situation. There may be explainations (reasons) for the actions of the CSA. If so I would like to hear them. As to solutions, the only one who can implement them is the governing body (CSA) unless there is government intervention. So if the CSA is not responsible who is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Ed I am quite enjoying the freak show as the CSA implodes. "I would wear black too." You can't make that sh*t up. Have fun at the U-Sector forum. Fill yer boots Ref. Fine then. You go ahead and watch "the freak show as the CSA implodes". Enjoy. I prefer watching soccer instead. Oh BTW. I did wear the black t-shirt last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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