Vignjevic (!) sounds off on Canadian Soccer

[fishman]

An article from today's Edmonton Journal - this might not seem suited for the MNT forum, but his comments and opinions are directed at soccer in Canada, and the CSA.

EDMONTON - When it comes to soccer, Canada is Casey Stengel's 1962 New York Mets, the 1972-73 New York Islanders or last season's Miami Dolphins.

We suck. We're the free space on the bingo card; we're the Washington Generals, patsies for all of the Harlem Globetrotter soccer nations.

We stink worse than the forgotten milk carton in the back of the fridge.

We're so far down the soccer rungs, we need a telescope to find Panama or Angola.

Why? Nik Vignjevic, forward for the Edmonton Drillers, would rather phrase it: Why not?

"I came here 10 years ago, Canada and the U.S.A. were pretty much the same. U.S.A. was maybe a little bit better. Now the U.S.A. is Brazil for Canada," said Vignjevic, who left Serbia to join the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) -- first with Cleveland and later with the original Edmonton Drillers and later with the ill-fated Edmonton Aviators.

"Canada is not a poor country. There is money. There is no problem with fields. No problem with soccer balls or equipment. It's a pretty big country. Over 33 million people.

"With the talent I see here Canada can be one of the better countries in the world in soccer," said Vignjevic, 37, who also coaches Edmonton's Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association's (EIYSA) U-16 and U-18 Drillers teams.

"Canada should easily be every (time) in the World Cup."

So why aren't we? Asking Vignjevic that question is like throwing a grenade: stand back while it explodes.

"It starts with the Canadian Soccer Association. We don't have a professional league," he said of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Montreal Impact playing in the United Soccer League and Toronto FC in the Major League Soccer (MLS).

"We need our own league so that kids can see they have a future; then we can push kids to practise more.

"People wonder when we are going to do something in the World Cup and I say, 'It's when we start practising like everybody else in the world.'

"People practise four times a week everywhere. In Europe. In South America. That's why kids progress more.

"Here we practise two times a week. If I tell the parents we are going to practise four times a week they probably will tell me I'm crazy," Vignjevic said of his U-16 and U-18 youth Driller teams.

"Even with two practices I have lots of kids who miss one of them. And you expect them to be better? No way. You practise more, you get better. It's very simple."

Growing up in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, Vignjevic said kids played soccer all the time.

"I go to school in the morning. Every day we have one-hour sport activity. The teacher asks us if we want soccer, volleyball, basketball. We always say, 'Soccer.' One hour.

"Then when I came home, I finish my homework and then I am going to the practice. An hour and 30 minutes practice. And then I come home, and if it is still nice outside and not dark, I go and play with my friends one more hour," said Vignjevic, a father of a six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy -- the latter having already shown a passion for the game.

"That's two or three hours every day playing soccer.

"On Saturdays I have game for my team where I play club.

"On Sunday you know what we do? No school. No practices. We organize tournaments. Without parents. The kids would just show up. Walk-up games. Every Sunday," said Vignjevic, who also played in the Yugoslavian first division with FC Cukaricki.

"Kids are crazy about soccer. Nobody has to push them to practise. It's passion. Just like here kids grow up dreaming of playing hockey, in Europe you are dreaming to be a professional soccer player."

In Canada, in the winter, we can't even decide which version of soccer to play. Calgary plays indoor without boards. Edmonton plays indoor with boards, some teams play Futsal -- a game played on a smaller field with a small ball that doesn't bounce as much and without boards -- and some teams play 7-on-7.

"Everybody should play the same," said Vignjevic, who played for Serbia's national futsal team, but admits to liking the indoor game even more because of how it forces quick decisions. "I don't care what they play, but it should be the same.

"Do we play indoor? Then all of Canada plays indoor.

"Right now there is no provincial finals for 7-on-7 because Calgary doesn't play 7-on-7. There is no indoor nationals because indoor is not recognized by FIFA (the Federation of International Football Association.)

"Only in Canada does everybody play a different game."

Vignjevic said the Drillers youth program doesn't allow for an under-8 club team category, something he finds really absurd.

"We should start with U-8, never mind U-10, because that is the right age to start soccer. When you are waiting to be 10 or 12 years old to start playing soccer it is too late.

"You don't build from the top, you build from the bottom."

In Edmonton, there are two associations that run minor soccer. For years they have gotten along like the Hatfields and McCoys.

Two months ago, the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association (EMSA) and EIYSA announced they had reached an agreement in principle to form a united organization, Soccer Edmonton, to run all youth soccer programs in the city.

It still hasn't happened and, given the animosity between the two leagues, may never happen.

"It's very stupid between EMSA and EIYSA," said Vignjevic. "I am very disappointed."

And, obviously, very opinionated when it comes to the sport he loves.

[JB_Tito]

Can you post link from this article,please?

[redhat]

Good article, but a common refrain.

But I've got to ask the question: why is the CSA responsible for

setting up a national league? As I understood it, Vancouver, Montreal,

and Toronto abandoned the (dying) CSL in 1992, and the current

professional ranks want MLS rather than a CSL.

You can blame the CSA for a lot (being disorganized, bureaucratic,

poorly funded, lack of focus for the MNT, etc), but to blame them

for not setting up a national league is ludicrous. It's really up to

the will of the professional teams in this country.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I agree with Redhat and I will leave it at that for fear of having my intelligence insulted by the new breed of "Voyageur" who will accuse me of being a CSA supporter because I don't believe in Canadian *professional* league.

I will say, it would be fun to compile at list of coaches in Canada who have professional experience and/or FIFA licenses. These people need to show some leadership it seems to me. The CSL2 is likely not viable, but surely all of Alberta could play 7v7 if someone took the initiative.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I agree with Redhat and I will leave it at that for fear of having my intelligence insulted by the new breed of "Voyageur" who will accuse me of being a CSA supporter because I don't believe in Canadian *professional* league.

I will say, it would be fun to compile at list of coaches in Canada who have professional experience and/or FIFA licenses. These people need to show some leadership it seems to me. The CSL2 is likely not viable, but surely all of Alberta could play 7v7 if someone took the initiative.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Did Cathal Kelly write the opening to this? I understand his partial sarcasm but we're ahead of Panama and Angola in the world rankings and have our most talented squad ever assembled.

[N-A]

Thanks for posting this that was an interesting article and a good read some good points also made.

[tmcmurph]

Interesting article. I agree with a lot of what Mr. V has to say and I must confess he is amazing fun to watch in the indoor games I've seen him in. He is the pivot around which play flows. His timing and judgment as to when to pass and when to run with the ball is impeccable!

First the opening statement:

"EDMONTON - When it comes to soccer, Canada is Casey Stengel's 1962 New York Mets, the 1972-73 New York Islanders or last season's Miami Dolphins.

We suck. We're the free space on the bingo card; we're the Washington Generals, patsies for all of the Harlem Globetrotter soccer nations."

I don't think that is Mr. V's wording. It looks like the intro by the writer to whom I have to say look at last summer's Gold Cup. Were it not for a bad call by the linesman we would have been in a shootout with the powerful American squad. One of our players got player of the tourny award (JDG).

Now on to Mr. V's comments which I found a lot more intelligent and thought out.

"I came here 10 years ago, Canada and the U.S.A. were pretty much the same. U.S.A. was maybe a little bit better. Now the U.S.A. is Brazil for Canada,"

I disagree here. Look at the latest results between the two countries (see above for sad details).

"Canada is not a poor country. There is money. There is no problem with fields. No problem with soccer balls or equipment. It's a pretty big country. Over 33 million people."

Correct on all accounts.

"With the talent I see here Canada can be one of the better countries in the world in soccer, Canada should easily be every (time) in the World Cup."

True for the first part and I dream of a regular appearance in WC boy do I dream of it.

"So why aren't we? Asking Vignjevic that question is like throwing a grenade: stand back while it explodes."

Mr. V should be a Voyageur! He is passionate about the sport and expects big things! Damn right!

"It starts with the Canadian Soccer Association."

Agreed whole heartedly.

"We don't have a professional league"

Disagree on that one. True we only have 1 MLS team and at most we will have 3 (T,M,V). The USL-1 is a viable option for the other cities in Canada.

"We need our own league so that kids can see they have a future; then we can push kids to practise more."

Agree and disagree. We need A pro league. It doesn't have to be our own. Seeing our teams compete with the US teams gives most Canucks a sense of pride that despite being 1/10th the size we are competitive!

The only league that is not North American wide is NFL/CFL. You can argue that baseball and basketball only are in Toronto but either way the opportunity is there.

If you have to push kids to practice more then there is your problem. If kicking a ball around for an hour or two a day with friends is an effort no amount of pro leagues will entice them. Those kids that will sit in front of their TVs and electronic toys for hours a day (and parents that let them!!) will NEVER be sports players.

"People wonder when we are going to do something in the World Cup and I say, 'It's when we start practising like everybody else in the world.'

Hear, hear! Couldn't put it better myself!

"In Canada, in the winter, we can't even decide which version of soccer to play. Calgary plays indoor without boards. Edmonton plays indoor with boards, some teams play Futsal"

True and the associations change their minds every year on the rules it seems.

"Everybody should play the same,".

That would require leadership from our collective associations. I would love to see soccer during the outdoor season and during winter futsal and arena soccer WITH boards. The rules for outdoor and futsal are FIFA so no debate there but indoor everyone wants their version. Standardize on CMISL or MISL rules for arena soccer. Everyone seems to be waiting for FIFA to come up with arena rules.

"said Vignjevic, who played for Serbia's national futsal team, but admits to liking the indoor game even more because of how it forces quick decisions"

I love watching arena soccer almost as much as the outdoor game. The boards give the game a flow and speed that is amazing fun.

"Right now there is no provincial finals for 7-on-7 because Calgary doesn't play 7-on-7. There is no indoor nationals because indoor is not recognized by FIFA (the Federation of International Football Association.)"

Even when there is FIFA recognition (ie futsal) there aren't any provincials or at least Calgary doesn't have any champs to send.

"Vignjevic said the Drillers youth program doesn't allow for an under-8 club team category, something he finds really absurd."

Very true. Get them active young and keep it fun and you will have them for life. Let them sit in front of the electronics all day and you have lost them.

[Guest Ed]

The Serb is an embarrassment to Cdn soccer given his behaviour with the indoor team last month. Not the most respected source.

[fishman]

Here is the link:

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=bd04edd0-accf-4da2-9436-71aa1e1d31d2

The writer is Curtis Stock...I really can't recall him ever writing a piece on soccer before - what he has written (whether it is about horse racing, boxing or betting) is never high-brow, to be sure.

[tmcmurph]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

The Serb is an embarrassment to Cdn soccer given his behaviour with the indoor team last month. Not the most respected source.

What behaviour was that? He got upset at a call he didn't agree with in the Calgary tourny. I didn't see any more than what was shown on TV.

Was there some other incident? Players get upset with calls all the time.