Toronto Sun Articles today

[fan]

CSA being blamed for stagnant state of our national men's soccer teams

By STEVE BUFFERY, TORONTO SUN

Jim Brennan, a national team member and Toronto FC midfielder, is determined to put the boots to the theory that, when it comes to the FIFA men's World Cup, Canada forever will be on the outside looking in.

It has been 22 years since Canada's first and only appearance at soccer's big dance, but Brennan believes the current national team is the most talented side to emerge in years, and is in good shape to qualify for the next World Cup, two years hence in South Africa.

At the same time, Brennan said the team will begin the qualifying process for the 2010 World Cup this June, starting with a home-and-away series against Caribbean side St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with the proverbial one hand tied behind its back.

"Regardless of how much of a shambles the Canadian Soccer Association is in at the moment, we feel that if we don't qualify (for the 2010 World Cup), we'll be letting ourselves down big-time," Brennan said.

The Toronto FC captain said the problem with qualifying comes back to the CSA, the governing body of the sport in Canada. Brennan has little faith in, and little respect for, the CSA, and he is not alone in his sentiments.

Former national team captain Jason De Vos also has described the CSA as a shambles, saying: "We need to draw up a completely new model because the existing one certainly isn't working."

Bruce Twamley, an ex-national team standout and Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, said: "Whatever success we have is despite the CSA."

That the CSA is a target for criticism, and blamed for the national team's failure to qualify for the men's World Cup, is nothing new. But that criticism has grown from a whisper to a full-blown scream as soccer becomes more popular in increasingly multicultural Canada, and fans begin to question why the team can't seem to earn decent results on the world stage and qualify for the World Cup, the biggest sporting event on the planet next to the Summer Olympics. (The women's teams have had better results internationally, although many soccer nations do not yet dedicate balanced resources to their women's programs.)

The frustration over the lack of results on the men's side has resulted in a serious call to action. A group of concerned fans has formed the Canadian Soccer Federation, an outfit determined to "execute the role of the national governing body" in Canada if the CSA doesn't get its act together, and fast.

"If they really care about the good of the game, they will get on board with some of the ideas that we have put on paper," CSF chief Dino Rossi told Sun Media. "We haven't reinvented the wheel. We've just put down what the practices are across the world (with other FIFA-sanctioned federations). And that is what we need here. We have to make some bold moves and if the CSA is not prepared to make bold moves, then step aside."

The CSF has drawn up a mission statement, vowing to "establish and nurture a culture of unparalleled transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, empowerment and respect."

Rossi told Sun Media that one doesn't need to look any further than the Fred Nykamp affair to see the CSA's ineptitude and why there needs to be a house-cleaning. Nykamp, a respected former head of Basketball Canada, was hired as CSA chief executive officer last May. He was then told in July his appointment needed approval of the CSA board of directors. One month later, the board, made up of the executive committee and presidents of each provincial organization, voted not to ratify Nykamp's appointment, and he was out. CSA president Colin Linford, who was instrumental in bringing Nykamp to the organization, resigned. A few weeks later, Nykamp launched a $1.75-million lawsuit against the CSA. Two months ago, an out-of-court settlement was reached. The amount is said to be substantial -- and ultimately avoidable if Nykamp's hiring had been handled properly in the first place.

Former national team goalkeeper Craig Forrest, arguably the greatest international Canada has produced, described the CSA to Sun Media as a "complete mess" and said the fundamental problem is in its structure.

"The association is at the mercy of the individual provinces," said Forrest, now a broadcaster with Rogers Sportsnet and FIFA ambassador for SOS Children's Villages. "The provinces have more power than the CSA."

The CSA is structured in such a way that the professional staff has had to answer to the board, made up largely of representatives of the provinces. And Rossi said the provinces are more worried about their own fiefdoms than they are of the good of the national program, and that has caused infighting and a lack of movement on team initiatives.

Forrest has been frustrated by the CSA's inability to attract adequate sponsorship for national teams, and for grassroots programs, despite the fact soccer is the largest participation sport in Canada. Another frustration has been the CSA's inability to get the ball rolling on a professional or semi-professional Canadian league.

"Our national team players should be household names, but they aren't," Forrest said.

Even when the CSA appears to do the right thing, it has often backfired, such as the hiring of Nykamp.

The CSA won the right to be host of the 2007 under-20 World Cup. But the feel-good story of that event somehow turned into another source of frustration for Canadian fans as the host side not only failed to win a game, but was unable to score a goal. And though most of the games were well-attended, the tournament reportedly lost close to $1.7 million, though a CSA official said FIFA will cover any shortfall. The bottom line is that the under-20 event did not bolster the bottom line for the CSA, as many hoped.

Insufficient funds have been a constant worry. Part of that problem is the federal government's reluctance to fund amateur sport federations the way other wealthy nations do. Another problem has been the CSA's inability to attract sponsors, and that often is felt by national teams attempting to organize games and training camps in preparation for major competitions.

Brennan is frustrated over the national team's preparations for World Cup qualifying, particularly the calibre of opponents prior to the first game against St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Canada, ranked 62nd in the world by FIFA, has friendlies scheduled against Estonia (124th in the world) on March 26, Panama (69th) on June 6, and likely another game against another non-soccer powerhouse. For Brennan, that's not good enough.

"You look at every other country, they're playing top teams. We seem to be playing Third World countries," he said.

The U.S. national team, ranked 28th in the world, is scheduled to play Spain (fourth) and likely Poland (24th).

"The only way you're going to get better is to play the best. The Americans do it, and they're getting better, whereas we seem to be falling back."

The best result by a Canadian men's side (other than defeating Honduras 2-1 in St. John's, Nfld., to qualify for the 1986 World Cup) was winning the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Forrest was named tournament MVP). That side was coached by Holger Osieck, a German, who was hired in 1999. Osieck was considered the right man for the job, particularly after the Gold Cup win, but he resigned in 2003, reportedly over frustrations with the CSA and because of complaints lodged by some players that he was too demanding and autocratic. Osieck was replaced by former Canadian team standout Frank Yallop, a popular choice with the players. But he, too, resigned in 2006 to take the coaching job with the MLS Los Angeles Galaxy.

For months, speculation ran rampant that the CSA was about to hire Brazilian Rene Simoes, a world-renowned coach who guided Jamaica to an unlikely appearance in the 1998 World Cup. But, again, just as the Simoes hiring seemed to be a formality, Canadian Dale Mitchell was hired instead, after the CSA board refused to ratify the agreement with Simoes, who reportedly demanded the job as technical director as well as coach, and had refused to place a Canadian on his staff.

A number of players and officials expressed frustration that Simoes slipped through the CSA's fingers and raised further questions as to whether Mitchell is the right man. Many believe he is not, although he has his supporters. Mitchell, after all, coached the Canadian team to the goalless, winless three games at the under-20 World Cup.

To many, his hiring is just another CSA blunder.

"Don't ask me that," Brennan said when asked if Mitchell is the man to lead Canada through the World Cup qualification rounds. "Dale's in and seems to be doing a good job at the moment. But only time will tell."

Others aren't so diplomatic. Mitchell, who played for Canada at the 1986 World Cup, has been criticized for employing conservative, overly defensive tactics. Rossi said the CSA dropped the ball in hiring Mitchell, whom he described as a "safe but uninspired" choice.

"A country like England hired an Italian coach, and a Swedish coach before that," he said. "All kinds of foreign coaches are coaching all over the world. Canada exports hockey coaches all over the world. But we're a developing country in soccer and I think the CSA is a bit naive and a touch arrogant to think we have the depth of talent to lead our national team to the World Cup."

Mitchell told Sun Media he is beyond worrying about how others judge him, adding that his main focus is guiding Canada through World Cup qualifying. Nor is he consumed with the chaos and confusion that often abounds at the CSA.

"For me, it's about coaching and the players and the games. That's what I focus on," he said. "This (World Cup qualification) is a really good opportunity and I don't want to go into it with any excuses."

Rossi's example of the CSA dropping the ball was when Calgary native Owen Hargreaves opted to forsake the Canadian squad in 2000 and play for England. His parents had emigrated from the U.K. The Manchester United midfielder has established himself as a fixture with the English side and was a standout for England at the 2006 World Cup. Many believe that Hargreaves would have chosen to play for England no matter what the CSA did. Still, the disappointment lingers.

Now, another young star, Toronto native Jonathan de Guzman, is leaving Canada for The Netherlands, where has been a part of the Feyenoord organization since he was 12. De Guzman, 20, has become a key player for Feyenoord's senior side. His brother, Julian, is a key member of Canada's national team and a standout with Deportivo de La Coruna of the First Division of La Liga in Spain.

For Canadian fans, losing Hargreaves, and now Jonathan de Guzman, is a bitter pill to swallow.

"De Guzman is not going to be the last one (to jump ship). That's inevitable," Rossi said. "You don't play for the federation, you play for the country. But when the federation is a laughingstock, when you don't feel that you're being treated right, it's hard to feel any loyalty (to the national team)."

Again what I have been saying for over 10 years and still there is nothing being done and the CSF are just playing meaningless rhetorical games of verbal masturbation with no power to do anything. And despite my statement I am in support of what the CSF states mostly, they just are not people who are not taking any meaningful action and because of that , very soon they are going to look like the CSA itself. Also all this negative attention and press has not changed one single substantial thing except proving the CSA is untouchable as I stated.

Here is the CSA article:

Thu, March 20, 2008

Back in 'big picture'

National prez says changes are under way

By STEVE BUFFERY, SUN MEDIA

CSA president Domenic Maestracci insists his organization has taken major steps to rectify mistakes and to pave the way for a brighter future.

Today, the CSA will announce the hiring of a technical director and general secretary, both new positions. Maestracci said the general secretary will have powers beyond what any former top employee at the organization had before, which will help with decision-making. In the past, the top employee had to answer to the board, the volunteers, if you will.

But that will change.

"Everybody must report to him," said Maestracci, who has been involved in soccer at the national and provincial level (in Quebec) for years. "The technical director, the head coaches, both men and women, everybody will report to him."

Maestracci said the CSA has followed many of the recommendations of an organization review report prepared by Deloitte and Touche a few years ago, and has established a program called Wellness to World Cup, a long-term player development model. He said the CSA is determined to get the ball rolling on the formation of a domestic league and has helped negotiate the inclusion of a Canadian team into the expanded CONCACAF Champions' Cup. This summer, Toronto FC of MLS will face the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact of the United Soccer Leagues in a round-robin event to determine Canada's representative in the increasingly popular Champions' Cup.

Click here to find out more!

"I think the last year or so, we've done a lot of good things," Maestracci said. "But people only are talking about the bad things."

UNDER-23S IGNORED

He used the men's under-23 team as an example of a success story that has largely been ignored, until recently. Today, the surprising Canadian side will face the U.S. at the CONCACAF men's Olympic qualification tournament semi-final in Nashville, with the winner qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Canada has not qualified for the Olympics in men's soccer since 1984.

Ontario Soccer Association president John Knox believes the hiring of a general secretary will make a difference. Knox said Colin Linford did a lot to change the spirit on the board, and the provinces have started working together.

"At one time the west was interested only in the west, while Ontario and Quebec also had their problems," Knox said. "But they're really not looking for themselves anymore. They're looking at the big picture."

CSF chief Dino Rossi and former star goalkeeper Craig Forrest said they are willing to give the new general secretary and technical director a chance. To be fair, Forrest said, not all the problems over the years can be laid on the CSA. He also points the finger at the media.

"For a long, long time, the media never asked any questions. Nobody in the media cared and the CSA sort of slipped under the radar and no pressure was put on them," said Forrest, who played top-level soccer in England for 17 years.

Former national team defender Nick Dasovic, who is coaching the men's under-23 at the Olympic qualifying tournament, said the lack of media attention has contributed to the malaise of Canadian soccer. Dasovic expressed frustration in a conference call yesterday over the fact that, prior to his side qualifying for today's semi-final, the team was widely ignored, but now the media have jumped on the bandwagon.

"If we don't qualify (for the Olympics) all you reporters will stop calling, you'll be done (with us)," Dasovic said. "And a week from now, it will be back to the NHL playoffs, etc."

However, the spotlight from the media and from concerned fans will definitely be on the men's national team this summer, and the pressure is building. If Canada fails to earn a ticket to South Africa, the CSF, and others, are ready to pounce.

As usual more meaningless drivel from the CSA with the underlying tone of everything is ok and look how much we have done already copying every one else's ideas.

[redhat]

"Rossi's example of the CSA dropping the ball was when Calgary native Owen Hargreaves opted to forsake the Canadian squad in 2000 and play for England. "

I wholeheartedly, but respectfully, disagree. Next you're going to blame the CSA

for the weather and the losses by Toronto FC.

[loyola]

Do we really need to come back with old stories over and over again? Do we need to ask our players about the Mitchell hiring one year after the fact?

BTW, the writer choosed the fact he wanted to use to describe Mitchell ignoring that despite being the coach of the 2007 fiasco team he's also the coach who has led a Canadian men's team to it's better result ever in a World Cup.

I was against Mitchell hiring but I'm also against continuing the talk about it with the players and coaches, now it's WCQ time and we should concentrate on that, not on the Simoes stuff.

As for Brennan comments about quality of friendlies, when he'll be part of a side that can constantly beat the likes of Iceland and South Africa B team, we'll ask the CSA to find stronger opponents. I'm usually supporting the players but this is kind of insulting and I have the feeling that players are trying to find some excuses in anticipation of a WCQ failure and I don't like that at all. In 2004 we weren,t able to beat any of our 3 opponents when it counted so please don't whinne about playing Panama and Haiti, beat the hell out of those team!!!

[Gian-Luca]

Weird. These two articles were written by the same author but they practically contradict each other.

Interesting to hear that the CSA is talking about getting the ball rolling on some kind of domestic league, but I'd like to hear more details about this before I get excited. I'd rather get the ball rolling on more USL teams, to be honest.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by redhat

"Rossi's example of the CSA dropping the ball was when Calgary native Owen Hargreaves opted to forsake the Canadian squad in 2000 and play for England. "

I wholeheartedly, but respectfully, disagree. Next you're going to blame the CSA

for the weather and the losses by Toronto FC.

It's pointless to say I was misquoted but that's the case (or at least, what I told Mr. Buffery was taken out of context)

I was asked about players choosing not to play for Canada. I made the statement that players have and will continue to do so, especially if the current state of affairs does not improve.

I don't blame the CSA for Owen choosing England. Owen did what is best for Owen, in Owen's opinion. Same with Jon. The CSA and the provinces that control the CSA can be blamed for creating the current state of affairs but they can not solely fingered for why players make the kinds of decisions Owen and Jon made.

overall, I don't have any other issues with what was printed but that part stood out as not being in the proper context.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

As for Brennan comments about quality of friendlies, when he'll be part of a side that can constantly beat the likes of Iceland and South Africa B team, we'll ask the CSA to find stronger opponents. I'm usually supporting the players but this is kind of insulting and I have the feeling that players are trying to find some excuses in anticipation of a WCQ failure and I don't like that at all. In 2004 we weren,t able to beat any of our 3 opponents when it counted so please don't whinne about playing Panama and Haiti, beat the hell out of those team!!!

Totally agreed. I made the same point on bigsoccer yesterday when a couple of fans were saying that Mitchell should be fired if we don't thump Estonia by a minimum of two goals. To me, particularly following the South Africa match where our players did not play up to their capabilities, the bigger test is with the players to play to their capabilities. A number of players have complained about the quality of friendlies we are getting, well they have to start backing up what they say. If we don't start thumping these teams that are allegedly not good enough for us, then that particular complaint will be chucked out the window.

[BrennanFan]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

Totally agreed. I made the same point on bigsoccer yesterday when a couple of fans were saying that Mitchell should be fired if we don't thump Estonia by a minimum of two goals. To me, particularly following the South Africa match where our players did not play up to their capabilities, the bigger test is with the players to play to their capabilities. A number of players have complained about the quality of friendlies we are getting, well they have to start backing up what they say. If we don't start thumping these teams that are allegedly not good enough for us, then that particular complaint will be chucked out the window.

Nothing wrong with wanting the best opponents for Canada and for thinking that the team will only improve when they play better teams. If the players don't demand better, then who will? We've been playing the Estonia's for a longtime now, maybe it's time to get proper sponsorship, proper marketing, and attract mid to top level teams to play to full houses in Toronto. We have the population and infrastructure to make almost any game against a quality Euro or South American side a massive financial success. We just lack the vision.

And YES, we should be beating Estonia by at least two goals. Our quality demands those kind of expectations.

[fan]

Keep your eye on the ball folks, the players who chose other countries chose a personal if not selfish path are a symptom and of a much bigger cause. The point is no one can do anything about the the CSA and the CSF and the media are proving that everyday.

The CSF is at least a presence of disdain or change but they are not going to do anything definitive or take any real action there already becoming passive and illusive in their comments. What could they do anyway? If we dont demand and get something very similar to Australia or a referendum to remove the entire CSA its all fruitless.

Look the CSA continues on and they will until they pick up some mediocre victory and suck all the kudos out of it for years.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

Nothing wrong with wanting the best opponents for Canada and for thinking that the team will only improve when they play better teams. If the players don't demand better, then who will? We've been playing the Estonia's for a longtime now, maybe it's time to get proper sponsorship, proper marketing, and attract mid to top level teams to play to full houses in Toronto. We have the population and infrastructure to make almost any game against a quality Euro or South American side a massive financial success. We just lack the vision.

And YES, we should be beating Estonia by at least two goals. Our quality demands those kind of expectations.

But we lost to Estonia the last time that we played them. And, they are not minnows. They typically finish the middle area of their qualifying pools in europe. Crap, In a span of about two years, we played sides like Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Czech republic, scotland, Ireland. And for the most part we had it handed to us. What good does it do to play sides where you seldom get to touch the ball? need to learn to walk before you can run. and that means more sides like Finland, Estonia, Northern Ireland and Hungary rather than those mentioned above. Also, in WCQ and in this region we are going to see more sides of the later quality rather than the former,

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by fan

Look the CSA continues on and they will until they pick up some mediocre victory and suck all the kudos out of it for years.

Yeah, picking up victories, that would be terrible thing wouldn't it!

[fan]

This crap just seeps down from the top.

Look if its Maestracci running the show and he was put there by the other crap before him its inevitable he will hire more of the same crap.

Same people ,different positions produces the same crap output.

Its referendum or nothing now .

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

Nothing wrong with wanting the best opponents for Canada and for thinking that the team will only improve when they play better teams.

In principle that is fine, I agree. The problem is that some of these "third world" countries that Brennan derisively refers to have proven to be better teams, based on the results. South Africa missing many starters beat us 2-0.

If we start beating up on these teams that apparently are not worthy to shine our boots, then it will be easier to agree with the comments of Brennan (and a few others before him that have made the same comments), and additionally it will make the CSA's job in lining up high-profile friendlies easier as we will be seen as a more attractive opponent to play. But the onus is squarely on the players, as they are the ones making these statements. I hope we start to see that happen against Estonia.

[BrennanFan]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

In principle that is fine, I agree. The problem is that some of these "third world" countries that Brennan derisively refers to have proven to be better teams, based on the results. South Africa missing many starters beat us 2-0.

If we start beating up on these teams that apparently are not worthy to shine our boots, then it will be easier to agree with the comments of Brennan (and a few others before him that have made the same comments), and additionally it will make the CSA's job in lining up high-profile friendlies easier as we will be seen as a more attractive opponent to play. But the onus is squarely on the players, as they are the ones making these statements. I hope we start to see that happen against Estonia.

Friendlies will NEVER be due to our quality/reputation. Doesn't matter if we qualify. You think the CSA tries to find friendly opponents based on what teams are of equivalent quality? THE CSA is clueless to our quality and are likely clueless to the quality of any team out there. Should we really stick to the status quo which is really just based on circumstance/ineptitude?????

We need to attract the best Friendlies possible through FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, and for our FINANCIAL GAIN. Playing Top Teams cannot be worse for the development of our players than playing Estonia.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

It's pointless to say I was misquoted but that's the case (or at least, what I told Mr. Buffery was taken out of context)

I was asked about players choosing not to play for Canada. I made the statement that players have and will continue to do so, especially if the current state of affairs does not improve.

To be fair to Mr. Buffery, looking at what he wrote in the article and what you are writing here, I'm not sure that he's really taking your comments out of context. The "especially if the current state of affairs does not improve" comment does seem to place the ball back into the CSA's hands for players defecting to other countries.

If you can (and I know it's difficult because the guy asked you about it) I'd suggest avoiding the subject altogether. I don't know that the linking in any way from player defections to the incompetence of the CSA is ever going to look good unless it truly is the specific reason that it happened. After all, the US qualifies for the World Cup every time out now & yet they have players defecting to other countries as well.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

To be fair to Mr. Buffery, looking at what he wrote in the article and what you are writing here, I'm not sure that he's really taking your comments out of context. The "especially if the current state of affairs does not improve" comment does seem to place the ball back into the CSA's hands for players defecting to other countries.

If you can (and I know it's difficult because the guy asked you about it) I'd suggest avoiding the subject altogether. I don't know that the linking in any way from player defections to the incompetence of the CSA is ever going to look good unless it truly is the specific reason that it happened. After all, the US qualifies for the World Cup every time out now & yet they have players defecting to other countries as well.

I agree with your 2nd point. I prefer not to discuss players who've chosen to play for other countries. However, I was asked and "no comment" is not something that comes naturally to me. No media training here but I'm working at it. sometimes, less is more.

The reality is that the number of reasons why a player chooses to "quit" on their birth country to play for another country is too long to list and many of them are very personal. In the case of the highest profile players that have chosen not to represent Canada, the sad state of affairs in Canadian soccer might be/definitely is a factor but how big of a factor is impossible to judge unless the player specifically says "I don't want to represent Canada because the CSA is a joke".

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

Friendlies will NEVER be due to our quality/reputation.

So you're saying that we should be aiming to line up friendlies with other countries based on their quality, but that other countries will never consider our quality when deciding if they want to play us? That makes no sense at all.

And yes, I am perfectly aware that for home friendlies we need to dangle a lot of cash (that we most likely don't have) in front of high-profile teams. That goes without saying and isn't the issue. The issue is that if the players are going to scoff at the friendlies we have lined up, they need to back up what they say & win those games decisively in order to prove their point.

[fan]

Semantics are only afforded by the wealthy.

Here are some facts.

Canadian born and trained players did not choose to play for Canada.

Some of these players and others have said the equivalent or verbatim that they will not play for Canada because of the CSA current state.

The CSA has woefully under prepared all of our teams and has provided too few and even sub par opponents, even for a 200th ranked team.

No World cup appearance since our last in 1986.

I dont recommend anyone to say no comment but I do recommend anyone who is asked repeat the facts instead of dribbling ambiguities in response.

[BrennanFan]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

So you're saying that we should be aiming to line up friendlies with other countries based on their quality, but that other countries will never consider our quality when deciding if they want to play us? That makes no sense at all.

And yes, I am perfectly aware that for home friendlies we need to dangle a lot of cash (that we most likely don't have) in front of high-profile teams. That goes without saying and isn't the issue. The issue is that if the players are going to scoff at the friendlies we have lined up, they need to back up what they say & win those games decisively in order to prove their point.

No, our quality, no matter what we do, will never be recognized by top teams. We will always be white boy lumberjacks who don't know how to play. No it is not right and makes no sense but thats the way it is and always will be. Top teams continue to scoff at Costa Rica and the States, same will go for us no matter what.

Cash could be had, easily, with proper sponsorship, and proper marketing of big friendlies against good teams. Money is the issue because it is all that matters in attracting teams that will improve our program. I believe we can beat Estonia and South Africa's top team if we played tomorrow with our full squad. No doubt about it if we had a proper coach. We should not play down to circumstance, we should play up to our goals. Even if we truly sucked and lost against Estonia every time, it would be more beneficial to lose against Italy.

You are right about needing to win the games that come our way, but I find your low expectations hard to understand. I guess the weight of the world has yet to crush my spirit.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

[

I agree with your 2nd point. I prefer not to discuss players who've chosen to play for other countries. However, I was asked and "no comment" is not something that comes naturally to me. No media training here but I'm working at it. sometimes, less is more.

You shouldn't say "no comment" anyway...

"That's an interesting point and one that a lot of Canadian fans worry about. But, the reality is that those young men exercised a choice that they had. We can't say for sure that they would have chosen Canada if the CSA was better run. All we can do is push for changes to the CSA to support those players that have decided to play for this country."

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

[

I agree with your 2nd point. I prefer not to discuss players who've chosen to play for other countries. However, I was asked and "no comment" is not something that comes naturally to me. No media training here but I'm working at it. sometimes, less is more.

You shouldn't say "no comment" anyway...

"That's an interesting point and one that a lot of Canadian fans worry about. But, the reality is that those young men exercised a choice that they had. We can't say for sure that they would have chosen Canada if the CSA was better run. All we can do is push for changes to the CSA to support those players that have decided to play for this country."

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

No, our quality, no matter what we do, will never be recognized by top teams. We will always be white boy lumberjacks who don't know how to play. No it is not right and makes no sense but thats the way it is and always will be. Top teams continue to scoff at Costa Rica and the States, same will go for us no matter what.

Cash could be had, easily, with proper sponsorship, and proper marketing of big friendlies against good teams. Money is the issue because it is all that matters in attracting teams that will improve our program. I believe we can beat Estonia and South Africa's top team if we played tomorrow with our full squad. No doubt about it if we had a proper coach. We should not play down to circumstance, we should play up to our goals. Even if we truly sucked and lost against Estonia every time, it would be more beneficial to lose against Italy.

You are right about needing to win the games that come our way, but I find your low expectations hard to understand. I guess the weight of the world has yet to crush my spirit.

I don't think it's low expectations, it's realistic expectations.

Of course we all want to see the MNT play and compete against the big teams like France, Argentina and Italy. But until we start getting results with some consistency I don't think it will serve us well playing that kind of opposition.

Playing big teams in friendlies won't help the popularity of soccer in this country even if we scratch some results. The only thing that will help is qualification to a WC and then starting to get some results in the GC, WCQ and friendlies with some consistency.

I don't see the point of playing Brazil in Toronto, making a lot of money but not touching the ball during the game and getting thrash 4-0. I don't see how it will help us getting our act together for games like Jamaica, Mexico and Honduras. Yes, money is nice for the program and it might be wise to have a "money maker game" in Edmonton but we'll have to invest wisely with games against decent opposition if our goal is to qualify for the WC. But playing Spain, Argentina, Germnay, Italy and Brazil instead of Estonia, Haiti and Panama would get us nowhere in term of preparation IMO because we wouldn't be able to compete as shown by our recent results against Iceland, South Africa and 10 men Costa Rica.

[fan]

You cant say for sure the CSA is a well run organization.

You cant say for sure that Bush won the election fairly.

You cant say for sure that the sky is blue. "Its damn aqua anyway, oh crap I am wearing my rose coloured sunglasses again".

You can say for sure you that you can always rest on the unsureness of the world and theirs nothing interesting about that.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by BrennanFan

No, our quality, no matter what we do, will never be recognized by top teams. We will always be white boy lumberjacks who don't know how to play. No it is not right and makes no sense but thats the way it is and always will be. Top teams continue to scoff at Costa Rica and the States, same will go for us no matter what.

You keep throwing the words "never" and "always" out like each word is a hand-grenade with the pin taken out. You are overstating your case big-time. And didn't the US just line up a friendly against England at Wembley? The same US team that Italy was happy to play at home a few years back? I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that Italy doesn't scoff at the US, although they once did many years back. Once the US became a team of consistently quality Italy's respect went up for them big time. The same would happen to Canada if we start to beat up on these teams that are allegedly very inferior to us.

quote:

You are right about needing to win the games that come our way, but I find your low expectations hard to understand. I guess the weight of the world has yet to crush my spirit.

I find this paragraph difficult to understand. I don't have low expectations, and to suggest that my spirit is crushed is to suggest that you do not know me at all.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

I find this paragraph difficult to understand. I don't have low expectations, and to suggest that my spirit is crushed is to suggest that you do not know me at all.

G-L is the most positive Canadian soccer fan in the world. If and when we qualify for the World Cup the players should seek him out and carry him on their shoulders during a lap of honour.

G-L deserves to "qualify" for the World Cup more than some of the players.

Seriously.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy

You shouldn't say "no comment" anyway...

"That's an interesting point and one that a lot of Canadian fans worry about. But, the reality is that those young men exercised a choice that they had. We can't say for sure that they would have chosen Canada if the CSA was better run. All we can do is push for changes to the CSA to support those players that have decided to play for this country."

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to my newly minted media consultant....

I only wish I could think of smart things like that to say in the heat of the moment.