Canadian players fall in love with Montreal pitch

[JB_Tito]

Canadian players fall in love with Montreal pitch

MONTREAL -- The Canadian national men's soccer team wants to make Montreal's Saputo Stadium home for all future FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, but the players aren't sure if those calling the shots are listening to them.

"Everyone has agreed this is the best pitch there is in Canada, but the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association) and whoever works for the CSA want us to play in (Toronto's) BMO Field and Edmonton as well," midfielder Julian de Guzman said Thursday. "Stuff like that will affect us immensely going toward the World Cup. We feel very comfortable right here."

Canada takes to the lush grass surface for its first game ever at Saputo Stadium tonight when it faces St. Vincent & the Grenadines in the return leg of a two-game, total-goals series in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Canada has a virtual lock on the series after a 3-0 victory in the first leg played in St. Vincent last Sunday. A win tonight and Canada moves to Stage 3 of qualifying - a round-robin tournament against Jamaica and Honduras plus the winner of the two-game series between Mexico and Belize, beginning in August.

Read more

[Free kick]

I can respect the views of the players on this topic and they are not surprising to me to be honnest. The flip side to the players argument and in favour of the CSA ( and the idea of moving the games around) is that if the players say " We feel very comfortable right here" then you can be sure that a more favoured side like Mexico will also feel the same about the pitch in Montreal.

This is where the national body needs to wiegh all factors in deciding locations. Not just how comfortable our players feel but also how comfortable our oppoenents feel and an array of other factors.

Thats said, the notion of playing internatioanl soccer games in Montreal is rediculously long over due.

[Gian-Luca]

The players keep talking like they are blissfully unaware that the Montreal Impact have scheduled a home game the same evening as our first home qualifying match (August 20th). The only way it will be possible to play there that night is if they get Montreal to re-schedule their home game (and presumably get their opponents to agree to it as well). Perhaps since they are in Montreal they can speak to Saputo directly about this, as I imagine the CSA's hands are tied.

As for playing in Montreal against Mexico in October, yeah, I guess that can happen, but I worry that we would be throwing away the anticipated "cold weather" advantage that Edmonton in October might bring. Unless Montreal is typically just as cold at that time of the year. The other worry is that 5000 Mexican fans are more likely to be obscured in a 54,000 seater than they would in a 13,000 seater and you can be sure that 5000 or so Mexicans will make there way to Montreal, if not more, unless we get our act together & buy out the stadium before they get a chance.

[JamesW]

I wonder if they would be so anti-Toronto if BMO had been even slightly full against Costa Rica.

[Winnipeg Fury]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

The players keep talking like they are blissfully unaware that the Montreal Impact have scheduled a home game the same evening as our first home qualifying match (August 20th). The only way it will be possible to play there that night is if they get Montreal to re-schedule their home game (and presumably get their opponents to agree to it as well). Perhaps since they are in Montreal they can speak to Saputo directly about this, as I imagine the CSA's hands are tied.

As for playing in Montreal against Mexico in October, yeah, I guess that can happen, but I worry that we would be throwing away the anticipated "cold weather" advantage that Edmonton in October might bring. Unless Montreal is typically just as cold at that time of the year. The other worry is that 5000 Mexican fans are more likely to be obscured in a 54,000 seater than they would in a 13,000 seater and you can be sure that 5000 or so Mexicans will make there way to Montreal, if not more, unless we get our act together & buy out the stadium before they get a chance.

Good points.

Joey Saputo was at the practice two days ago. Plenty of time for everyone to talk.

When I introduced all the guys to Julian at the presentation, everyone stated where they came from. Winnipeg was the closest destination. Julian was blown away. I hope they think about that when discussing Edmonton as a venue.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Jamit

I wonder if they would be so anti-Toronto if BMO had been even slightly full against Costa Rica.

Nope. The strong complaints against field turf started just prior to that game. I still recall stalteri's comments via interview at that time. it occured after/during the first ever practise they had at BMO field.

[CanadasBest]

I'm all for it... As long as Julian is paying all the Voyageurs airfare to South Africa once we qualify! [8D]

[Daniel]

It's appalling that BMO can't switch to grass when a smaller, cheaper stadium is being lauded for its excellent pitch. What was the point of the "National Soccer Stadium"? We should just have called it the "MLS, Youth and Beer League Stadium".

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

It's appalling that BMO can't switch to grass when a smaller, cheaper stadium is being lauded for its excellent pitch. What was the point of the "National Soccer Stadium"? We should just have called it the "MLS, Youth and Beer League Stadium".

Well I dont think that you will find anyone who doesn't wish that it would have been built with natural surface. Early indications are that there is some wear and tear on the body over the long term judging from players comments

But on the other hand, attitudes and view towards the surface have alot of evolving do. We are not asking the players to play a 28 games season on the surface but rather one or maybe two games a year. What bugs me a little is: did we hear our players complaining when they had to play at saprissa in the last round of WCQ? Saprissa also has field turf.

[Gian-Luca]

Similar to the players speaking to Saputo about re-scheduling the Impact game that's on at the same time as our first home match of the semi-final round, maybe Sutton & Brennan can speak to MLSE about putting pressure on the City to install grass or at the very least waiving the need for the 6 home games to be played at BMO. Otherwise it does look a bit odd that players who play on the surface regularly are saying that it's good enough to play on regularly with the club but not with the national team.

[tmcmurph]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

It's appalling that BMO can't switch to grass when a smaller, cheaper stadium is being lauded for its excellent pitch. What was the point of the "National Soccer Stadium"? We should just have called it the "MLS, Youth and Beer League Stadium".

Pretty much nailed it there. All these rationalizations and justifications for FieldTurf like year round use, covered for winter are all for youth and amateur leagues. It has nothing of benefit to a pro team like TFC much less the MNT or gettting big name teams to visit.

Take the turf and cover and put it at Lampart! Convert BMO to real grass and use the Desso Grassmaster system so you can have 3 times the use if you want.

I don't think they have that full a schedule at BMO. Converting to real grass could actually boost their pro/MNT/exhibition soccer usage.

[Guest Ed]

I will forego any possibility of seeing them out here in Alberta if they players want to stick to Saputo stadium. World Cup qualification is in sight, let's get behind them and give them every advantage possible.